How to replace the blades with the openers elegantly.

[Don Pablo]

This is one way to make a bladeless SAK.
You take out the main blade, and the small blade(and the spacer), and put the can opener and cap lifter/bottle opener in place of the blades.
There are several ways to do it. The quick way, and the not-to-hard way.

First, I'm assuming that you are using parts from after the blade tang thickness change. Skip the spoiler if you already know all about the change.

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Before the change, the main blade tang was 2.4mm thick, and the liner had no stamped indent. After the change, the main blade tang is 2mm thick, and there is a stamped indent in the liner to take up the 0.4mm slack. The blades themselves aren't different, just the tang.

Now, as it so happens, the tangs of the cap lifter/bottle opener and the can opener are 2mm thick. That means that with the new style parts, whichever opener tool you put in the place of the main blade needs no washers.
But whatever you put in the place of the small blade needs a 0.4mm washer. You can make one from 0.4mm brass sheet, found online and in hobby shops. The brass sheet can be cut by good sidecutters, and maybe in addition a hammer and sharp chisel. so its not hard to make the washer.
If you're using old style parts, you obviously need another identical washer for whatever you put in the place of the main blade.

Now that we've got that sorted, let me tell you about the quick way. Put the can opener in place of the main blade, and the cap lifter/bottle opener in place of the small blade. Preen and you're done. (Wow, that was a quick guide.    )
There are two problems with this method though, and the second is much bigger than the first....

• They sit too high, with the nail nicks facing the inner side, not the outer. Not so nice.
• If your SAK is more than two layers thick, the can opener will have trouble opening cans. Above three layers, it will be almost, nay, nigh on impossible to open cans.  Above four, you'll have better luck with your favorite rock. Basically, you can't use the can opener for what it was made for! 

Want to know about the not-too-hard way? Read on. 
Picture guide: The first is a stock SAK showing nail nick height, the second is a pic of the nail nicks when you do it the quick way, the third shows the other side, the fourth pic showing the can can't open problem with a four layer SAK, the fifth pic showing the insides.

[Don Pablo]

Basically, this way, you grind away a wee bit of the blade spring, and swap the opener positions.

Go slowly when grinding, keep test fitting, don't over heat the spring.

[Don Pablo]

Comparisons, quick way first pic, not-so-hard way second pic, in each spoiler.

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For a little bit of grinding, it sure looks a lot better! 

[magentus]

Nice! Great pics too Pabs - what are you using to grind with?

[AimlessWanderer]

Are you going to this extent (rather than just ditching the blade layer altogether) just to keep the Corkscrew?
Nice work Pablo, I'm just trying to understand why you specifically went this route 

[Don Pablo]

Thanks guys, and yes Al. I don't know how to make a corkscrew/Philips-less 91mm SAK. 

[AimlessWanderer]

Thanks guys, and yes Al. I don't know how to make a corkscrew/Philips-less 91mm SAK. 

I would have thought the easiest way would just be to ditch the blade layer altogether, rather than trying to repopulate it with other tools - though this potentially would leave the cut out in the scales looking straight at a backspring, depending what the other tool layers are. At least this guide shows how to keep the corkscrew or phillips for those who aren't bothered about keeping the awl on the opener layer 

[Don Pablo]

Nice! Great pics too Pabs - what are you using to grind with?

Dremel with the flexible attachment. I can use my knees or a padded vice to hold the flexi-thing, and hold the spring and just grind, at a slow-slow medium speed. I find that this way I can grind more precisely, come to think of it, I basically used the dremel like a very small bench grinder.   

[tommywp]

Great info Pablo. If you still have the unpeened openers on the blade backspring handy, could you put the small blade opposite one of the openers and describe how well/poorly it fits.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Great info Pablo. If you still have the unpeened openers on the blade backspring handy, could you put the small blade opposite one of the openers and describe how well/poorly it fits.

 

That would take some cunning adjustment as they are handed differently. The opener layer is left over right, whereas the blade layer is right over left.

[Don Pablo]

Sorry, all preened up. 

Luckily I still have parts to play with. 
Either the can or bottle opener will go in place of the main blade. The problem is that they are tapered on the wrong side, so the small blade will crash into them if you're not careful. The can opener suffers from this problem to a slightly lesser extent, due to being thinner at the tip.

