Sak modifications

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Goose 7279

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Who is doing sak mods these days? Interested in the farmer and pioneer frame knives. I have a farmer i would like to mod add an inline phillips and maybe scissors. Just curious who is doing them. Post lots of pics. I just got into the SAK knives but man they have captivated me. Im generally a gec or winchester black box kinda guy but these SAKs are becoming a another favorite. Thanks for any and all info.
 
Great thread idea Goose 7279!! I'll look forward to seeing future posts of modified SAKs. -James
 
Goose 7279, I've modified several Alox scaled knives over the years. If you want scissors, I would start with one the the new Alox Pioneer X models with scissors then consider adding the inline phillips in place of the can opener or bottle opener. The biggest challenge is to find a 93mm frame backspring that is the correct thickness and profile for in-line phillips tool as the donor knife's 91mm frame backspring will not be long enough. Also, note that you would need to ream the pin hole in the phillips to accept a 3mm pin.
 
Maybe Victorinox would never do this - since they may be able to sell more knives by not doing so - but I always thought a modular Vic would be great. Add layers or take them away as needed. Make it so the customer can combine the exact features they want. Include multiple scale materials. Even include a few higher end options (such as a large spear point layer with a higher end blade steel).


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ScottK said:
Goose 7279, I've modified several Alox scaled knives over the years. If you want scissors, I would start with one the the new Alox Pioneer X models with scissors then consider adding the inline phillips in place of the can opener or bottle opener. The biggest challenge is to find a 93mm frame backspring that is the correct thickness and profile for in-line phillips tool as the donor knife's 91mm frame backspring will not be long enough. Also, note that you would need to ream the pin hole in the phillips to accept a 3mm pin.
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Thanks for the info i may try it my self if i cant find anyone who mods on here do you do the inline phillip mod? Is it easier to buy a donor 93mm knife or make your own back spring?


Pointshoot777 said:
Maybe Victorinox would never do this - since they may be able to sell more knives by not doing so - but I always thought a modular Vic would be great. Add layers or take them away as needed. Make it so the customer can combine the exact features they want. Include multiple scale materials. Even include a few higher end options (such as a large spear point layer with a higher end blade steel).


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Click to expand...

Yea with allens or torx instead of pins that would be great.
 
Goose 7279 - I would purchase a 93mm donor and use 1/8" pivot pins. This would be a good way to go to make a modular Alox Sak. Not that you will have to purchase a .125" carbide reamer bit to enlarge the pivot holes in the blades and backsprings to accommodate the 1/8 pivot pins.
 
Is there a 93mm with an inline Phillips? I don't know of one, which would mean there is no backspring available that is both thick enough and long enough, so you'd have to make your own.
 
yablanowitz said:
Is there a 93mm with an inline Phillips? I don't know of one, which would mean there is no backspring available that is both thick enough and long enough, so you'd have to make your own.
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The SwissChamp has an inline 3D Phillips


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Pointshoot777 said:
The SwissChamp has an inline 3D Phillips


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The SwissChamp is a 91 mm, as is the Explorer, Spartan Lite and every other Victorinox with an inline (layer tool) Phillips that I know of. None of them have long enough springs to transplant into the longer 93mm Alox knives.

Edit to add: The pin spacing is also different between the 91mm and 93mm knives. I haven't picked up a Pioneer X, so I don't know how thick the scissor layer on it is, but the 91mm scissor spring is thinner than the one for the Phillips/magnifier layer or the Phillips/light layer. It might be possible to use 2 springs to get to the correct thickness, but the differing shapes of the various layer springs makes that seem unlikely.
 
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@yablanowitz - - opps, sorry. Maybe I hadn't had my coffee when I posted that !


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Easy mistake to make. 2mm doesn't sound like much, but it makes a major difference when you're trying to line up four pins at once.
 
Yea i know i would have to make a back spring im hoping a backspring from one of the layers in a pioneer or farmer will work with only slight moding for the phillips to fit.I have seen many customs with it so i know it is possible. I have bought a few different knives in hopes i can get it done with the help and tutelage from scott k
 
The spring for the opener layer is too thin, the one for the saw is way too thin. The spring for the main blade on the Farmer is almost thick enough, but would likely leave a visible gap between the spring and liner. Just FYI.
 
