The Pry-vate - A Spyderco Captain Re-blading (D2 Steel, Prybar, tool)

[Metropolicity]

Recently, I've been getting into the true utility and ergonomics of folding knives and I've discovered the extremely ugly, but ultimately very useful blade shapes and handles of Spyderco knives. I can see why they are so popular and having models last over 5-6 generations and over so many years of production.

I fell in love with one particular knife, a discontinued model, the Spyderco Captain. Truly it is one of the ugliest blades ever, however after using it for several weeks, it became evident that it was in fact, form follows function.



So after a few weeks of careful eBay surveillance, I managed to find a used captain to kick around. I wouldn't have to worry about scratching or damaging my custom OD/Black Captain and mint factory one.



I soon pined after more...the intention of the Captain was to have a light prying capability. I want more prying...MORE!. My medium sized hands wrap around the Captain's handles like no other knife I've ever used, so it was only natural to use this as a platform.

So this thread is to document, like most of my other projects, the concept, design and hopefully execution of what I like to call The Pry-vate...in lieu of the Captain.

Here are the design criteria I've set forth for myself:

-Design, waterjet and grind a prybar/knife/one piece like tool to be housed inside the handles of the used Captain.
-Replace the liner lock, which is fine for a knife blade, with a 3/16" slab of spring steel/titanium for a full on frame lock.
-Use D2 Steel for the blade (1/8") and harden it to 60-62 rockwell.
-Incorporate a flipper arm due to the D2's increased weight, and also double as a finger guard so I can actually bear down on the tool without fear of slipping and cutting myself.
-change the Spyderhole design to more of an capsule/pill profile opening hole to decrease the width of the blade when closed.
-Incorporate a cap lifter? maybe..
-Design which hex nut sizes to make into a row of wrenches
-Design a chisel tip with a nail notch.
-Cerakote the remaing G10 scales Orange (which is already begun)

I am following a couple of schools of thought for the blade shape, using Jens Anso (great industrial and knife designer) as personal hero for some of it. Jens' knives look great when open AND closed. A lot of knife designs and designers often over look the closed aspect of a blade even though folding knives spend more time closed than open. Incorporating the Spyderco philosophy of form follows function is also a goal.

Examples, Jens' Rock Lobster:



Notice how low profile the closed position is.

---

So,

The first step, which I already did, is digitize and illustrate the liners, frame lock piece and make a couple of blade profiles.

I started by designing the frame lock, fairly simple, but when it comes to make it, it'll be quite a task.



Using the previous blade shape as a template, I slowly tweaked and pulled the shape till the entire void between the handles was filled with blade. That would give me plenty of real estate for cut out tools. Also the flipper was added here. You'll notice that the relief for the flat portion of the blade is conveniently nested where the spacer is.



From there, I started to add curves, holes and other design details. Checking the shape open and closed. The back spine of the blade is curved to match the curve of the handle.
This soon started to look real. You'll notice that the 13mm Spyderhole still remains, but it increased the closed width quite a bit. I am going to revisit the whole back spine of the blade to a more angular design to maybe contrast the curvy ergo shape of the handles.



After being satisfied with THIS design, which is by no means the final design, I added where I would like to see the grinds appear and where the pry notch would appear. Again keeping in mind the closed and open aspect of the Pry-vate. Since D2 steel knives are notorious for keeping a 'ok edge' for a long time, I thought that a single sided chisel grind would make sharpening and maintaining this much easier. Kind of like the Strider SMF tanto.





The a large chisel full flat nightmare flat blade and a curved sabre grind portion round out the sharp sides. The pry bar at the tip will be a chisel grind with a 1/8" wide nail notch and a tear drop for some more nail lifting action. An unsharpened small swedge on top to increase the pry potential of the tip.

The next steps is to revisit the entire top portion of the blade shape and decide where the tool cutouts will be and see if thumb hole is the right way to go or not.

Here we go!




 

[Metropolicity]

Some more designs.
 
Ever since I started using carpet cutting blades for other things than cutting carpet, I've found them to be awesome. I don't know how well this'll work, but it's replaceable and easy to do in 2D format.
 

