The Splash - LM Squirt Mod

[Metropolicity]

Alright, don't get too excited. I haven't actually made it yet.

I did however, get my tool set decided. Why a Slash? It's not quiet a Wave...and it certainly won't be a Squirt!

I wanted to attempt to make my version of the ultimate LM Squirt. I am spoiled by the fact that I often make stuff till I get what I think is a perfect tool, why would my keychain/mini too be any different?

I really like the squirt, I often consider it one of the best keychain tools, I don't like the Micra (yes, hate me know) because every one I've used, the scissors would ALWAYS jam. Since I found the PS4 perfect for very light work, I am going to attempt to replicate my normal tool set, with a couple of tweaks.

I may also make some new scales from some stainless steel rulers. This does a couple of things, it'll slim up the overall thickness since I am adding about 1/4 over all to the Squirt and I'll gain the advantage of an accurate ruler



Most of my MTs have this:
1. Pliers
2. PE
3. SE
4. File
5. Scissors
6. Flat bit
7. Phillips
8. Awl

Bonuses are
9. Robertson
10. Tweezers
11. Straight Pin
12. Eyeglass driver

The Squirt series, retired and current contain ALL of these tools and if combined would make a really fun project. A lot of it will be disassembly of riveted tools and combining and assembling with new longer 1/8" knife pins.

Here is where I am going steal stuff.

LM P4.
1. Pliers
2. PE 
6. Flat bit
8. Awl
7. Phillips (flat Phillips)



LM S4
3. SE (will have to be profiled and ground.
4. File (will use the nail file because the P4/PS4 file is useless at that size)
12. Eyeglass driver
10. Tweezers



PS4
5. Scissors



E4 (Radio Shack version)
7. Phillips (3D Phillip)



How the hell am I going to add ALL these tools in a Squirt? Like EvilOlive, I am going to add layers. The chassis are the backsprings so it's a pretty simple system, as long as the center layer is the plier and back spring sandwich, it's all good.

--

Now I have started to do some testing and already found a way to make a better awl from the flat phillips bit.



and..I did an experiment with a SE and I achieved a pretty good result. I'll likely grind one more blade. My I use a 1/8" diamond bit for the large scallops and a 1/16" one for the smaller ones. Then I flipped my belt sander on it's side and added a minute convex to the back side to reveal the SE.





I even pulled a LM move and jimped the back of the blade so I know which blade is which.



--

I have on order a bunch of E4's, S4's, P4s and some longer 1/2" long pivots (which I may have to splice if making a 4 layer Squirt is too much.

Until those parts come in...I'll leave this project till then. I'll give the SE a good testing this week when I break down a bunch of boxes for recycling and report back.

[nuphoria]

This is going to be fun!

[Syph007]

Nice Eric! I like the name too...

You know what, I never liked the micra either, and I thought I was the only one.  The p4 is my all time fav keychain tool, I have 3 of them. 

Ive really been wanting a good way to add serrations to a blade, and I swear I remember seeing a tool to do it on a knife site, but I cant remember what it was.  I dont think I could do a good job by hand, so I need to think of a mechanical method or guided way... 

[Metropolicity]

Nice Eric! I like the name too...

You know what, I never liked the micra either, and I thought I was the only one.  The p4 is my all time fav keychain tool, I have 3 of them. 

Ive really been wanting a good way to add serrations to a blade, and I swear I remember seeing a tool to do it on a knife site, but I cant remember what it was.  I dont think I could do a good job by hand, so I need to think of a mechanical method or guided way... 

I used a dremel. Just slow and steady. I think I am going to try again and use less aggressive serrations but I like the points per inch, almost like a mini saw.

[EvilOlivE]

Man that SE blade looks MEAN! 

Are you going to try and do two extra layers for 8 tool slots??

[Metropolicity]

Man that SE blade looks MEAN! 

Are you going to try and do two extra layers for 8 tool slots??

Yah a total of 4 layers. 2 blade layers and 2 tool layers. I'll see about mixing them up and organizing them so they make sense.

My radio shack e4's came in today with the 3d Phillips, more blades to try to carve a SE on and the tweezer/eyeglass driver layer.

I am going to see if I can manage to only carve up one since they are really good condition.

[EvilOlivE]

Yah a total of 4 layers. 2 blade layers and 2 tool layers. I'll see about mixing them up and organizing them so they make sense.

My radio shack e4's came in today with the 3d Phillips, more blades to try to carve a SE on and the tweezer/eyeglass driver layer.

I am going to see if I can manage to only carve up one since they are really good condition.

Cool! if IRC the 1/2" long pivots worked out really well with 3 layers, the pivots extended half way into the scale holes almost perfectly.  I'm anxious to see how 4 layers works out.  The screws that come with the pivots are pretty long so it should at least go together, just hopefully the outside layers wont feel too flimsy with the pivot not reaching all the way to the scale.  I guess as long as the pivot extends more than half way into the tool bit it should be all good.  It'd be cool to find some 3/4" or 1" long pivots and just cut them to length but 1/2" is the longest i could find. 

