Rookie attempt at a custom SAK (hopefully this will contain "Lessons Learned")

[detron]

There you go! A drill press is still my most used tool by far.  Mine was 80 bucks 7 years ago and its still going strong with daily use.  Well I did burn out the switch on mine and wired in a light switch for a house, but other than that its fine. 

Being able to drill perpendicular holes makes a world of difference compared to trying a hand drill.   

I never use a vice being Im impatient but then I don't work completely safe half the time either.  I hold all the parts in my hand and drill away.  I do wear a glove on the danger hand though. 

I did not use the vise yet, but I did drill out one pin on a 91mm,  it was SUPER EASY,  puts the hand drill to shame.

I did not actually buy the vise for the SAK work, but as a useful accessory for the drill press,  never know when it might help.

I hated to spend the money on it,  but I am very glad I did. 

[detron]

Now that taking them apart will be easy,  anyone have any tips on the actual peening, including how you cut the excess brass?

also, for us in the US,  any preferred venders of the 2.2mm brass rod?  I know shipping is going to suck, but I have to do something, and I do not want to sand the 2.5mm down.

also, is it hard to get the needed brass rod (not sure of size) for 93mm?  I see an ALOX happening  (not soon, but one day)

[Fattsgalore]

2.2/2.25 is only readily available in EU from my experience searching the web. Same with any metric drill bits, they just don't sell them in the states. At least not at any retail store. Work with what you can get.
2.2mm/2.25mm brass rod standard equivalent is I believe 0.088-0.09 inch. 3/32 brass rod is what you'll be needing and easy to find.

The easiest method for making pins is put the pin stock in a drill and wrap some wet sand paper around it while running the drill.
The quickest method it to use a drill with the pin in it against a belt sander running both in opposite directions.

Cutting the pin stock all you need is wire snips. Whats best is a dremmel (or knock off) with cut off wheel.
You'll need a file as well to finish off the ends. The metal file in any 91mm SAK will suffice, and is what I solely use.


http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,48516.0.html
Read the last of it, I call it the Epilogue.
It's all tips for people like us. Especially if your a bare bones modder.
Well I am, seems like your stepping up your hardware. 

[n4vgm]

A drill press is darn handy during the "off time" you are not modding MTs! I did not have a place to put one plus I don't think I'll be doing SAK mods very often.

(HA, You say that NOW!)

[MadPlumbarian]

Congrats way to go! Hope to see some work soon! JR

[Monrogue]

Good for you buddy for taking the plunge   I hope to be able to do the same someday, but I want to be able to get the equipment and have the space for it.  Space will be mine (basement) when we move into our house sometime this summer.  That's the first step.  You're a brave man though, and you may help inspire me to go for it as well when the time comes

[detron]

Well here are the three sacrificial SAKs

Serrated Spartan



SwissChamp



and CyberTool 34





Now I just need to prep and peen one side of all of my pins, then build and peen the other side.  but this is it for tonight.   The Drill press made all of the difference.

[PTRSAK]

For all you guys looking for 2.2mm brass rod, I got some from here

http://finneyandsmith.co.uk/finneyandsmith/brass.html

and the postage was pretty reasonable

4 lengths posted from UK to Australia cost me £7.30 GBP. And that's enough for about a dozen or more knives.

[detron]

For all you guys looking for 2.2mm brass rod, I got some fron here

http://finneyandsmith.co.uk/finneyandsmith/brass.html

and the postage was pretty reasonable

4 lengths posted from UK to Australia cost me £7.30 GBP. And that's enough for about a dozen or more knives.

thank you.  I sent them an email asking for an estimate on shipping.

[Aloha]

Detron is our next resident modder in the making .  I cannot wait to see how this turns out. 

[detron]

Detron is our next resident modder in the making .  I cannot wait to see how this turns out.

to me the scariest part is left, peening,  the rest never bothered me, but peening is scary to me.  we will see what the future holds.

how ever the confidence level is slowly going up.

[detron]

Knowledge Nugget #4

have a means of keeping the parts in order BEFORE you start taking things apart.
might save some hassle down the road.