 
A bottle opener, it's a 1/4" driver as well. This is a bit of a wider profile. More one sided chisel blade too
 

 
The C shape is the biggest blade I'd go with, the curved top would be great for an impact zone for a small hammer to really drive that chisel blade into something, like to split wood.
 

 
The D-shape is a skinner version, with some spine jimping for my thumb to give ultimate control when carving something small...I am leaning towards this one the most. Also the grind and nail notch is elongated, this would be better for a less agressive ramping on the pry bar wedge.
 

 
The E-shape is kind of a mix between the fat blade and the bottle opener...Not sure if I like this one at all. but why not.
 

 
Now to send one the most complicated one the waterjet guy to get quoted...those jimping notches actually add quite a bit of cost to it, the time it takes to cut is still pretty high.

[lowtech]

I like the thoughtful design that is not driven by any fashionable design ideas, but solely by the tools you need most when working.

As i do use other tools regularly, i can not judge which shape will work best, but i find the D shape the most appealing so far.

Will the forces on the rotating pin not be too high to use the lever as a prybar effectively? or do you plan to grip it on the blabe when prying? Not to critizise your design, but thet might be one of the downsides of teh design.
Most knifes that i know that are useable as prying tools are fifed blade (Like the Glock Austrian Army one, the russian AK 47 bajonett or teh ka bar prying tool/knife ( bit holder)

[Sparky415]

Some great ideas there Metro 
Watching with interest

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Definitely agree on the great design work!  Awesome!

I fell in love with the Rock Lobster last summer after seeing one at an online seller for the first time.  It truly looks like it could be the single, perfect utility EDC folder for me.  The only thing that's held me back is the price... even at most places that sell it deeply discounted, I have a very hard time ponying up the $170 or so price I see for them.  If it came with an S30V blade and carbon fiber scales, I wouldn't bat a lash.  But that much for a VG10 blade and G10 scales has been too hard for me to accept so far.  (I guess that's the price for having Jens Anso's design of the knife.)  Even so, I'm still considering getting one, simply because the design is just so well done. 

[Syph007]

You're smurfing crazy metro lol.  I admire your determination to get exactly what you want even if that means making your own stuff! 

[Metropolicity]

Definitely agree on the great design work!  Awesome!

I fell in love with the Rock Lobster last summer after seeing one at an online seller for the first time.  It truly looks like it could be the single, perfect utility EDC folder for me.  The only thing that's held me back is the price... even at most places that sell it deeply discounted, I have a very hard time ponying up the $170 or so price I see for them.  If it came with an S30V blade and carbon fiber scales, I wouldn't bat a lash.  But that much for a VG10 blade and G10 scales has been too hard for me to accept so far.  (I guess that's the price for having Jens Anso's design of the knife.)  Even so, I'm still considering getting one, simply because the design is just so well done.

I just got a couple in the other day and I still have on NIB. I am digging it but not loving it, it looks great BUT the ergonomics are JUST off. I do love the huge blade concealed completely within the handle, I admire that very much.

Bushido told me not to quote him but I am using his info as light reference, he mentioned that D2, if hardeneded correctly, can be made to spring back. So, instead of spring steel, why not make the whole damn thing out of D2 steel, and make the pivot point massive. A 3/16" pivot is nothing to laugh at but why not go whole hog and make it 1/2 or 5/8!

Funny note, the Captain is overbuilt for it's design, which is good. The current Jason Breeden knife, the Rescue (which I own as well) fails to be as comfortable as the Captain AND has a tiny 1/8" pivot point only. I only found this out when I took it apart to get the scales done in Orange Cerakote.

[Syph007]

Just about any steel that is heat treatable can be treated to have a spring temper, all the high end blade steels make great springs... Im looking at cheaper 410 and 416 stainless for springs right now.

[Beerplumber]

You are smurfin' crazy but I know whatever you end up making = tacticool at its finest. Can't wait to see what spawns from this one!


Stay multi my friends

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I just got a couple in the other day and I still have on NIB. I am digging it but not loving it, it looks great BUT the ergonomics are JUST off. I do love the huge blade concealed completely within the handle, I admire that very much.

Hey Metro, can you expand on this?  What is off and what makes it seem that way?