[Don Pablo]

So, update.
The only niggle I have with this mod is the snap on the bottle opener/cap lifter. Its not quite a nail breaker, but its easily two or three times more snappy than a stock configuration. And I believe that this is the reason:

Top is a bottle opener/cap lifter with old type round tang, and corresponding spring.
Middle is a main blade with corresponding spring.
Bottom is a bottle opener/cap lifter with new type square tang(+locking nub), and corresponding spring.

Whats happening when I pair the new type bottle opener/cap lifter with a blade spring, is that the square tang is "pushing" out the spring more than it was designed to, when opening, hence the increased snap, if can understand my rambling. 
You can see how on the spring for the square tang bottle opener/cap lifter, victorinox has shaped it so that the square tang doesn't push it out too much, and it retains the "just right" amount of snap.

How to fix? Well...
You can grind the square tang into a round tang, very much not recommended due to difficulty. 
Or grind a curve into the blade spring, not an easy peasy job, but not super duper hard like the above option.
Or use a old style bottle opener/cap lifter.

[Don Pablo]

So, update.
The only niggle I have with this mod is the snap on the bottle opener/cap lifter. Its not quite a nail breaker, but its easily two or three times more snappy than a stock configuration. And I believe that this is the reason:
(Image removed from quote.)
Top is a bottle opener/cap lifter with old type round tang, and corresponding spring.
Middle is a main blade with corresponding spring.
Bottom is a bottle opener/cap lifter with new type square tang(+locking nub), and corresponding spring.

Whats happening when I pair the new type bottle opener/cap lifter with a blade spring, is that the square tang is "pushing" out the spring more than it was designed to, when opening, hence the increased snap, if can understand my rambling. 
You can see how on the spring for the square tang bottle opener/cap lifter, victorinox has shaped it so that the square tang doesn't push it out too much, and it retains the "just right" amount of snap.

How to fix? Well...
You can grind the square tang into a round tang, very much not recommended due to difficulty. 
Or grind a curve into the blade spring, not an easy peasy job, but not super duper hard like the above option.
Or use a old style bottle opener/cap lifter.
Or live with it, if its not too bad for you. Thats what I'm doing.

(Image removed from quote.)

Forgot an option. See in bold.
It helps if you grab the nick as close to the tip as possible, for leverage.

[Syph007]

Nice! 

Ya you cant just delete the blade layer or you get an ugly backscale with that cutout.  The only other thing that works is to put the scissors layer on the back and put the corkscrew on it.  Thats the only way Ive gone bladeless and kept the corkscrew.

[Don Pablo]

Nice! 

Ya you cant just delete the blade layer or you get an ugly backscale with that cutout.  The only other thing that works is to put the scissors layer on the back and put the corkscrew on it.  Thats the only way Ive gone bladeless and kept the corkscrew.

That's another good option, what do you have to do to make the Corkscrew fit, besides adding washers?

[Syph007]

Nice! 

Ya you cant just delete the blade layer or you get an ugly backscale with that cutout.  The only other thing that works is to put the scissors layer on the back and put the corkscrew on it.  Thats the only way Ive gone bladeless and kept the corkscrew.

That's another good option, what do you have to do to make the Corkscrew fit, besides adding washers?

I dont even add washers, the gap isnt enough to matter.  All I do is bend the backspring a bit to give the scissors better closed snap.  If you dont its pretty weak.  Other than that I dont change a thing.

If the scissors dont rest quite right after, sometimes its necessary to grind the scissors rest down just 1 mm or so so the scissors go down inside the sak further.  This isnt always needed though and I think depends on how hard or at what point I bend the scissors backspring.  You'll see what I mean if you try.

[Don Pablo]

It occurs to me that I haven't posted any pics of the finished SAK which I featured in the second post. 
Reused pics... Until I take some more tomorrow.
Fair warning... Some people may feel conflicted about the toolset. 

I call it the Slim Fishy.

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I'm very happy with it, despite the extra snap on the bottle opener/cap lifter. I'm not planning on taking it part anytime in the future, and it will ride in my EDC beside my "Mini Pabsman" (Thanks for the name Mags.  ) as a very complementary companion SAK.

[magentus]

That's a great combo Pabs  If you use the scaler as an eating implement you almost have a picnic knife there. And I love the Mini Pabsman 

Carry them both plus a 58mm and you're nearly committing an act of Schronogamy.

