Geek SAK

[PTRSAK]

This is where it started...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380601243063

Wow, over $100.   I should go dig a couple of old cards out of my PC junk box and make some money.

I don't think these scales are even very well done. I mean, drilling through the middle of that chip??  That's just ugly.

What the... I mean why?  I get the gimmick factor but how is that comfortable?  And no, those are not well done.  I would think youd want to put the electronics in resin, so that they were visible, but the hand was treated with a smooth outer plastic shell.   

Peter I nominate you to make one of these up for a test auction and see how it goes... 

and this is where I've got to...





This one used the "surface tension" method of encapsulating. It retains some of the contour of the electronics on the board. The other option is to cast them in a mold and end up with completely smooth scales.
I like this set as they are a bit "organic" in their feel in the hand. Similar to stag horn or jigged bone.
Polished uneven, if you get what I mean.

[papercut]

Cyber rad!

[Outback in Idaho]

  I likes it. That has computer geek and eco-recycler written all over it.   

   When will you be marketing them??

[Nhoj]

Wow that is really cool! What did you use to coat those?

[Syph007]

Nice one Peter glad you got around to making one.  Looks excellent to me!

[stealth007s]

Nice work Peter

[PTRSAK]

Wow that is really cool! What did you use to coat those?

This is "Water Clear Encapsulating Resin".  Essentially a clear, colourless poylester resin.
Often used to make things like gear knobs with spiders embedded in them and crap like that.

[stealth007s]

Does this SAK have a name, or will it be Geek SAK?

[TurkTeen]

Stamp the Victorinox shield on it, and this is how the new Cybertools should be manufactured. 

[papercut]

Lol, a good way to dispose of ewaste!

[Outback in Idaho]

Stamp the Victorinox shield on it, and this is how the new Cybertools should be manufactured. 

  Tritium vials would really bring this idea to a new light. Then too... hmm... a working PCB version that used a battery for surface mounted LEDs in flashed in a patterns when the Vic shield button was pressed, though that would not be recycling as much as a light vial could be.

  You could even experiment with various glow in the dark colors, paint the various surface resistors.

  Was thinking of this resin with grains of sand, small rocks, chopped beach sea shells, or even leaves enclosed within. With that be molded, one could even fabricate molds for normal and Plus scales, and snap on replacements maybe? Not sure how tough scales would be from that resin in comparison to cellidor.


Edit: Missed the "not" due to a distraction. Watching a Jackie Chan movie. 

[HankSolon]

Wasn't there already a "Show off your SAK mods"-post, showing such knifes? Long, long ago.

[Outback in Idaho]

Wasn't there already a "Show off your SAK mods"-post, showing such knifes? Long, long ago.

  This isn't a mod, it is just another form of scales. A separate post helps clarify the concept rather than a basket of everything thrown together. We've had a few discussions on various types of scales in the not so recent past, but hard to include them all without it getting messy. Not unless the moderators gave us a Scales forum. 

[HankSolon]

This isn't a mod, it is just another form of scales.

Which is a mod.   

 

[nuphoria]

That's a lot of fun - nice work

[Zed]

Very geekycool  :tu:is it made for Sheldon from big bang 

[Outback in Idaho]

This isn't a mod, it is just another form of scales.

Which is a mod.   

 

  Nah, a mod is a modification of the tool. Scales is like a paint job, or upholstery. Something that changes the overall tools & drivers. Like adding an awl to Wave, taking stuff out & replacing it with stuff that should of been there. That's a mod, where ya take it apart and try to put it back together without having extra parts. 

[HankSolon]

Nah, a mod is a modification of the tool. Scales is like a paint job, or upholstery.

Your definition is kind a special....     

However, what I learned is, "there's no correct or wrong definition but suitable or not suitable". You want your scales forum, so you decide that a quick tools echchange and repin of less than half hour is more a mod, than a > 8 hours ebony plus scales mod with shield inlay.   

Or speaking in results: You say that a mod is an exchange of tools, so that you get a knife which either hasn't been produced in that way or changes the set of tools of your originally knife. But replacing a scale, like getting absolutely custom wood scales, with extra tools like needle and pen is NOT a mod. Yes. I totally agree, that's not a mod. That's just a paint job, or upholstery. Because the result is in both cases a knife which hasn't produced before, but it cannot be a mod, because it's no mod.

 

[kkokkolis]

Really great. The scales would suit better a Cybertool of course but you could always make more since you have the skills.

[MultiMat]

Nice work Peter 

I do have a big soft spot for 'Cyber Knives' 

[Outback in Idaho]

  What Syph & Metro do to their tools are mods, imo at least. If one charges upwards of $300 for a swapping of tools I doubt that would be considered simple half and hour task. They have the task-specific tools to do them conversions, so yeah I would say for someone that only possesses limited knowledge and tools could not replace tools with such ease, and for them to be fully functional too.

