And so it begins.... (My adventures into Alox!)

[MusicMen]

Another amazing knife.         

This has probably been asked before. Where do the parts come from? Does the client send you the different knives to dis-assemble or do you have the parts to make the requested knife? Or is it a combination of yours & clients parts?

[Syph007]

Another amazing knife.         

This has probably been asked before. Where do the parts come from? Does the client send you the different knives to dis-assemble or do you have the parts to make the requested knife? Or is it a combination of yours & clients parts?

I buy a buttload of new saks and rip them apart and keep the parts ready to go nicely organized in organizer bins.   

[MusicMen]

Another amazing knife.         

This has probably been asked before. Where do the parts come from? Does the client send you the different knives to dis-assemble or do you have the parts to make the requested knife? Or is it a combination of yours & clients parts?

I buy a buttload of new saks and rip them apart and keep the parts ready to go nicely organized in organizer bins.   

Thanks! I appreciate the info. I keep looking at your amazing magnificent work and thinking about my perfect knife.
You sir, are a gem among gems. A  to you.

[Dutch_Tooler]

What Pablo said, unless you can make your own.  In order to add the philips/magnifier layer you'll need a Pioneer blade spring, and for the pliers you'll need two Farmer saw springs.  So to make a Pioneer X + pliers + saw + philips/magnifier (Alox Deluxe Woodsman maybe?) you'll need a Pioneer X and three Farmers, plus the donor for the other tools such as a Swiss Champ...

Building further on this as yet unnamed (but thanks for the suggestion hiraeuthus ) concept, I have a few questions:

1. What would it take to add a long file (not the short Cadet file)? (Are there specific long 93 mm files from models that have run out? Can 91 mm files be adapted (easily)? I take it (yet) another (Farmer) back spring would be required?)
2. I believe I have read that the commercially available 1/8" pivots are 1/2" in length max. I also believe I might be going over that mark, with what I'm planning. Would I have / be able to join two pivots lengthwise? Would the result still be strong enough?
3. Has anyone been able to add back tools to a 93 mm model? Just toying with the idea for things like a corkscrew and chisel. However, this does seem non-trivial .
4. The electrician blade, is that the same tang width as the openers and normal small blade?

Thanks in advance

[hiraethus]

Building further on this as yet unnamed (but thanks for the suggestion hiraeuthus ) concept, I have a few questions:

1. What would it take to add a long file (not the short Cadet file)? (Are there specific long 93 mm files from models that have run out? Can 91 mm files be adapted (easily)? I take it (yet) another (Farmer) back spring would be required?)
2. I believe I have read that the commercially available 1/8" pivots are 1/2" in length max. I also believe I might be going over that mark, with what I'm planning. Would I have / be able to join two pivots lengthwise? Would the result still be strong enough?
3. Has anyone been able to add back tools to a 93 mm model? Just toying with the idea for things like a corkscrew and chisel. However, this does seem non-trivial .
4. The electrician blade, is that the same tang width as the openers and normal small blade?

Thanks in advance

1. Just enlarge the pivot hole on a 91mm file.  It drops straight in place of the Farmer saw.  Yes, you'd need another saw spring.
2. Yes, you can join 2 pivots.  Use a long screw so it bridges the join.  You may need to smooth the joint using sandpaper.
3.  Not possible.  You need the fourth hidden pin for the backtools to work.  Better off putting alox/Ti/whatever scales on a 91mm SAK (as Syph now does)
4.  I'm not sure.  IIRC, it's thinner than the openers but might be slightly thicker than the 91mm small blade.  You get a spacer next to it in the Electrician, and making a new one from the right thickness material is fairly easy.  You'll need to bend it a bit if you fit it in place of the awl, unless you can find on from a 84mm celidor Electrician.

[Dutch_Tooler]

Great, thanks hiarethus 

[shibafu]

Everyone seems to use 3.2mm (1/8") screw pivots, and yes, the holes have to be expanded. 

I made my own screw pivots in the standard sizes by drilling and tapping brass rods.  The trick to drill the rod on a drill press is to chuck the rod in the drill, and mount the drill bit upside down in a drill vice or another chuck.  spinning the workpiece instead of the drill bit helps keep the hole centred.