[Metropolicity]

Yah a total of 4 layers. 2 blade layers and 2 tool layers. I'll see about mixing them up and organizing them so they make sense.

My radio shack e4's came in today with the 3d Phillips, more blades to try to carve a SE on and the tweezer/eyeglass driver layer.

I am going to see if I can manage to only carve up one since they are really good condition.

Cool! if IRC the 1/2" long pivots worked out really well with 3 layers, the pivots extended half way into the scale holes almost perfectly.  I'm anxious to see how 4 layers works out.  The screws that come with the pivots are pretty long so it should at least go together, just hopefully the outside layers wont feel too flimsy with the pivot not reaching all the way to the scale.  I guess as long as the pivot extends more than half way into the tool bit it should be all good.  It'd be cool to find some 3/4" or 1" long pivots and just cut them to length but 1/2" is the longest i could find.

If I need to splice, I'll splice. But if it's only 2mm or so, I'll trim a spacer.

I plant to replace the scales with precision steel rulers so I'll have enough space

[Zed]

  I'm looking forward too this one 

[EvilOlivE]

If I need to splice, I'll splice. But if it's only 2mm or so, I'll trim a spacer.

I plant to replace the scales with precision steel rulers so I'll have enough space

Oh wow! i didn't catch that, i thought you were going to put the ruler in a tool slot, but you're making scales out of the ruler! too cool 

[Metropolicity]

If I need to splice, I'll splice. But if it's only 2mm or so, I'll trim a spacer.

I plant to replace the scales with precision steel rulers so I'll have enough space

Oh wow! i didn't catch that, i thought you were going to put the ruler in a tool slot, but you're making scales out of the ruler! too cool 

Yah! It'll be nice to have a precision ruler, even 2" of it would be useful. It's going to be a testing bed because I plan to use the same technique for my Juice KF4S mod

[Metropolicity]

Success! I won both the S4's, which have the Ruler/Nail File/Gunk Hook.

All the parts are acquired now...

[Landrew]

Long after they have made a multi-tool for each person on earth, the collectors and modders will continue to fuel demand...

[Metropolicity]

Did some planning today, taking a mental break from Skinth.

From what I gathered this is the load out.

A Layer 1 (outside):
-PE Blade
B Layer 1 (outside):
-3D Phillips/Flat Driver

A Layer 2 (inside):
-Nail File
B Layer 2 (inside):
-2D phillips/Awl

---

C Layer 1 (outside):
-SE Blade
D Layer 1 (outside):
-Scissors

C Layer 2 (inside)
-??!!!!
D Layer 2 (inside)
-Eyeglass Driver/Tweezers

--

So after planning. I notice...wait a minute! Even with ALL of the tools in one Squirt from 3 squirts...there's still a blank outside opening slot!!! What to do?!

A package opener? The standard file? a wire stripper? a warney blade? gut hook? Another pair of scissors? Staple pry bar?

AHHHHH MY BRAIN IS NOT WORKING!

[AimlessWanderer]

It's all looking good mate, but a few thoughts if I may ...

• The blade length seems too short to bother with serrations for me - are you sure it'll be worth the effort (if you drop that you're on an even tool count)
• If keeping the SE blade, I think a package opener would round things off nicely
• How are you overcoming the nail nick issue? The outer tools obscuring the inner tools - there isn't enough clearance on the backsprings for the pliers to reverse them either

[Metropolicity]

It's all looking good mate, but a few thoughts if I may ...

• The blade length seems too short to bother with serrations for me - are you sure it'll be worth the effort (if you drop that you're on an even tool count)
• If keeping the SE blade, I think a package opener would round things off nicely
• How are you overcoming the nail nick issue? The outer tools obscuring the inner tools - there isn't enough clearance on the backsprings for the pliers to reverse them either

I am going to give it a go anyways, the SE I made already is too aggressive. I am going to see about making a more gentle curved one. I've never been one to shy away from a challenge.

I was thinking of taking a Swann-Morton scalpel blade holder and adapting it to the last spot. I do a lot of paper craft and detail work and having one on the go would be pretty neat. Also, the replaceable blades would be nice too. Failing that, I think a super pointy, Exacto shaped blade would be good a substitute if it wouldn't fit.

All it would take would be a new profile on one of the blades and then a chisel grind with my Lansky sharpner.

As Evilolive has demonstrated when he assembled his, there is room for finger nails to get in there, it'll be SAK like, but still doable.

Here's the pics from his thread:





You'll notice that there is lots of space for deployment. The sandwiched chassis and spaces will work...I hope

[redbaron]

  how much bigger is it?