I started with a nice flat surface and placed things in proper order,  but my wife moved it and shuffled everything together  (serrated spartan only luckily)

then I went to the divided plastic trays.  works much better

[Monrogue]

Detron is our next resident modder in the making .  I cannot wait to see how this turns out.

Ditto

Sent from my XT901 using Tapatalk

[detron]

Knowledge Nugget #5

peening takes practice,

Knowledge Nugget #6

I am not a fan of peening,  maybe over time that will change.  oh well, this is just the first time.

[Syph007]

Knowledge Nugget #5

peening takes practice,

Knowledge Nugget #6

I am not a fan of peening,  maybe over time that will change.  oh well, this is just the first time.

The right size hammer makes a big difference.  I like a heavier hammer for cellidor mods (8oz) since you dont need a pretty head on the rivet like an alox mod.

[detron]

well,  I did better than I expected.  I honestly expected to put it together, struggle at peening and pay GigaHz to slap it together.

anyway,  this was fun!  and annoying at the same time, but I feel like I accomplished something, and I am proud of my new SAK!

Knowledge Nugget #7
I can only speak for the modder I have dealt with, but I learned that GigaHz's fee for doing customs is MORE THAN FAIR   

so here is the result of my first mod.  (this does have the newer Vic file  )







I know the two small blades are a bit of a redundancy, but one is going to become my tape cutting / abused blade.

here are the back tools



here is a size comparison to a SwissChamp



here you can see that it is smaller than the SwissChamp XLT



I would estimate that my new SAK is half way between the Champ and the XLT.

Now I just need a name for this tool   

congressional cyber-explorer  (congressional due to the 4 blade design that reminds me of a congress layout)
congressional cyber-champ


ah well, I have time to name it,  feel free to offer suggestions!

[detron]

Knowledge Nugget #5

peening takes practice,

Knowledge Nugget #6

I am not a fan of peening,  maybe over time that will change.  oh well, this is just the first time.

The right size hammer makes a big difference.  I like a heavier hammer for cellidor mods (8oz) since you dont need a pretty head on the rivet like an alox mod.

I started with a 1 ounce hammer    3 hours later I upgraded 

[Monrogue]

Great job Detron   I wish I could offer a name, but I struggle to name my own as it is

[detron]

I could call it the Cyber-Engineer

[Monrogue]

I could call it the Cyber-Engineer

Great name man

[Caranthanus]

Here's some Great job ... 

[Caranthanus]

I started with a 1 ounce hammer    3 hours later I upgraded 

... and that means such a great Cyber-Engineer patience ... 

[splico]

Nice story detron Congrats 

[kirk13]

Well done Detron

[GigaHz]

Looking good. Peening is not so bad is it? 

[detron]

Looking good. Peening is not so bad is it? 

I am sure if I do more I would become more proficient.  the first side was easy enough, it is the last side I do not like,  especially the one without a bushing on it.  I hate that one

[Fattsgalore]

It's huge...Maybe next mod you'll slap on some electronics scales. It's a good look.

Told you you could do it.

[detron]

It's huge...Maybe next mod you'll slap on some electronics scales. It's a good look.

Told you you could do it.

thanks Fattsgalore,  the electronic scales are cool, but not cheap.  hard to justify when my watch does all of the same things

[detron]

It's huge...Maybe next mod you'll slap on some electronics scales. It's a good look.

Told you you could do it.

it is huge, but fills several desires at once.

1.  I INSIST on having a Mag glass with me every day.  (looking at motherboards and such, or just for a nice macro picture)
2.  I Love having the CT layer
3.  the Technologist (Cyber-Yeoman) covers these and is my normal carry, but this adds pliers and the new file, serrated blade and normal openers, and a new style Vic file

so now the technologist and the Cyber-Engineer will be my choices for daily carry, one light, and one beefy.

[detron]

it was not planned this way, but I just realized I used 3 NIB SAKs for this project  or  depending on how you view it.

it did mean that I did not have to clean the parts beyond a simple wipe off of the extra oil.

Thanks to everyone who was supportive,  it was a huge help.