Titanium and Copper SAK Scales Q seeks A..

sergemaster · **on:** November 01, 2016, 07:37:46 PM

Amici,
My apoligies if I happen to be necroposting this topic, but I am beginning to consider picking up a pair of SwissBianco manufactured Titanium or Copper made scales as an upgrade for one of my SAK's but I do not know much about, and have not really been able to find much info about them either.

First off, let me say that I'm not really a big fan of gluing any removable scale permanently to a SAK, no matter how pretty the scales seem to be. But if I did, what do you think would be the best over the counter adhesive or SAK approved specific knife making application to use to apply these scales?

I know SB has mentioned JB Weld on his YT videos, but I dunno if I agree with that particular product, especially since it's my understanding that it's quite messy to mix-up and apply. That's the impression I get when watching Nutnfancy appling JBW to one of his mod projects. Maybe JBW is what one would use in Europa, but if anyone has done this, what is the best way to go? Gorilla Glue perhaps?

Inquiring minds would like to know, before I decide to possibly give these a go.. If not, I'll just stick with my favorite scale mainstays, Nylon.... By the way, they have seemed to dry up.. Are there any new sources? I used to get them from Rotokid, but that was many moons ago..

Cheers,
Serge

irona · **Reply #1 on:** November 01, 2016, 08:27:05 PM

Heads up- they are very heavy. The reason I sold my copper sak is because it weighs like 3x as much as a normal sak. Epoxying them on is very finicky and since the knife usually has some bend to it, the scales usually have some sort of (very thin but still there) gap on one end, basically they aren't flush. The scale tools also don't fit as well as cellidor - they are kind of loose, it's just when they are pushed into the scales all the way do they jam themselves in place. Be very careful not to get epoxy in those channels for the scale tools.
This being said, they are very cool and look really nice imo. It just depends on the sacrifices you're willing to make to use them.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

jalind · **Reply #2 on:** November 01, 2016, 09:22:03 PM

Quote from: sergemaster on November 01, 2016, 07:37:46 PM

Amici,
My apoligies if I happen to be necroposting this topic, but I am beginning to consider picking up a pair of SwissBianco manufactured Titanium or Copper made scales as an upgrade for one of my SAK's but I do not know much about, and have not really been able to find much info about them either.

First off, let me say that I'm not really a big fan of gluing any removable scale permanently to a SAK, no matter how pretty the scales seem to be. But if I did, what do you think would be the best over the counter adhesive or SAK approved specific knife making application to use to apply these scales?

I know SB has mentioned JB Weld on his YT videos, but I dunno if I agree with that particular product, especially since it's my understanding that it's quite messy to mix-up and apply. That's the impression I get when watching Nutnfancy appling JBW to one of his mod projects. Maybe JBW is what one would use in Europa, but if anyone has done this, what is the best way to go? Gorilla Glue perhaps?

Inquiring minds would like to know, before I decide to possibly give these a go.. If not, I'll just stick with my favorite scale mainstays, Nylon.... By the way, they have seemed to dry up.. Are there any new sources? I used to get them from Rotokid, but that was many moons ago..

Cheers,
Serge

I've used JB Weld for other projects and wouldn't use it to put scales on a SAK as it's a very permanent epoxy. I don't think I'd use Gorilla Glue either. I've got both the copper and titanium, and they both make the knife very noticeably heavier, especially the copper. Nylon or Cellidor have some flexibility and compliance with SAK rivets and liners. Metal scales are rigid and have none of that flexibility or any compliance. Putting them on is different by comparison. I had to tweak the copper onces and take them off a couple times before final installation. Because of that, they were no longer a tight enough fit to stay on by themselves. I used Welder (tm) made by Homax, an all-purpose heavy duty adhesive that has a little flexibility when it sets (i.e. it's not brittle like some glues and cements). I don't know for certain but believe I could get the copper scales off without damaging the knife liners. I only used the adhesive on the heads of the three main rivets with rings to hold scales.

You may have to tweak the scales to get the pen and toothpick in particular to fit well. I ended up tweaking the toothpick slightly. The straight pin hole on both is too large and the pin falls out. I've got a plan to try to create a friction fit for the pin but need to experiment with it before posting anything.

Bottom line is metal scales are not like nylon, Cellidor, Micarta, Delrin or wood. It requires willingness to tweak them (or the knife's rivet heads) to fit a specific knife. There's dimensional variation from knife to knife that is easily accommodated by nylon or Cellidor, but not by metal.

John

Syph007 · **Reply #3 on:** November 02, 2016, 03:11:43 PM

Attaching metal scales with glue is never going to be great. I can tell by the pics they were mass machined for low cost and not done well or exact. You will end up with a thicker SAK then stock plastic as well so I cant see the appeal except for low cost.

I use JB weld alot on the inner part of the cross inlays I do. Its meant to bond metal, but no way in hell that would come apart again without damaging the scales or the soft aluminum liners.

Im still annoyed his 'coincidentally' were almost exact copies of my 91mm alox prototypes. I didnt end up using them very much, but still annoying. Now that I can CNC I make significantly better ones anyhow so I dont care.

sergemaster · **Reply #4 on:** November 02, 2016, 05:15:58 PM

Amici,
You know what, after reading your replies, I have decided that I will NOT go down this road, no matter how "victoricool" metal scales may look post installation, it appears to be too much of a hassle to put it bluntly.

For now, I plan to simply stick with the Nylon scales, that's if I can find them..

Another interesting observation regarding nylon scales, I have noticed that to me at least, is that they feel "warm" in hand compared to cellidor, especially during the cold months. Anyone else notice this?

Cheers,
Serge