Wave Hiker mod / Rebar awl in Wave/ less tools=lighter weight

Mangyang · **on:** January 21, 2024, 10:00:32 PM

The aim of this mod was to create a lightweight tool for trailrunning and edc that is stronger than the Curl or the Skeletool and contains only my chosen most essential tools and is quite cheap and definitely cheaper than the Signal also lighter weight.
It has 2 outside accessible tools and two tools on the inside. I decided to leave the file and the serrated blade and only keep the Pe blade and the saw and put them on the same handle to avoid pinches. That was easy to do I just had to take out the ones I didnt need. The biggest problem to solve was the matter of inside tools. I knew I had to get an awl and also keep the other most useful tool which is the bit driver. Now having an awl in the Wave platform is not as simple as people state it on forums. First of all It is quite thick so you either have to take out another tool of the same thickness or grind the whole awl thinner to be able to fit it in. Another problem is that the nail catch will protrude a few millimeters because of the riveted flat spring inside the handle and also the “back” of the awl has to be grinded a little bit otherwise the pliers will hit them and you wont be able to fully close the handles. Also you cant put the awl anywhere only in one position in the handle unless you grind down the little tab that is supposed to keep the plierhead from getting stuck between the inside tools when the pliers are closed.
Before I knew all this information I wanted to put the awl and the bit driver in the same handle and fill the other handle with a nice hardwood spacer. Now since I didnt want to grind thinner the awl or grind the little plierhead rest I had to put the two tools in separate handles. For this I made some special spacer washers out of a brass rod. First I drilled a 5 mm hole in the middle of the rod. Almost managed to that perfectly. Then I cut the proper width to fill the gaps in the handles. Then I ground the nailnick and the spine of the awl. It wasnt so hard and Didnt have to grind off much material.
Then came the wooden spacers on the outside which have only an aesthetic function. I found some nice pieces of walnut wood which only had to be thinned to 3mm and be cut to shape then I applied some hard oil on them and added them to the handle.
The mod was successful in the end I am quite a bit happy with the outcome. Weight is 210 g with pocket clip. Overall cost was half of a Signal for me because I found a great deal on the Wave. Awl was from a Curl.

Mangyang · **Reply #1 on:** January 21, 2024, 10:02:34 PM

Some more pics

Mangyang · **Reply #2 on:** January 21, 2024, 10:08:15 PM

A lot of thinking and planning went into this project. Time will tell if Im gonna like it in use or not.
This tool didnt exist so I had to do it myself for my stupid needs.

Why not the Signal?
Too expensive, terrible pocket clip
Why not the Curl?
Too flimsy for my taste
Why not a Skeletool with a Sak?
The pliers are not enough for me.
Why leave half the tool slots empty?
I want to be as light as possible. Every gram counts.

Ps.: sorry for the dirty hands

they are usually cleaner but I do farm work and constructions too.

Barry Rowland · **Reply #3 on:** January 21, 2024, 10:14:50 PM

Nice job! I understand about minimal weight and hiking.

Mangyang · **Reply #4 on:** January 22, 2024, 06:43:52 AM

Thank you Barry

SteveC · **Reply #5 on:** January 22, 2024, 02:11:23 PM

Nice job !

Murphy Slaw · **Reply #6 on:** January 22, 2024, 04:06:40 PM

Very MacGyver like of you....

Mangyang · **Reply #7 on:** January 23, 2024, 07:14:46 AM

Thank you Teve and Murphy

MrToolJunkie · **Reply #8 on:** January 24, 2024, 06:02:23 AM

Awesome! I will be interested how the spacers hold up over time. Very clever idea and great execution.

How did you settle on this tool set?

Mangyang · **Reply #9 on:** January 24, 2024, 08:09:03 AM

Quote from: MrToolJunkie on January 24, 2024, 06:02:23 AM

Awesome! I will be interested how the spacers hold up over time. Very clever idea and great execution.

How did you settle on this tool set?

You mean the wooden spacers? Well they are a bit softer than I’d like in spite of being walnut which is considered hardwood. But I guess they were softened for their original purpose. They were parts of a wardrobe’s door and they are very flexible which is also a positive but they are quite soft as well. I can leave a mark on it with a strong push of a fingernail. The good thing is that they lie deeper than the steel handle and the pivot screwhead so it is quite well protected. I coated it with some hard oil which is usually applied to hardwood floors. I guess we’ll see how it holds up over time. I’ll be sure to update this thread on it.

As for the toolset. I wanted the ones that are most essential for me. It is a tool I carry for trailrunning with my dog and for allaround edc. Before this my main edc was a Victorinox Farmer on days when I didnt carry my Surge. I basicly wanted pliers and better bitdriver on my Farmer. I love the serrated blade but I had to sacrifice it for weights sake. The same is true for the Flathead, but I still have one on the bitdriver. Its a compromise I had to make. Scissors also had to go for saving weight. The file is not a must have for me. The ones that remain are favourite. A micro driver or a can opener is redundant for my needs. So this is how it ended up with this toolset.
Maybe if I need one I’ll get the scissors back in there but for that I’ll have to grind one of those plier rest tabs on the inside. Because both the bit driver and the awl only have room on the right side of those tabs in both handles.
When I need more for construction stuff I carry a Surge. When I need less I carry the Vic Farmer or a Micra.

Mangyang · **Reply #10 on:** January 25, 2024, 08:33:36 AM

The wooden insert have to be a touch shorter that the “shoulders” of the handles to avoid collision and damage on the wood when opening and closing the tool.

Mangyang · **Reply #11 on:** January 31, 2024, 06:12:08 PM

some more on the toolset: I wanted to acchieve a similar toolset seen in this picture with lighter weight and better pliers. In that I was successful.
Though I still admit now looking at this picture of mine which is 2 years old now that this pair looks amazing. The Skeletools designer has an awesome taste.

For soke reason the server didnt allow me to upload a vetter image.

Antti Lammi · **Reply #12 on:** January 31, 2024, 06:24:27 PM

Quote from: Mangyang on January 31, 2024, 06:12:08 PM

some more on the toolset: I wanted to acchieve a similar toolset seen in this picture with lighter weight and better pliers. In that I was successful.
Though I still admit now looking at this picture of mine which is 2 years old now that this pair looks amazing. The Skeletools designer has an awesome taste.

For soke reason the server didnt allow me to upload a vetter image.

Sadly that Skeletool wasnt madw for big hands, if its wrong way bit digs on to palm and other way it looses bit squeezing power, option is taking bit away so it wont dig in to palm but driver has annoyingly sharp edges too so it also digs onto palm but not so badly as bit. Farmer X is awesome choise to carry, maybe change it to X version.

Only Tools Matters

Magic Bus · **Reply #13 on:** February 02, 2024, 02:51:35 PM

Nicely done

Mangyang · **Reply #14 on:** February 02, 2024, 07:32:01 PM

Thank you Magic Bus!

styx · **Reply #15 on:** February 02, 2024, 10:51:44 PM

Now I get this Hiker Wave. very cool mod indeed.

Mangyang · **Reply #16 on:** February 03, 2024, 10:09:34 AM

Thanks styx

Mangyang · **Reply #17 on:** March 22, 2024, 07:13:33 AM

The wooden parts hold up very well thanks to them being recessed. They do not protrude anywhere beyond the lines of the frame therefore they are well protected. I pocket carry it almost every day for dog walking, hiking or trailrunning and I love it very much. Perfect toolset/weight combo.