[Metropolicity]

how much bigger is it?

That one isn't mind, but it SHOULD be around .65-.75" when I am done

[AimlessWanderer]

Ah, I see - looks like the layers are well spaced. I'd got a more compact vision in my minds eye 

[Metropolicity]

More parts came in today.

A really worn E4 and a couple of P4's. The grey p4 will be the one to be disassembled.

I opened the package with a very generous early birthday gift from Cornholio, a gerber g10 EAB



I also ordered a couple of Swann-Morton scalpel holders (steel ones) and I am going to try to shape and fit it into the extra blade slot I discovered.

[Sparky415]

I like the idea of sharp replaceable blades 

 

[enki_ck]

Looking forward on seeing how this mod progresses.

BTW. How do you like the form factor of the EAB lite compared to the original one?

[lowtech]

I like how you alway come up with new ideas.
Judging from the size i imagine the EAB to be, the Squirt seems to be tiny.
Would you mind taking one of the next pics with a Sak as a reference? Or maybe a freehand, just for giggles ;-)

If one of the Squirts (maybe one with the wire stripper head?) ends up unharmed, i might feel the need to pester you to trade me one...

Until then: 

[Metropolicity]

I like how you alway come up with new ideas.
Judging from the size i imagine the EAB to be, the Squirt seems to be tiny.
Would you mind taking one of the next pics with a Sak as a reference? Or maybe a freehand, just for giggles ;-)

If one of the Squirts (maybe one with the wire stripper head?) ends up unharmed, i might feel the need to pester you to trade me one...

Until then: 

I know I won't be screwing with a couple of more mint e4's.

I'll take rally when this mod gets done. The pivots, blade holders and the s4's need to come in before I get going on this

[Metropolicity]

Looking forward on seeing how this mod progresses.

BTW. How do you like the form factor of the EAB lite compared to the original one?

The thicker handle is marginally Better. I do like the g10. Does nothing I actually strengthen it.

[Metropolicity]

Screw this, I did it, I am going to try to make a big awl for one of the "big tools", in place of the mini awl will be this (hopefully). The steel from a Surge removable saw blade should be fine steel for the "big" awl.

Ground down the E4 (which is narrower at the tip) into a stubby package opener. Not sure if I am am 100% on board with this, but it seems to work. I call it the push and pull package opener.









Why push and pull? Push in the sharp tip to pierce the plastic, then pull to slide the cutting edge. Leatherman fans will know that is a BO Rebar being opened up.







So this calls a for a new tool load out.

Big tools
1. PE blade
2. Scalpel
3. Scissors
4. Big awl
5. Nail file

Small tools
6. 3d Philips
7. 2d Phillips
8. Eyeglass driver
9. Flat bit/bottle opener
10. Push&Pull package opener
11. Tweezers

[scorpion008]

I hope to see those ruler scales soon, personally that's the part of this mod that interests me the most. I feel that the pivot/rivets on the squirts' scales look a little messed up if you look closely.

[Metropolicity]

I hope to see those ruler scales soon, personally that's the part of this mod that interests me the most. I feel that the pivot/rivets on the squirts' scales look a little messed up if you look closely.

I'll be tackling those tomorrow. For now...

Did some prep work, took apart a E4, P4 and a PS4' salvaged the parts I needed, all I need is the nail file from the S4 and the pivots.



I took the oldest chassis, from the E4, and cut them in half to make the new layers back springs. Cleaning them up with the same end mill that I used to cut them in half. I may adjust them later so I can make room for accessing the nail nicks.



These pics are kind of a nice way to illustrate the complexity of the Squirt chassis.







Assembling this guy will be a bit of a challenge, I'll have to make a diagram of what part goes in what order.



So there we are, two inside chassis, and 4 back spring layers.

[Metropolicity]

Some early morning measuring.

Stacking the tools, the whole assembly without the scales and the 4 layers measure .52". This means I have to either splice two pivots together or make 4 really small spacers. I am inclined to make spacers because the Squirt doesn't take a lot of torque like its bigger brothers, I don't need it to be rock solid. Also, the spacers will be used mainly to align the new ruler scales.



Here you can see two blades on the top to layers and 2 driver tools on the bottom layers. The .5" pivots should at least touch all of them.



Here are the ruler I plan to use for the scales. One side for CM's



And one for inches.



I should be able to get 4.5" of measuring might! They will also take up a nice polish being stainless.



I MAY run into some problems with the scissors. Most of the tools are 1/16" so stacking them in pairs would result in an even stack but the scissors are 3/32 together (scissor and back spring). leatherman combatted this with a special scale and a plastic spacer. When closed the PS4 looks even but it's all the scale, I'll have to use washers to even out the layers.

[nuphoria]

Really hoping this will be a success, and then you will decide you don't actually want it, and sell it to me