wave/rebar custom hybrid project (pic heavy)

[oscillationsions]

hi all,
i see this post as my debut on this website, my introduction to you. i am a newbie to this forum, to forums in general, to multitools, and to metal work and fabrication.

i started obsessing over multitools during my last slump (many slumps [and peaks] during this pandemic.) i found myself resisting because i thought it was a "symptom" of what i was going through. a dear friend reminded me that not everything i do needs to be inspected, criticized and disposed of. so i let go and found some passion. what is driving me in this project is creating the "perfect" everyday carry multitool. for me. which means 1) it has everything i need for edc, nothing i don't. maximum usability in the smallest form factor. i like being useful so being able to whip out a tool that will be able to tackle most things feels nice to me. and 2) it's pleasing to use, tactilely, and functionally.

i found the wave/rebar hybrids some folks have done to be really appealing. i like outside accessible tools for quick, simplified access, but four outside tools felt excessive for me. i also didn't care for the bulging shape the full wave has due to the two protruding blades (i like small things  .) so half of a wave felt just right. i also just really liked the super simple, yet perfected, reliable design of the rebar.

i got a rebar from ebay a few weeks back and finally just got my hands on a wave+ from offerup two nights ago. after lots of forum and youtube surfing, sketching, and dreaming, i finally sat down at my work table last night and pulled off the big first step. which included: 1) adding the wave handle onto the rebar plier head 2) shaping a smaller serrated blade out of the rebar's full size serrated to bundle it up with the smaller tools on the rebar half and 3) re-arranging and putting it all back together into a functioning tool.

on the wave side i have

• the original main straight blade
• the bottle/can opener/wire stripper tool (same in rebar and wave)
• the 3D phillips driver from the rebar
• the original file as a space-saver for the 91mm victorinox scissors on their way to me from ukraine
• and a pair of tweezers (made for the leatherman style CS)

on the rebar side i have

• the rebar saw
• the rebar medium flat driver
• a large flat (same in rebar and wave)
• the rebar awl
• the modified, minified serrated blade mentioned above
• and the rebar file

okay enough reading! here's some pretty pictures:

first that serrated blade


the serrated blade with the awl which was used to determine its shape to make sure the plier head would still fit nicely and allow proper closure





closed tools on the rebar handle


glamour shot


rebar handle fanned


wave handle fanned


closed. as you can it's see not perfectly flush on top and bottom, not sure why, anybody know? it doesn't really bother me but i'm curious


in a heritage sheath (i got used to carrying it upside down in the sheath when i had just the rebar)


and a fun gif


 

aaaand more work i will be doing on this project to make it.. "perfect":

• adding vix scissors to join the straight blade as an outside accessible tool
• some shaving to decrease resistance when opening and closing the rebar handle. any thoughts on whether i should do the shaving on the plier side or the frame side? i want to be able to whip open the plier like i could do on the full wave
• some shaving to decrease resistance when opening the small serrated blade. the rebar blades (main and serrated) both seem to have this bump-out designed into the locking end of the tool to secure them against opening accidentally, i'm guessing? which i like for safety reasons, but it makes this shrunken-down serrated blade reeeaally tough to open. which i don't like.
• some light shaving on the rebar frame so that the file slides in and out without grating on the handle. this will work itself out over time with enough use but it just sounds fun to do now
• re-shaping the nail nubs (what's everyone calling it?) on the medium flat, large flat, awl bundle. you can see this in the picture- they're all at the same height making any one of them hard to isolate and grab
• shaving about half a millimeter off of the phillips nail nub to allow the tool to fully close
• this one is a little ambitious for me right now but what i envision is a slimmed down phillips driver (like the ones on the older LM tools- PST, old wave, super tool etc) that keeps the full size 3D head but creates space for some more tools on the sides. which brings me to my next mod >
• shaping a small straight blade out of the large blade from the rebar. i'm thinking it will be nice to have for tasks where the large main blade is just too much. inspired by the blade pairs they have on victorinox tools/"swiss army knives"
• then switching some tools around so we can have the mini serrated blade and the mini straight blade living together on the same side (wave side). they'll need to sandwich the phillips driver. hoping i can make this work. sounds pleasing aesthetically and organizationally
• aaaaand maybe adding a toothpick??

*anticlimactic ending*

thanks for tuning in!
i'll be posting here as i do more work!
-ro

[SteveC]

Looks great, nice job !     

[Juan el Boricua]

Excellent write up and presentation of your tool; looks quite interesting (albeit others might have done it, I was not quite as pleased with the results) and the details you go into help understand its purpose. Great job on the serrated blade, looks better than the Sidekick's! and welcome to
 

[Echotech]

Wow, incredible work, looks amazing

[oscillationsions]

also want to do a shout out to some folks on here whose work has been inspiring and helpful (so far. i'm sure there will be more ): metroplicity, Milan Vandenbilcke, evil510, Sam Lin, and loki-mobile
 

[McStitchy]

You don't seem to leave much room to improve 
That looks just about perfect 

Welcome to  oscillationsions

[Aloha]

Heck of a job done on it.  Seems the Wave/Rebar is about as good as it gets.  Such tool density and OHO tools. 

