Modding a Compact

[MadPlumbarian]

I did this last April but didn’t do a step by step, I must say it wasn’t to hard, all done in a couple hours because I had to drop everything and take care of something, that and because of a few hiccups in the project but other then that not to bad,

First off the starting project, a simple 91mm Compact, a nice simple knife/tool, but in my books absolutely no use for a corkscrew, I’d rather have a Philips, that and I’d also like to have a saw along with it,

Tools needed,
A dremel, a drill will work but tougher to use, but a drill press will work,
An awl to make a mark to make it easier to set the drill,
A ball peen hammer,
Dikes,
A file,
Another sak to pop the scales off,
Electrical tape,
A good hard surface like an anvil or vice,
And patients,

So first step of course to remove the scales, but take a pic of it open so you know what your dealing with and then set them aside, and now to drill out the pins not damaging the rings, going to need those later, now if I was not going to add the saw and just to swop out the corkscrew for the Philips I could save a lot of work, by only drilling out only one pin, leaving everything else good to go, but nah I’d rather get down and dirty, so drill all four out and when taking it apart place the tools with the backbone  and back tools all nice and neat to make it easier when putting it back together,

Now switching out the corkscrew for the Philips so just change them but I’m also adding the saw, so I not only have to add the saw but the proper backbone, and also another divider since it’s adding another layer or else the tools will be jammed together and not separated, so it should look like this,

And this is where the fun comes into play, yeah it’s a puzzle but also spring loaded, this is why you take a pic of the tool before you take it apart! This way you know how it goes back together, the same with taking it apart and setting the tools together with its correct backbone and back tools if any, cut the pins longer then needed this way it gives you some play and makes it easier, but once you do get it all together wrap electrical tape around the whole tool between the pins to keep it tight and from slipping apart, sorry I don’t have pics, now cut the one side of the pins close to the rings and make sure that the rings are on correctly so that they will hold the scales, and then file them flat and the peen the end nice so it fits in the ring, then make sure the knife is still all together cut the other side of the pins and then file them flat and the peen them like the other side, flip it back over and peen it again making sure nothing slipped and everything is firm but not over tight, you might want to file the pins flush with the rings but they should be pretty good,
Next post,,
JR

[MadPlumbarian]

And now for the true test, un-tape the knife and see how it holds, open and close each tool and blade, see that each has good snap and they don’t wiggle, if they wiggle then that pin has to be peened down a little firmer, but if everything checks out, it’s time to snap those scales back on, they should go on my hand but if not put some type of poly wrap around the sak and then put it in a vice and very gently work them on, very slowly and easily, and well, you should be done, again check it out, you’ve just totally modded your own sak! Still haven’t come up with a name for this one, maybe some type of modified compact, yet it’s not compact I guess since it’s not two rows, so idk?
JR

[Aloha]

Thats some good work there.  Great step by step.   

[MadPlumbarian]

Thats some good work there.  Great step by step.   

Thanks, if I had a better way to post pics I could take more and put them right after the comment and give a better description vs having them all at the end,
JR

[Vidar]

Still very understandable! 

[MadPlumbarian]

Still very understandable! 

People say it’s because it’s as if I’m talking to them and having a conversation vs just typing, and when I do type that’s how it just rolls off, not like a book, but as if someone was sitting in front of me and I’m talking to them and having a conversation,,
JR

[Enginears]

  Nice work MP

[MadPlumbarian]

Nice work MP

Thanks, must say a nice piece, now if maybe in metal scales, it has been a thought..
JR