First SAK mod a complete success!

ChopperCharles · **on:** June 05, 2018, 02:19:22 AM

I bought a SwissBuck Taskmate a while back, which had a very tiny bend in the tip. Aaaaaaaand I was dumb enough to try and bend it back. SNAP! So I snagged a dirt cheap ratty-scaled Evo soft touch, which has the same clip-point blade.... and scissors. Since I was replacing the blade, I added the scissors as well, and made myself a Taskmate II. Used 2.5mm brass rod and peened it nice and tight. No side play on any of the blades and everything springs open and closed nicely. I'm a happy man! Added benefit, I used the backsprings from the soft touch so that all the springs are flush now.

One thing though... next time I do a mod I'll remember to keep the brass pins long until I'm ready to peen. When they're too short it ends up very difficult to assemble the fourth layer!

Charles.

cody6268 · **Reply #1 on:** June 05, 2018, 04:05:40 AM

Great job! I seem to screw up roally every time I try to do a mod.

When straightening a blade, I use a probably 4 oz. ball peen hammer and a small anvil. It usually works if the steel isn't brittle (which so far has been a problem with the Japanese Klein knives and the old Brownings from the 1970s, both of which known to hold an edge great, but with notoriously brittle steel).

ChopperCharles · **Reply #2 on:** June 05, 2018, 06:02:49 AM

Good to know! I have a Victorinox that has the tiniest tweak. I was going to mod it eventually - by pulling out the fish scaler - and I’ll replace the blade at that time. But in the meantime I may try the ball peen hammer and anvil method!

Charles.

kottskrapa · **Reply #3 on:** June 05, 2018, 09:38:22 AM

Any pics?

[It's not failure if you learn something from it]

ddogu · **Reply #4 on:** June 05, 2018, 09:45:55 AM

ChopperCharles · **Reply #5 on:** June 05, 2018, 05:47:06 PM

Heh, okay I get it. I'll post pics!

Charles.

ChopperCharles · **Reply #6 on:** June 05, 2018, 05:49:28 PM

Also, if you look at the sheath, I removed the flashlight loop for a more streamlined case.

Charles

ChopperCharles · **Reply #7 on:** June 05, 2018, 06:36:41 PM

This is how it looked before the mod. Both blades were over-sharpened and the tip of the big blade was bent. The scales were in sad, sad shape as well.

Charles.

Vidar · **Reply #8 on:** June 05, 2018, 06:40:21 PM

Quite the improvement

pfrsantos · **Reply #9 on:** June 05, 2018, 06:55:08 PM

Quote from: Vidar on June 05, 2018, 06:40:21 PM

Quite the improvement

+1

Well done!

kottskrapa · **Reply #10 on:** June 06, 2018, 07:24:01 AM

Thanks for the pics and nice work!

[It's not failure if you learn something from it]

Ron Who · **Reply #11 on:** June 06, 2018, 07:40:23 AM

Don Pablo · **Reply #12 on:** June 06, 2018, 08:03:47 AM

Sweet!

ddogu · **Reply #13 on:** June 06, 2018, 08:44:02 AM

It is such a weird, happiness-like relief to see a tool that is rescued, taken care of, loved, cleaned, oiled, buffed.

Or maybe that's just the savior-complex in me, talking out loud in form of multitools...

ChopperCharles · **Reply #14 on:** June 06, 2018, 10:16:58 AM

I understand completely ddogu..... that's what I do with motorcycles and vintage audio equipment as well. After just a few days with the swissbuck in bad condition, I knew I loved the little thing. It was supremely useful nad I wanted to carry it all the time, even though I have bigger, badder knives. I figured in for a penny... might as well restore it nice.

Charles.