[Sam Lim]

I too like the smaller SE blade.  for the differences in resistance when opening the pliers, u can try putting in a slotted screwdriver between the pliers and handle and give it a few whack. That usually loosen up abit. A pst tools will fit in a modern one after cutting the locking notch, so u get some more space with the philips like u said. My outside tools are from a OG supertool. They do sit flushed with the handle. Great work! 

[DavisNikolov]

  I am speechless - awesome work and when you add those scissors - that would be the perfect tool I dream about. And that bit odd look because of the two different handles just sweetens the deal for me. Also, the add on clip for the wave is exactly for the handle you used 

[Poncho65]

Great job on the hybrid tool I have one of those as well and am amazed at how well the 2 halves go together

Welcome to and I can't wait to see more work of yours

Here is a pic of mine I call it the Reave and some call them Wabars




Sorry I couldn't find a pic with both sides of the tools seen better

EDIT I found a better pic

[oscillationsions]

I too like the smaller SE blade.  for the differences in resistance when opening the pliers, u can try putting in a slotted screwdriver between the pliers and handle and give it a few whack. That usually loosen up abit. A pst tools will fit in a modern one after cutting the locking notch, so u get some more space with the philips like u said. My outside tools are from a OG supertool. They do sit flushed with the handle. Great work! 

that's a cool tip about the ST's tools fitting in the new wave. it's neat that you were able to replace all the wave's outside tools with the super tool's cuz i love that they sit flush! so you were able to get them to lock up with the liner lock and with that stop on the backside? do you have any pictures or posts on here that show any of that process? i would love to see or read any write-ups you have.
i'm wondering if the super tool's knife is a bit weaker though because of its size and shape? and how did you add the little grabby nub onto the knife? i've seen other folks use those, what are they called?

thanks sam, maybe i'll PM you for links to all your posts having to do with mods......... i wish forums let you curate "playlists" of your posts/topics.

[Sam Lim]

that's a cool tip about the ST's tools fitting in the new wave. it's neat that you were able to replace all the wave's outside tools with the super tool's cuz i love that they sit flush! so you were able to get them to lock up with the liner lock and with that stop on the backside? do you have any pictures or posts on here that show any of that process? i would love to see or read any write-ups you have.
i'm wondering if the super tool's knife is a bit weaker though because of its size and shape? and how did you add the little grabby nub onto the knife? i've seen other folks use those, what are they called?

thanks sam, maybe i'll PM you for links to all your posts having to do with mods......... i wish forums let you curate "playlists" of your posts/topics.

Here you can see the blades sitting flushed with the frame..


The thumb studs began life as a M2.5 screw and nut. They are milled down to size for use. I have tapered the "head" of the screw so it sits flush at the back of the knife and stays in place. Note the notch on the knife for the thumb stud. I simply have no means of drilling so this is how I attach all my thumb studs. I have not encounter any issues but I am not a heavy knife user and I do not twist or pry with my knife. Yes all these knifes lock up nice and tight. Thats the beauty of modding. You get to choose how your want your tools to be and adjust to your liking.



Have fun!!

[Juan el Boricua]

Great mods, and lovely wharncliffe knife! 
 

[Poncho65]

Great job on those thumb screws and getting those blades in that Wave, Sam

[oscillationsions]

looks kinda funny. like when your cat gets shaved..


so yeah,
just used a dremel to get off most of the material and then a file for the final touches and to ensure a flat surface


new idea though- i'm thinking about trying to fit all the drivers into the wave handle because my previous idea of putting 2 mini blades next to the phillips won't work. buut this will take shortening both flats so they clear underneath the phillips head (unshaved cat head). like so:


so yeah this would take a significant amount of length off of those flat drivers. they'd still work perfectly fine, just wouldn't have as much reach. but i'm not anticipating this being an issue for me.. plus all the drivers fitting together on one handle is verry pleasing to me  sooo, i'm gonna do it! sorry thinking out loud, thanks for reading!

[Poncho65]

Hope you are able to accomplish this without to much fuss

 

[SteveC]

(Image removed from quote.)
looks kinda funny. like when your cat gets shaved..
(Image removed from quote.)

so yeah,
just used a dremel to get off most of the material and then a file for the final touches and to ensure a flat surface
(Image removed from quote.)

new idea though- i'm thinking about trying to fit all the drivers into the wave handle because my previous idea of putting 2 mini blades next to the phillips won't work. buut this will take shortening both flats so they clear underneath the phillips head (unshaved cat head). like so:
(Image removed from quote.)
(Image removed from quote.)
so yeah this would take a significant amount of length off of those flat drivers. they'd still work perfectly fine, just wouldn't have as much reach. but i'm not anticipating this being an issue for me.. plus all the drivers fitting together on one handle is verry pleasing to me  sooo, i'm gonna do it! sorry thinking out loud, thanks for reading!

