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- Oct 27, 2010
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Last week I picked up a Kershaw Skyline at a consignment store for $10. This is my first Kershaw and have been edc'ing it since I got it. First impressions were good, but I have noticed a few things about it that I didn't quite like. Nothing major, and even if I paid full retail for it I still wouldn't have returned it. But the first thing on my list was the pocket clip. I carry tip down in my right hip pocket. The clip felt real tight on deployment and even more so when reattaching to my pocket. So I bent it out and fine tuned it. Better. Then I found it to be riding rather high, and that's where this post stems from. These are the pics from me modding the factory clip for low-rider carry, and how you can do it at home too.
Here is the Skyline with factory clip and how it rides in my pocket. It was too difficult to try and get good pics of it in the pants I was wearing so I made do with another pair, but you get the idea.
As you can see the clip is nice and wide to prevent rolling, but quite a bit does stick above the pocket.
First step is remove the clip with a Torx T-6 bit. I do this over a towel spread out because the screws are small and impossible to find when dropped. Put them in a safe place.
Now take some smooth jaw needle nose pliers (or regular but be careful not to scratch it) and grab the clip at the bend coming away from the scales. Be sure to line up the side of the pliers with the bend so it comes out nice nd straight.
Fire up a propane torch, or other high heat source and heat the clip to bright orange but not quite yellow all the way through the bend. Be careful, the pliers will get hot! Don't blame me if you burn your garage down, follow all safety precautions. I did mine right next to my vise to minimize amount of time for it to cool before bending. When nice and hot quickly slip it into the jaws of your vice and bend it as far as you can before it cools. If it stops bending, reheat and keep going.
Sorry no time for pics while bending, it cools just too quickly. This is after bending. I fine tuned the shape with some autobody hammers to true everything up. Fine tuning will be done later, just make sure it is straight and the flat with the holes stays flat.
Well now you got it bent how you want, but you can't get the screws in! Take a dremel and grind out directly above the holes towards the centerline of the clip. I stopped just shy of the wording to try to maintain a semi factory look. Be sure to test it with getting the screws in and out with the torx driver.
Once you are happy with the cutouts, attach it to your knife and rough tune it. Once its close to how you want it's time to clean it up. All the charring, heat coloring, and crap from heating and grinding needs to come off. I took mine down to a 1000 grit finish. Not quite a polish, but a very fine surface finish. Be sure to sand the length of the clip to get a professional look. Don't forget the inside of the bend, remember we want it to look factory.
Once done with the surface finishing, put it back on the knife and fine tune it. You may have to take it off a few times to bend it here and there, but once it's done, it's done! I have a few little tweaks left to do on mine like flatten the profile just a touch, and bend the ramp up a little more. Overall I am very pleased with how this came out!
And now no more knife sticking out of your pocket! I considered coloring my clip dark to aid in concealment, but thought the 1000 grit finish looked nice as it is and will be easy to touch up.
I hope you enjoyed this little write up and maybe consider taking on your own modifications, even just little ones like this. I have some other mods planned for this knife and will document them just as I did with this one. Wheather or not this clip stays on this knife, I don't know, I like to tinker with things.
Cheers-
-Xander
Here is the Skyline with factory clip and how it rides in my pocket. It was too difficult to try and get good pics of it in the pants I was wearing so I made do with another pair, but you get the idea.
As you can see the clip is nice and wide to prevent rolling, but quite a bit does stick above the pocket.
First step is remove the clip with a Torx T-6 bit. I do this over a towel spread out because the screws are small and impossible to find when dropped. Put them in a safe place.
Now take some smooth jaw needle nose pliers (or regular but be careful not to scratch it) and grab the clip at the bend coming away from the scales. Be sure to line up the side of the pliers with the bend so it comes out nice nd straight.
Fire up a propane torch, or other high heat source and heat the clip to bright orange but not quite yellow all the way through the bend. Be careful, the pliers will get hot! Don't blame me if you burn your garage down, follow all safety precautions. I did mine right next to my vise to minimize amount of time for it to cool before bending. When nice and hot quickly slip it into the jaws of your vice and bend it as far as you can before it cools. If it stops bending, reheat and keep going.
Sorry no time for pics while bending, it cools just too quickly. This is after bending. I fine tuned the shape with some autobody hammers to true everything up. Fine tuning will be done later, just make sure it is straight and the flat with the holes stays flat.
Well now you got it bent how you want, but you can't get the screws in! Take a dremel and grind out directly above the holes towards the centerline of the clip. I stopped just shy of the wording to try to maintain a semi factory look. Be sure to test it with getting the screws in and out with the torx driver.
Once you are happy with the cutouts, attach it to your knife and rough tune it. Once its close to how you want it's time to clean it up. All the charring, heat coloring, and crap from heating and grinding needs to come off. I took mine down to a 1000 grit finish. Not quite a polish, but a very fine surface finish. Be sure to sand the length of the clip to get a professional look. Don't forget the inside of the bend, remember we want it to look factory.
Once done with the surface finishing, put it back on the knife and fine tune it. You may have to take it off a few times to bend it here and there, but once it's done, it's done! I have a few little tweaks left to do on mine like flatten the profile just a touch, and bend the ramp up a little more. Overall I am very pleased with how this came out!
And now no more knife sticking out of your pocket! I considered coloring my clip dark to aid in concealment, but thought the 1000 grit finish looked nice as it is and will be easy to touch up.
I hope you enjoyed this little write up and maybe consider taking on your own modifications, even just little ones like this. I have some other mods planned for this knife and will document them just as I did with this one. Wheather or not this clip stays on this knife, I don't know, I like to tinker with things.
Cheers-
-Xander
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