Yea i was thinking about anding down the phillips if it is indeed too thick. I have seen a couple different routes. One using two thin springs and the other using a the main blade spring it looks like it should work maybe some minor elbow grease involved
 
Pointshoot777 said:
Maybe Victorinox would never do this - since they may be able to sell more knives by not doing so - but I always thought a modular Vic would be great. Add layers or take them away as needed. Make it so the customer can combine the exact features they want. Include multiple scale materials. Even include a few higher end options (such as a large spear point layer with a higher end blade steel).


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...

I've lost track of how many times I've seen people wishing for something like this from their favorite manufacturer. Think about just what that would actually entail. They would have to sell a set of fasteners (especially if they went with threaded fasteners) of a specific length to match every possible combination of tools and liners that anyone could possibly want in each of the seven frame sizes (because face it, once you start down that rabbit hole, there is no end to what the customer will demand), all of the components (individually of course, because no one wants to pay for a part they don't need) for each of the frames (you know someone out there is going to want a woodsaw for his 58mm), springs for every combination and for every tool by itself, catch bits to make any combination of thick and thin blades work on the same spring, nail nicks on either side of each tool...the list is endless. Then, they have to engineer it all so that any fumble fingered moron can assemble it without the special jigs and tools they use in the factory, getting the right amount of spring tension to make the whole thing work properly. And of course, they have to make the whole thing idiot proof or they'd get sued into bankruptcy in a year.

Being able to make more money by not doing so isn't the reason they wouldn't.
 
The backspring that the knife and awl ride on is wide enough to accommodate the phillips/mag glass layer.
 
yablanowitz said:
I've lost track of how many times I've seen people wishing for something like this from their favorite manufacturer. Think about just what that would actually entail. They would have to sell a set of fasteners (especially if they went with threaded fasteners) of a specific length to match every possible combination of tools and liners that anyone could possibly want in each of the seven frame sizes (because face it, once you start down that rabbit hole, there is no end to what the customer will demand), all of the components (individually of course, because no one wants to pay for a part they don't need) for each of the frames (you know someone out there is going to want a woodsaw for his 58mm), springs for every combination and for every tool by itself, catch bits to make any combination of thick and thin blades work on the same spring, nail nicks on either side of each tool...the list is endless. Then, they have to engineer it all so that any fumble fingered moron can assemble it without the special jigs and tools they use in the factory, getting the right amount of spring tension to make the whole thing work properly. And of course, they have to make the whole thing idiot proof or they'd get sued into bankruptcy in a year.

Being able to make more money by not doing so isn't the reason they wouldn't.
Click to expand...

Thank you. Very thought provoking points that you bring up.


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tallowwaters said:
The backspring that the knife and awl ride on is wide enough to accommodate the phillips/mag glass layer.
Click to expand...

Thank you tallow waters i have bought a donor explorer for the phillips and i have an extra pioneer and a my farmer. I'm going to start on this soon hopefully
 
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yablanowitz said:
I've lost track of how many times I've seen people wishing for something like this from their favorite manufacturer. Think about just what that would actually entail. They would have to sell a set of fasteners (especially if they went with threaded fasteners) of a specific length to match every possible combination of tools and liners that anyone could possibly want in each of the seven frame sizes (because face it, once you start down that rabbit hole, there is no end to what the customer will demand), all of the components (individually of course, because no one wants to pay for a part they don't need) for each of the frames (you know someone out there is going to want a woodsaw for his 58mm), springs for every combination and for every tool by itself, catch bits to make any combination of thick and thin blades work on the same spring, nail nicks on either side of each tool...the list is endless. Then, they have to engineer it all so that any fumble fingered moron can assemble it without the special jigs and tools they use in the factory, getting the right amount of spring tension to make the whole thing work properly. And of course, they have to make the whole thing idiot proof or they'd get sued into bankruptcy in a year.

Being able to make more money by not doing so isn't the reason they wouldn't.
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While you think this way i believe they could have a modular line. One specific line such as the 93mm frame that is modular and you could custom order it the way you want or add tools down the road. They would be kinda doing something no one else has in creating a modular multitool. No more tools you do not need or use.
 
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