I would be a bit worried about the strength of that Phillips. There is a reason LM designed it that way.  I hope it holds up for you though as you did a nice job of slimming it.

[Juan el Boricua]

(Image removed from quote.)
looks kinda funny. like when your cat gets shaved..
(Image removed from quote.)

so yeah,
just used a dremel to get off most of the material and then a file for the final touches and to ensure a flat surface
(Image removed from quote.)

new idea though- i'm thinking about trying to fit all the drivers into the wave handle because my previous idea of putting 2 mini blades next to the phillips won't work. buut this will take shortening both flats so they clear underneath the phillips head (unshaved cat head). like so:
(Image removed from quote.)
(Image removed from quote.)
so yeah this would take a significant amount of length off of those flat drivers. they'd still work perfectly fine, just wouldn't have as much reach. but i'm not anticipating this being an issue for me.. plus all the drivers fitting together on one handle is verry pleasing to me  sooo, i'm gonna do it! sorry thinking out loud, thanks for reading!

Good job there; reminds me of the PST/PSTII Phillips screwdriver...nice!

[oscillationsions]

all the drivers tetris'd together on the wave side fits perfect

- slimmed down the phillips as described in a previous post.
- took about 7mm off of the medium flat driver, reshaped with a dremel, and filed the bevels by sight.
- took ~2mm off of the large flat driver, hand filed the existing bevel to get the end right for flat..driver'ing. may need more filing, i got lazy er... excited to be done.

a shot of the slimmed down 3D phillips driver cleaned up:


diamond file from the wave >> rebar:




- traced the rebar file onto the wave file, cut down most of it with a dremel and a cutting disk, hand filed and sanded the rest.
- drilling the pivot hole was the most challenging part. small carbide bits in a drill gun worked eventually. then diamond bits to get it to a more perfect circle, then a 7/32 drill bit at the very end. or... what i'd planned to be the very end.. the pivot still wouldn't go through, couldn't understand why. so i shaved away at the hole a bit with a diamond bit on the dremel. i ate away too much, the file is a little loose. anyone got a wave file they'd trade for a rebar?.. lol
- a note: i didn't have any cooling oil so i didn't use any. worked just fine without color changing somehow. i did take breaks every once in a while.
- lastly, i filed the rebar handle itself so the diamond side doesn't get eaten away at. there was some rubbing before as the tool was slid in and out.
* to anyone reading this and planning to do this mod, i would recommend drilling the hole first before cutting away at the other parts, that way, if your hole steers slightly off course for whatever reason (since it's a difficult process, you may have many reasons this happens), you can re-trace the rest based on the position of the new pivot hole.

i did the other mini knife too

- again, from the rebar's full-sized knife blade. determined a shape and nail nub position based off the needs of the plier head as it slides into position when the tool closes. (and also based off of where the knife needed to sit in the rebar.) then cut it roughly to shape with a dremel cutting disk. filed and sanded.
- i only just hand ground the edge's tip with a file based off of feeling, which was fun to do, but it's not the prettiest thing because the blade actually gets thicker at the tip due to the pre-established primary bevel and the invasion of the new tip where it wasn't meant to be. i don't feel like the bevel work needed to fix this issue is in my skillset quite yet. but in any case, i see this blade being mostly used for things like processing plant material or whittling, so i'm okay with the knife the way it is. for now.. this may change and i may have to pick up some knife-making skills.

that's all for now folks. will update again when i do my last big mod, the outside accessible vix scissors.

[oscillationsions]

a clarifying picture of the process behind the shortened tools:


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[SteveC]

Good job !   

[Juan el Boricua]

Great job on the tools modifications; glad its coming out the way you want it to be. Kudos on a job well done!

[pa_strunk]

 

[Poncho65]

Glad to hear it is coming along the way you want it Thanks for the update

[Barry Rowland]

Late to the thread but great job and welcome to

[ReamerPunch]

Those tiny blades are cute.

[Sam Lim]

Those tiny blades are cute.

  nicely done. I always have a thing for tiny knifes.

[oscillationsions]

Those tiny blades are cute.

hehe thanks i was waiting for this comment. they're my favorite

[oscillationsions]

okay my vix scissors are taking forEVER to come in the mail so i'm gonna do a lil' mini update in the meantime

torque torque baby?


added some 90˚ locking notches on both my phillips and large flat for increased torque on screws that need it. works great and has reeeeallly helped me out a few times just have to use my second hand to push downward to drive the phillips/flat into the screw head while i twist with my right hand. a lovely 7.5" reach for nice torque power

those two locking notches



the phillips notch was much better than the one i made in the flat driver. locks dead tight with no wiggle, slides out of lock nicely, and is perfectly 90˚. can't say the same for the flat haha, that was my trial run. glad i did it in that order



*twiddles thumbs until vix scissors come in*................

[SteveC]