Old cross Woodsman into not-quite-an-Electrician mod

[hiraethus]

Had a request to build a knife with red old cross scales, with a slightly odd tool layout - Awl/Electrician's blade and opener layer.  Received the donor knives in the post last week, but have only just got started on the mod.

I was a little surprised that the donor scales were on a Woodsman, but it's past saving and I have no problem taking it apart.


Carefully marked the centres of the rivets and drilled them out with a carbide stub drill.


Punched the drilled pins out.  Had to get the Dremel and a diamond burr out on one - had drilled slightly off-centre and couldn't get a clean hole.


Repeat the process on the Electrician

This was even more problematic, and I decided to swap the stub drill for a proper centre drill.  These are much stiffer and won't wander off-centre.  Should have used it to start with.

Test fit of the parts, using two opener layer springs as I don't need the thicker blade spring for the narrow electrician's blade:

The electrician's blade nail nick is partially blocked by the can opener, so I'll play with the layout tomorrow and see if I can improve things.

Next up: need to drill the scales for the larger diameter centre pin, make the pins and re-assemble.  And tidy my workbench:

[kirk13]

 

[Zed]

Indeed 

[Syph007]

I love seeing in progress modding. 

Your work area is significantly cleaner than mine. 

You might be able to change the angle of the pivot for the eblade to get it to sit a little higher in closed position.

[zoidberg]

Process pics are sweet.    What about swapping the e blade and bottle opener? 

[hiraethus]

I love seeing in progress modding. 

Your work area is significantly cleaner than mine. 

 

See that pile of crap at the top of the last photo?  It's been spreading outwards for the last year and is threatening to take over the entire bench.  I've just bought a second stack of parts organisers to try to regain some control.

You might be able to change the angle of the pivot for the eblade to get it to sit a little higher in closed position.

I'll see how it sits on a blade spring instead of the opener spring - that might be a little higher anyway.

Process pics are sweet.    What about swapping the e blade and bottle opener? 

That might work - the e blade nail nick will then be above the awl.  I'd need to put a crink in the cap lifter, or use a wider spring and space it from the scale.

[Sparky415]

Indeed 

What they said 

[magentus]

Great work - I love to see in-progress pics.

Keep em coming 

[lowtech]

So the old girl is getting a makeover.  I like it - All. The WIP pics, getting old worn out SAKs beck into service and modders sharing their knowledge.

[Reinier]

Too bad it was a Woodsman, but other than that: nice work!
I'm guessing you're not reusing the bail?

[tommywp]

Very cool. For some reason I thought the e-blade would bump into the awl and have trouble sitting opposite. Did you have to crimp the e-blade or do anything special?  What else do you think could sit opposite the awl...pruner blade, combo tool, either of the openers?

[hiraethus]

So the old girl is getting a makeover.  I like it - All. The WIP pics, getting old worn out SAKs beck into service and modders sharing their knowledge.

 

[hiraethus]

Too bad it was a Woodsman, but other than that: nice work!
I'm guessing you're not reusing the bail?

I'm not a collector or sentimental, so anything's fair game.
The bail will be going back to the owner - I'm fitting threaded brass pivots with Torx screws.

[hiraethus]

Very cool. For some reason I thought the e-blade would bump into the awl and have trouble sitting opposite. Did you have to crimp the e-blade or do anything special?  What else do you think could sit opposite the awl...pruner blade, combo tool, either of the openers?

It does.  They both lie along the scale - so I need to add a spacer or a bend in the blade to clear the awl.  Most short tools will fit, but they'll need a tweak to clear the awl too.

[tommywp]

Very cool. For some reason I thought the e-blade would bump into the awl and have trouble sitting opposite. Did you have to crimp the e-blade or do anything special?  What else do you think could sit opposite the awl...pruner blade, combo tool, either of the openers?

It does.  They both lie along the scale - so I need to add a spacer or a bend in the blade to clear the awl.  Most short tools will fit, but they'll need a tweak to clear the awl too.

That seems like it would be the hardest part. When you're showing off the mod skills you can't leave out the hardest part! Nice work!

[BASguy]

Really excellent work there.  Well done.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[hiraethus]

Worked out what I reckon is the best layout for this now (only a month after I last did anything on this ):


No liners and 2 opener layer springs make for a pretty slim knife and the only mods are a slight tweak to the cap lifter/large flat driver and a little bend in the spring under the awl.  All tools easily accessible, nothing blocked by anything else.

[kirk13]

Looking good

[wmoco]

Worked out what I reckon is the best layout for this now (only a month after I last did anything on this ):


No liners and 2 opener layer springs make for a pretty slim knife and the only mods are a slight tweak to the cap lifter/large flat driver and a little bend in the spring under the awl.  All tools easily accessible, nothing blocked by anything else.

Why no liners? Aestethics, size, weight, access?

[hiraethus]

Size, aesthetics and luck - the small spacer from next to the awl on the donor Electrician is just the right thickness to fit between the sheepsfoot blade and awl if I use the two narrower opener springs.  If I used a blade spring for the awl/cap lifter layer and a liner, I'd need three separate spacers on the knife.

[hiraethus]

Almost there.  Drilled and countersunk the centre holes on the scales, drilled the springs, polished the cap lifter and shortened the pivots.

Just need to tap the pivots and shorten the screws and it's done.

[zoidberg]

  

[kirk13]

 

^
What he said

[hiraethus]

Finally...

[captain spaulding]

Excellent work! I love the tool selection. 

[magentus]

Gorgeous work H. Hats (and I have two) off to you.

[hiraethus]

Excellent work! I love the tool selection. 

Thanks Cap.  You really can blame kirky for this one, it was his idea.

Gorgeous work H. Hats (and I have two) off to you.

Thanks M.

[kirk13]

Excellent work! I love the tool selection. 

Thanks Cap.  You really can blame kirky for this one, it was his idea.

It's mine I tell you! All mine! 

Truth be told,it was Zoidbergs idea

[hiraethus]

Truth be told,it was Zoidbergs idea

It was a good one.

Why no liners? Aestethics, size, weight, access?

Coming back to this - I did end up putting a liner in the knife - mostly to stop the screws from needing to be too short.  I used a hand made brass liner and two small brass washers to space the awl and sheepsfoot blade out properly.

[Zed]

Thats gorgeous mate