My first mod... a 58mm tsa legal two layer Vic

[oreogaborio]

Hey everyone... so I'm pretty new here but I've been hanging out on EDCF for a couple months at least now.  Found this place when doing a little investigation work while trying to decide whether or not I wanted to build a custom SAK.

Figured "why not?"... so I decided to first build something for my girlfriend just for the helluvit.  Originally I purchased her a Classic with the limited Magnolia scales for Christmas, but after getting a new job that requires a lot of air travel I started thinking about converting it into something she could take with her.

So I did some more thinking about what she might actually use... after doing some more web browsing, I came up with the idea of combining a Manicure with the bottle opener of a Bladeless (or whatever else that had a bottle opener).

Since she already had the scales I wanted on the Classic, all I needed was a Cuticle pusher and a Bottle opener... well, I kept my eyes on ebay and stumbled upon a Cavalier (with cuticle pusher) and a Rover (with bottle opener) and snatched em up.

Still waiting on the Rover, so no bottle opener YET, but with the Cavalier in hand I decided to get started.

ON TO THE PICS!

Started by undressing the Classic and began drilling out the pivots, being very careful not to damage the collets (or whatever they're called)

 
Disassembled Classic next to the naked Cavalier

 
Getting into the Cavalier

 
Checking the tool inventory (Bottom right is actually a ruler, not a nail file). This is where I got really worried because I wasn't sure how the left side vs right side nail nicks would work out once I got it all mocked up... Had to consult SAKWiki to see how other 58mm Vic's were arranged and whether or not the nail nicks were going to pose a problem. I almost thought this project ended before it even began!

 
Arranging the layers. Still waiting on the Rover, remember... so I used a second pair of scissors as a placeholder.

 
Sandwiched!

 

 
Next to the Magnolia scales.

 

 
 
 
Pretty happy with how my first mod is turning out! All that's left is to get my Rover, steal the bottle opener, slap that in there in place of one of the pairs of scissors and delicately rivet it all together again!
 
One thing I'll do differently if I do one similar for myself, is that I'll go with a bottle opener that has a phillips head on the end instead of the flat. When I was originally planning this out I was thinking there's no way she'll ever need a Phillips so a flat would be more useful as well as more cosmetically pleasing... but once I decided to use the nail file with the screwdriver tip since it looks less like a blade, the flat headed bottle opener becomes redundant. A phillips would be more useful to me.
 
Then again, the flat ended bottle opener could make a slightly stronger pry bar.

[jrp316]

Pretty sweet looking; you're a braver man than most when it comes to modding the 58mm. Most guys won't touch the 58mm platform.

[Syph007]

Hey welcome and great to see you diving into a mod!  I really like to see other people doing mods its always nice to see what people come up with. 

Ya I dont work with the 58s, too fiddly for me   But I always thought it would be cool reproduce that 58 double open style spring on a 84mm or 91mm platform.  So you could have a cadet that only 1 layer, 2 tools opening on each side.   

[nuphoria]

Excellent set of pics, and a most courageous first mod

Glad you decided to join us over here

[oreogaborio]

Thanks, guys!

Just talked to my girlfriend... Told her I thought I could combine it with a Slim 2.0 flash drive... THAT got her attention! 

So unless someone gives me a reason not to, I think I'm gonna order a Slim 2.0.... 8gb for her, orange alox scales for me. lol.

There's no reason why I can't smoosh it all together, is there?

[oreogaborio]

Hey welcome and great to see you diving into a mod!  I really like to see other people doing mods its always nice to see what people come up with. 

Ya I dont work with the 58s, too fiddly for me   But I always thought it would be cool reproduce that 58 double open style spring on a 84mm or 91mm platform.  So you could have a cadet that only 1 layer, 2 tools opening on each side.   

Thanks, Syph!  Guys like you and Metro were definitely my inspiration.  Seeing what you guys have been able to come up with has been awesome.  When I stumbled upon this forum & saw some of the step-by-step threads posted on here like the one Gareth made I just couldn't resist anymore!

[crackout]

Thanks, guys!

Just talked to my girlfriend... Told her I thought I could combine it with a Slim 2.0 flash drive... THAT got her attention! 

So unless someone gives me a reason not to, I think I'm gonna order a Slim 2.0.... 8gb for her, orange alox scales for me. lol.

There's no reason why I can't smoosh it all together, is there?

If you do, please take pictures like you did before. I'm also thinking out messing with usb-tools. I'd love to see how things look.

[oreogaborio]

That's the plan!  Gonna continue updating this thread.  Haven't seen much 58mm stuff.  Dunno what the big deal is, it doesn't seem too difficult to work with.

I guess if I were to mod some of the larger SAKs it might change my mind though. lol.

[nuphoria]

That combo (basic non-knife tools and a USB stick) is exactly what I'm interesting at the moment. If you manage to get it done and want to sell one, I'd happily take it off your hands

[Lynn LeFey]

I've thought about a pretty similar 'jetsetter' tool for myself, with scissors, file, ruler, and Rambler combo-tool.