I too really find the completely recessed blade when closed very appealing.  I also like the sheepsfoot blade profile and the fact that it's a very slim knife overall. 

Anything more you care to share about the RL would be much appreciated!

[Metropolicity]

Well basically, you can never really a good grasp on it. I watched a YouTube video about it and the poster described it the same way.

The large recessed area near the liner lock is either two small for three fingers or too big for two fingers. And if you use a saber grip on the back end, my ring finger hits a hot spot. If you try to shove three fingers in the "choil" my pinky had a hard time gripping the back portion. A reverse grip, oddly, is very comfortable. I'll have to give it a couple more chances, it's one heck of a knife

Overall, for the SIZE of blade, it's incredibly light because 30% of it has no liner, just g10.

[bushidomosquito]

This is going to be fun to watch. You know, if that flipper had a little hook on it, there's your bottle cap lifter even in the closed position. Especially in the closed position for safety after opening your 5th or 6th bottle.   

[MedusaOblongata]

The bottle opener towards the tip of the blade looks like it would catch as you slide the knife out of your pocket, and if it's clipped tip down it will catch your hand when you reach into the pocket for change or whatever. If you need a bottle opener, put it closer to the pivot and use it as a wave.

[chris777]

What program are you using for your designs?

Ive been toying around with some things in my head, but it would be nice to use something thats nice and clean like that, and since Im leaning toward getting out of traditional to digital, Im very curious. Nice looking, and interesting thoughts on the captain, and your own design.  I am a long believer in form following function.

[Metropolicity]

What program are you using for your designs?

Ive been toying around with some things in my head, but it would be nice to use something thats nice and clean like that, and since Im leaning toward getting out of traditional to digital, Im very curious. Nice looking, and interesting thoughts on the captain, and your own design.  I am a long believer in form following function.

Its actually just Adobe Illustrator. I use it everyday so it's easy to design 2D stuff like this in it, but once it gets complicated I typically go into SolidWorks or Sketchup pro to fleshout some 3D details.

These are just prelim BUT the best part about them is once you are satisfied, you can export a DXF directly from Illustrator and send it off to the waterjet guys.

[Syph007]

I'm an open source guy, so I gotta plug that community too.  The open source version of illustrator is called inkscape and I use it all the time for vector work and to do up my dxf files.  Check it out if you want a free and powerful tool.

[bushidomosquito]

Definitely agree on the great design work!  Awesome!

I fell in love with the Rock Lobster last summer after seeing one at an online seller for the first time.  It truly looks like it could be the single, perfect utility EDC folder for me.  The only thing that's held me back is the price... even at most places that sell it deeply discounted, I have a very hard time ponying up the $170 or so price I see for them.  If it came with an S30V blade and carbon fiber scales, I wouldn't bat a lash.  But that much for a VG10 blade and G10 scales has been too hard for me to accept so far.  (I guess that's the price for having Jens Anso's design of the knife.)  Even so, I'm still considering getting one, simply because the design is just so well done.

Bushido told me not to quote him but I am using his info as light reference, he mentioned that D2, if hardeneded correctly, can be made to spring back. So, instead of spring steel, why not make the whole damn thing out of D2 steel, and make the pivot point massive. A 3/16" pivot is nothing to laugh at but why not go whole hog and make it 1/2 or 5/8!

You were talking about 3/16" slabs and blade thickness. Without some serious milling for weight reduction that thing is going to feel like a monkey wrench. You'll need to build a Kevlar Skinth for it to keep it's weight from pulling the stitches out.

It'll be like the folder equivalent of carrying a .50 caliber Desert Eagle. 

[Metropolicity]

hah..

Nono..it'll be closer to a 1/8" blade and frame/slabs.

Again, speculations until I move and set up the new shop...if ever.

[AndyJF]

Hi Metro,
Was this ever completed?. Would like to see a photo if it was. Thanks.

[pfrsantos]

I was looking at your designs. Very nice, although I think you might have a problem with the flipper on the blade passing clear of the pin next to it (if I'm visualizing correctly).
 

[Rorschach]

This looks like an awesome project, would love a folding pry/knife/breaker tool, perfect DIY compliment to a Multi tool.