  This work you cannot just buy from a retailer and slap into your SAK without some knowledge & tools, least I would think. Not sure I would even feel comfortable attempting any knife mod without working with spare junkers before attempting something beneficial or suitable for bragging rights.


  In comparison to the handmade custom scales that I derived from blocks of wood into Plus scales; working with old plastic scales, drawings, pictures, and a lot of help from the forum to make something that I otherwise had no idea what it looked like - still don't see it as a mod. That was more of customizing or accessorizing, and even put a Vic emblem in them. Hour wise, yeah, over a week and lots of work. Even altered them again, ground a thumb groove making it easier to open the corkscrew.

  Could have bought the scales far cheaper than what it cost to make them, but I wanted a certain wood that no one else would make from. Scales can be plain, carved, or contain scale tools that are available perty much anywhere if not looking for a specific type of material. Those can be obtained without much effort, if not looking for a specific material.

  Now if the scales popped out and became a camera tripod, turning the SAK into an assault crossbow, would fling string beans across the room to wake up a snoring pooch, would concentrate the suns rays into a portable solar furnace, or would form some otherwise specific duty then I could see that as a mod.


  If you dress your lady friend or wife up in lingerie, a pretty dress, latex or leather, get her hair dyed red, that is accessorizing. Get her upgraded with a new set of hooters, a firm butt, and could make her purr - THAT is definitely a mod.   

[PTRSAK]

So how do we go seeing that this has "through the scales" exposed rivets and a hidden 4th pin. Also the scales are bonded to the side liners and the encapsulating resin flows round the sides and covers the edges of the liners...  are we modding yet?

these are not a pair of clip on, clip off scales. To get them of you need a drill.

I have done knives with snap on scales in wood, bone and plastic. But most of my custom scales jobs are now done on knives that are broken down and rebuilt with new pins peened through the scales as exposed rivets. Often I use old knives with poor snap due to worn pivots. The new pins fixes that.

I guess you could say is more correctly customizing than modding. But it is the same as the difference between putting stick on pinstripes on a car and a full respray in candy red over gold base with 14 coats of clear.  Almost any Joe can make a reasonable job of the former but you need a little more skill for the latter.

I don't mean to sound bitchy but I don't think the line is as clear as "mods involve changing tools"

[PTRSAK]

Another grey area one...



technically it's just an Explorer, but the scales and side liners have been replaced with hand made ribbed aluminium side plates like an alox SAK.

mod or not mod?

[HankSolon]

I don't mean to sound bitchy but I don't think the line is as clear as "mods involve changing tools"

That's it! English is not my first language, so it's difficult to express myself. But the statement above is what I wanted to say.

It's absolutely off topic now. But if there was a scale forum, we definitely would have difficulties to distinguish between "modding" and "customizing" and "scale change", since those words are sets which are overlapping. (I'm a computer scientist, thus half mathematician)

[Syph007]

Well technically a mod is modifying something, or some part of something, usually in a way the original manufacture doesn't do (or doesn't want you to do).  If you voided the warranty its for sure a mod!

[Outback in Idaho]

  Clip on scales I would think would not be customizing - as with everything I posted here was my in opinion. That is what is great here, many opinions, feedback, varied opinions - so as long one doesn't get their feathers ruffled. Where you had altered the knife structurally to attach them, then I would be consider it a mod.  In contrast, the Australian Silky Oak scales I made I do not consider a mod as they can be removed without affecting the performance of the knife parts.

  Removable scales that do not involve structurally modifying the knife, i.e. pin replacement, I would not consider a mod. Not unless the scales were structurally altered to perform something different than what common scales would.  As if one put a miniature GPS unit into a scale, added a light or laser, then that is a scale mod for sure.

  Guess I will coincide that the word mod is in the eye of the beholder & creator as to what they consider a mod.  Past that will try and not offer any further comments on other people's work.

  Good night 

Well technically a mod is modifying something, or some part of something, usually in a way the original manufacture doesn't do (or doesn't want you to do).  If you voided the warranty its for sure a mod!

  +1 

[stax]

Love the Geek SAK! 

[Mr. Whippy]

What I want to know is,
is the RAM upgradeable?

 

[Outback in Idaho]

  Think I have a small box of old memory chips, but those chips are stacked rather close together. Even have some SIMM memory cards (yikes!) laying around here too.

  PTRSAK, clever used of the 4th hidden hole. Did not dawn on me, at first glance, yours was hidden. You have the talent, good sir. Maybe a new knife shop is in the works for a side business.   Are there many modders in the Australian continent? Could be a hidden asset.

[PTRSAK]

If you voided the warranty its for sure a mod!

ok... It seems we do have a simple. "black and white" definition of what is a mod.

and I wasn't complaining about anyone's comments... I was participating in the discussion.  I even went to the trouble of saying that I wasn't being bitchy. 

I respect anybody who willingly voids their warranty on anything by deliberately tinkering with it.  I've been doing that all my life.