[MusicMen]

I made my own screw pivots in the standard sizes by drilling and tapping brass rods.  The trick to drill the rod on a drill press is to chuck the rod in the drill, and mount the drill bit upside down in a drill vice or another chuck.  spinning the workpiece instead of the drill bit helps keep the hole centred.

Very interesting reversing the stock and drill.   

[Dutch_Tooler]

Indeed. Shibafu, what kind of brass did you use and would this be strong enough (being hollow)? Would these rods be available in stainless steel, maybe as tube stock material (preferably with the correct inner hole diameter of course )...

[jaya_man]

Is brass strong enough to hold the screws?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[hiraethus]

Brass should be fine.  I've made around a dozen sets of brass pivots for SAKs by drilling 3mm rod (in a lathe - I need to try shibafu's method) and not broken one yet.  Make sure the screws are as long as possible so as to give the brass tube maximum support.  If you were to really crank down on the screws it'd be about evens as to whether the brass thread stripped or you rounded out the screw head.

I've only found 3mm stainless tube in 316 grade which is no good for pivots.  You want 400 series so it can be heat treated or 301/302/304 in spring temper - which are only available in rod/wire.  The properties that make a grade of stainless suitable for drawing into a tube make it unsuitable as a bearing.

[hiraethus]

Oh, and I think the grade of brass I've used is half-hard CZ121.

[Dutch_Tooler]

OK, thanks again 

It'll be a while until I have all the bits but once I get going I might will post progress reports and results.

[twiliter]

Syph, since you are making custom Ti tools, would it be possible to make a chisel/scraper like the Spirit to fit a 91/93mm? Also wondering about how the edge would hold up.

[m47mu74nt]

Syph, since you are making custom Ti tools, would it be possible to make a chisel/scraper like the Spirit to fit a 91/93mm? Also wondering about how the edge would hold up.

depends on what you want to scrape 

[Syph007]

Syph, since you are making custom Ti tools, would it be possible to make a chisel/scraper like the Spirit to fit a 91/93mm? Also wondering about how the edge would hold up.

depends on what you want to scrape 

The edge would be durable, but in now way be able to retain a shaving sharp edge or anything.  it would quickly round over and pretty much stay that way.

[m47mu74nt]

The edge would be durable, but in now way be able to retain a shaving sharp edge or anything.  it would quickly round over and pretty much stay that way.

+1
I use a small 'sharp' Ti piece to open boxes, works perfect to perforate tape. But it can't be razor sharp (which is perfect to open things without opening a finger in the way  )

[Syph007]

The edge would be durable, but in now way be able to retain a shaving sharp edge or anything.  it would quickly round over and pretty much stay that way.

+1
I use a small 'sharp' Ti piece to open boxes, works perfect to perforate tape. But it can't be razor sharp (which is perfect to open things without opening a finger in the way  )

A chisel edge can have the back flat part carbidized though to try to maintain somewhat of an edge.  The soft Ti is worn away leaving a sharp edge just like how a beaver tooth stays sharp.  I've never tested this but in told it works.

[Simyo]

I’m assuming you’re not going to be using a hammer on the opposite end of the chisel?

[Syph007]

Boyscout explorer with Fleur-de-lis. 

[Ron Who]

Very nicely done the boyscout logo 

[Don Pablo]

 

[pa_strunk]

 :like this a lot!!!

[ReamerPunch]

I hope that lucky scout can realize what a piece that is. 

[Don Pablo]

I hope that lucky scout can realize what a piece that is. 

I'm a scout, can I have it? 

[twiliter]

I like the Fleur de Lis, reminds me of Firenze. 

[Syph007]

After 1.5 years of constant running my Tormach had an issue today. Spindle wouldn't start up and the main controller was thowing a hardware fault.  I called support and had help in about 30 minutes.  They determined I needed a new controller part (approx $400-500 ish) since im past the year warranty.  However they decided to send me one for free since they said it must be a hardware issue and not something Id done to the controller so they are sending me a free one as long as I send them the broken one back for analysis.  I can't complain about that service!  This is why you buy a machine from a company that will still be around in a year to help you. 

Compact super tinker today.  Still a very popular model.

[Dutch_Tooler]

You are a fortunate man Syph. There are quite a few vendors who would not have been so generous, I gather...

Nice knife

[Barry Rowland]

Gorgeous knife!!

[Poncho65]

Glad they stood behind their product They have been in business for a good long while and things like that will keep them in business for a long time yet as well

Some sweet knives as well