[hiraethus]

So, update.
The only niggle I have with this mod is the snap on the bottle opener/cap lifter. Its not quite a nail breaker, but its easily two or three times more snappy than a stock configuration. And I believe that this is the reason:
(Image removed from quote.)
Top is a bottle opener/cap lifter with old type round tang, and corresponding spring.
Middle is a main blade with corresponding spring.
Bottom is a bottle opener/cap lifter with new type square tang(+locking nub), and corresponding spring.

Whats happening when I pair the new type bottle opener/cap lifter with a blade spring, is that the square tang is "pushing" out the spring more than it was designed to, when opening, hence the increased snap, if can understand my rambling. 
You can see how on the spring for the square tang bottle opener/cap lifter, victorinox has shaped it so that the square tang doesn't push it out too much, and it retains the "just right" amount of snap.

How to fix? Well...
You can grind the square tang into a round tang, very much not recommended due to difficulty. 
Or grind a curve into the blade spring, not an easy peasy job, but not super duper hard like the above option.
Or use a old style bottle opener/cap lifter.
Or live with it, if its not too bad for you. Thats what I'm doing.

(Image removed from quote.)

Forgot an option. See in bold.
It helps if you grab the nick as close to the tip as possible, for leverage.

A cheap 25 x 762 mm (1x30 inch) belt sander (https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/scheppach-bts700-belt--disc-sander-230v/ or similar) is perfect for this kind of SAK modding and makes grinding tools a breeze.  You can get all sorts of belts in different grits and materials for them.  I get mine from: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/abrasivexpertjohnt1102/ - I use the  60 or 80 grit ones for shaping stainless.

[Don Pablo]

So, update.
The only niggle I have with this mod is the snap on the bottle opener/cap lifter. Its not quite a nail breaker, but its easily two or three times more snappy than a stock configuration. And I believe that this is the reason:
(Image removed from quote.)
Top is a bottle opener/cap lifter with old type round tang, and corresponding spring.
Middle is a main blade with corresponding spring.
Bottom is a bottle opener/cap lifter with new type square tang(+locking nub), and corresponding spring.

Whats happening when I pair the new type bottle opener/cap lifter with a blade spring, is that the square tang is "pushing" out the spring more than it was designed to, when opening, hence the increased snap, if can understand my rambling. 
You can see how on the spring for the square tang bottle opener/cap lifter, victorinox has shaped it so that the square tang doesn't push it out too much, and it retains the "just right" amount of snap.

How to fix? Well...
You can grind the square tang into a round tang, very much not recommended due to difficulty. 
Or grind a curve into the blade spring, not an easy peasy job, but not super duper hard like the above option.
Or use a old style bottle opener/cap lifter.
Or live with it, if its not too bad for you. Thats what I'm doing.

(Image removed from quote.)

Forgot an option. See in bold.
It helps if you grab the nick as close to the tip as possible, for leverage.

A cheap 25 x 762 mm (1x30 inch) belt sander (https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/scheppach-bts700-belt--disc-sander-230v/ or similar) is perfect for this kind of SAK modding and makes grinding tools a breeze.  You can get all sorts of belts in different grits and materials for them.  I get mine from: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/abrasivexpertjohnt1102/ - I use the  60 or 80 grit ones for shaping stainless.

Thanks for the tip, I'll consider getting one. 

[magentus]

LOL - only 85 quids 

[Don Pablo]

LOL - only 85 quids 

I was thinking something similar.

[magentus]

LOL - only 85 quids 

I was thinking something similar.

It'll be hand grinding for me (careful santos!) until the money fairy visits or my dog stops eating up all our cash.

[hiraethus]

  But it really is very useful, and not just for SAK hacking.  I miss not having somewhere to use mine.

[magentus]

Here's a cheaper solution if you have an electric drill:

[Don Pablo]

Heh heh, I've realised that I have those things, for a dremel. 

[magentus]

Heh heh, I've realised that I have those things, for a dremel. 

Problem solved! We've just saved 85 quids each! 

[Don Pablo]

Heh heh, I've realised that I have those things, for a dremel. 

Problem solved! We've just saved 85 quids each! 

Now let's go buy more SAKs! 
 

[magentus]

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[Don Pablo]

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