While the idea of a flash drive might be nice, keep in mind that a few years down the road, it'll be obsolete. Imagine if you had a SAK from the 90s, that somehow managed to incorporate a 3.5" floppy disk, and you might get an idea of what I'm talking about. Digital media, even input standards, like USB, are subject to rapid change.

Those are some lovely scales for your model!

[crackout]

You can always take it apart and do some fixing then. :p

[oreogaborio]

I've thought about a pretty similar 'jetsetter' tool for myself, with scissors, file, ruler, and Rambler combo-tool.

While the idea of a flash drive might be nice, keep in mind that a few years down the road, it'll be obsolete. Imagine if you had a SAK from the 90s, that somehow managed to incorporate a 3.5" floppy disk, and you might get an idea of what I'm talking about. Digital media, even input standards, like USB, are subject to rapid change.

Yeah, the potential obsolescence of the flash drive came to mind but I'm sure she'll use it for a while to come.  If not, then I'll put together something new. 

Those are some lovely scales for your model!

Thanks!  That's def the main reason why she likes the knife.  If it weren't for those she probably wouldn't give a crap. lol

[Sparky415]

Great job and nice pictures 

Those things are toooo tiny for my hands 

[Gareth]

I have done a couple of 58mm mods and "fiddly" is the right word.  Great job so far and I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product.

[oreogaborio]

Thanks, man.  Hope to finish it up once I get the USB.  USPS tracking says it's in Boston so it shouldn't be more than a day or two.

[oreogaborio]

Got the Orange Alox USB!

Making progress & nearly done!
 


 
The drill is looking for lunch... This just FEELS WRONG!

 
IT HURRRRTS! (Stupid drill bit broke, nicking the back scale. You can see it just below the top left pivot hole. )

 
Took FOREVER to get everything lined up because I mismatched some of the back springs... once I realized my mistake it went together much easier.

 
Mock-up

 
Pivot pins trimmed, bushes going on

 
Haven't finished peening it yet, so the scales are just resting on the unpeened pins.



 

 

 
 
 
All that's left is to hone my peening skills, snap it all back together, put the snap ring in place, toss in the toothpick & tweexers and hand it over to my girl
 
I think my next project is to make a near identical one with those Orange Alox scales, but replace the cuticle pusher with a blade and add a wharnclife & ruler to make it a ULTRA Mini Champ

[crackout]

Very nice, thanks for the input.
I don't feel comfortable peening such a sandwhich with plastic involved, though.

[oreogaborio]

You mean with the USB?

Yeah, I'll be doing all my peening with the USB removed. 

Note that there ARE brass spacers in there that give it some rigidity.  You can see them in the "IT HURRRTS" pic where I had the USB disassembled.  The only pivot that isn't reinforced is the one with the plastic "trigger" that pops out the drive.

It's definitely something that I've been taking into consideration when hammering away, though. 

[crackout]

In addition, I also don't like the plastik keyring at all. It's exposed too much.
Not sure if I should do this mod.

[oreogaborio]

Good point...

I suppose one could put a backspring in with the keychain hole on the opposite side....
You could even shave down the plastic keyring, either flush, or to a smaller nub to still allow for easy removal of the USB... or just leave it alone.

Suppose I could still do that, it's not quite all buttoned up just yet.

[oreogaborio]

All finished!

I didn't do any of the ideas above, I just left it as is.
 
Peening was way harder than I expected. Because of the skinny little 1.5mm pivot pins, stability was an issue so the layers got a little crooked. I had to keep flipping, twisting, squishing & squashing in different directions to get it closer to square up. The end product isn't quite as perfect as I want it to be, but in the end all of the tools come out and snap back pretty smoothly and I didn't need to start over again, so for a first try I couldn't be happier!
 
I didn't snap any shots of the peening process, but here's the final product.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Money shot

[jrp316]

Very sweet looking mod there. I'm just learning peening myself and it's fiddly enough even with the 1/8" pin stock I bought to practice on; I can't quite imagine doing stock that small yet. But hey, as long as everything works correctly and nothing binds up, no one will be the wiser about the peening.

[Wootz]

Lovely 

[Gareth]

Superb job mate.

[Sidhartha]

that is a sexy little knife! excellent work 

[oreogaborio]

Thanks, everyone

After tallying it up, I spent a little more on this than originally planned... bought a used Cavalier and a Rover for 18 bucks total when I really could have just bought a beat up old Minichamp for a lot less and had more variety of tools.

Learned from my mistake & now I've got my ebay eyes peeled for a Mini champ so I can build one with those leftover orange alox scales.

[PTRSAK]

Peening small stock, you need a small hammer.  I have a 1 oz Jewelers hammer I use even on 2.5mm pins.
It's easier to keep a consistent strike when you are giving a decent whack with a light hammer rather than trying to give very gentle taps with a 8oz or even 4oz hammer. I must get myself a 2oz ball-peen as the 1oz is a cross-peen which style isn't so much use.

http://www.pjtool.com/miniballpeinhammer.aspx

[oreogaborio]

Yeah, a smaller hammer def woulda helped.  Think I've got something like that around somewhere.  I'll have to dig it up or swing by the hardware store & pick one up.

Gotta find something before I make my next one.  Already gotten a few requests from friends and people on the boards.  lol