Modified Production Knives (traditional only)
- Thread starter supratentorial
- Start date
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- Mar 26, 2004
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Couple more of my TL29 mods.
Working on improving my shield inlay methods.
I'd put that in my pocket.
Well keep your eye on the for sale forum, I might post a few of my mods today
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- Joined
- Mar 26, 2004
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- 23,991
You'll need the right membership for that. Knifemaker/Craftsman.
One of these days I'll need your services or someone like you. I've got a Camillus with a "MoorMan's" shield. MoorMan's was a midwest (IL, OH, IN, WS) livestock feed company that my grandfather worked for. The knife is OK, but with cheesy jigged plastic handles. Some day I'd like to have it re-handled or have the shield transplanted on to a better knife.
Well dang! I didn't realize I needed a knife maker/craftsman membership to sell these. Guess I'm out of luck for now.
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Are fixed blades allowed?
I bought this lot of old moras off the great auction site for maybe $6. The bottom three are all vintage frost cutlery, but the top is an old KJ Mora scout.
The frosts, being laminated steel, were easy to clean up, however the mora had significant rust damage to the bottom inch of the blade, with deep pitting, pretty nasty chipping, and something that resembled tar caked on the blade. The guard also made it too small to fit my medium sized hands, so I cast it aside to focus on the others. Yesterday I saw it again and decided, what the heck, I'll modify it into something resembling a puukko, since I have no other use for it. Here's how it turned out!
I did a hot vinegar forced patina on the flat and polished off the grind because I felt that the plain steel blade looked boring, and I like the contrast between the dark flat and polished edge.
I also want to darken the handle sometime in the future when i figure out how. I tried staining the handle of one of the other knives, which has a handle of pretty much identical wood and condition, but the wood didn't take the stain at all and it just looked dirty after the effort. I'm thinking about trying to burn the wood (which I assume is Beech) a little.
Here's a shot of the stamp on the blade, does anyone have any info as to the era (date) of this knife?
I bought this lot of old moras off the great auction site for maybe $6. The bottom three are all vintage frost cutlery, but the top is an old KJ Mora scout.
The frosts, being laminated steel, were easy to clean up, however the mora had significant rust damage to the bottom inch of the blade, with deep pitting, pretty nasty chipping, and something that resembled tar caked on the blade. The guard also made it too small to fit my medium sized hands, so I cast it aside to focus on the others. Yesterday I saw it again and decided, what the heck, I'll modify it into something resembling a puukko, since I have no other use for it. Here's how it turned out!
I did a hot vinegar forced patina on the flat and polished off the grind because I felt that the plain steel blade looked boring, and I like the contrast between the dark flat and polished edge.
I also want to darken the handle sometime in the future when i figure out how. I tried staining the handle of one of the other knives, which has a handle of pretty much identical wood and condition, but the wood didn't take the stain at all and it just looked dirty after the effort. I'm thinking about trying to burn the wood (which I assume is Beech) a little.
Here's a shot of the stamp on the blade, does anyone have any info as to the era (date) of this knife?
66sprint6
Basic Member
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2016
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- 355
Just finished up a couple experimental TL-29 mods. This one was in Camel Bone and was just an attempt to try my hand at breaking a TL-29 apart and putting it back together and it still be a functioning tool afterwards. I got ahead of myself, broke 2 TL-29's down at the same time and the springs are different lengths apparently. I put a longer spring in and the blade was extremely hard to pull open and was at a strange angle when fully open. I dont feel too bad as Ive seen a couple in other threads that appear to be the same way but it was bothering me. I also made a bone (lol) head move and cracked the bone so that was enough for me to take it all apart and start over. The only pics I took apparently were these, just to prove that it lived, even if only for a day. They showed the spring issue. I LOVED the bone and will be trying it again with a different TL-29, not sure what Ill do with these parts that I salvaged but it will be good practice to complete it.
This is the other knife. I got it into my head that I REALLY wanted a long pull, clip blade GEC #15 (or #77 as I like the size better) in natural canvas micarta. Seeing that they are few and far between, I figured Ide git it a shot with the Camillus. I noticed that some TL-29 main blades have the nail pull towards the middle of the blade (centered in the recess of the screw driver) but the one I had received had it further up the blade closer to the tip. This gave me the idea to try and grind out my own clip and attempt a hand filed long pull. Clip turned out awesome...long pull not so much. It got off line before I knew it and looks silly THO it randomly is level with the handle lol. This knife will be a user tho I will likely try again with the long pull clip setup to try and get it right. The handle should darken up some as well as time goes on.
With a Beerscout to show its size. Slightly longer which is perfect for what Im hunting for size wise!
I learned quite a bit but still have some things to figure out and try on the next batch! Addicting fun!
Matt
This is the other knife. I got it into my head that I REALLY wanted a long pull, clip blade GEC #15 (or #77 as I like the size better) in natural canvas micarta. Seeing that they are few and far between, I figured Ide git it a shot with the Camillus. I noticed that some TL-29 main blades have the nail pull towards the middle of the blade (centered in the recess of the screw driver) but the one I had received had it further up the blade closer to the tip. This gave me the idea to try and grind out my own clip and attempt a hand filed long pull. Clip turned out awesome...long pull not so much. It got off line before I knew it and looks silly THO it randomly is level with the handle lol. This knife will be a user tho I will likely try again with the long pull clip setup to try and get it right. The handle should darken up some as well as time goes on.
With a Beerscout to show its size. Slightly longer which is perfect for what Im hunting for size wise!
I learned quite a bit but still have some things to figure out and try on the next batch! Addicting fun!
Matt
Just finished up a couple experimental TL-29 mods. This one was in Camel Bone and was just an attempt to try my hand at breaking a TL-29 apart and putting it back together and it still be a functioning tool afterwards. I got ahead of myself, broke 2 TL-29's down at the same time and the springs are different lengths apparently. I put a longer spring in and the blade was extremely hard to pull open and was at a strange angle when fully open. I dont feel too bad as Ive seen a couple in other threads that appear to be the same way but it was bothering me. I also made a bone (lol) head move and cracked the bone so that was enough for me to take it all apart and start over. The only pics I took apparently were these, just to prove that it lived, even if only for a day. They showed the spring issue. I LOVED the bone and will be trying it again with a different TL-29, not sure what Ill do with these parts that I salvaged but it will be good practice to complete it.
This is the other knife. I got it into my head that I REALLY wanted a long pull, clip blade GEC #15 (or #77 as I like the size better) in natural canvas micarta. Seeing that they are few and far between, I figured Ide git it a shot with the Camillus. I noticed that some TL-29 main blades have the nail pull towards the middle of the blade (centered in the recess of the screw driver) but the one I had received had it further up the blade closer to the tip. This gave me the idea to try and grind out my own clip and attempt a hand filed long pull. Clip turned out awesome...long pull not so much. It got off line before I knew it and looks silly THO it randomly is level with the handle lol. This knife will be a user tho I will likely try again with the long pull clip setup to try and get it right. The handle should darken up some as well as time goes on.
With a Beerscout to show its size. Slightly longer which is perfect for what Im hunting for size wise!
I learned quite a bit but still have some things to figure out and try on the next batch! Addicting fun!
Matt
Good stuff man! I too have developed the addiction. I have developed a little collection of completed knives and have a whole pile of 29s for future work. I like the clip point and long pull idea!
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66sprint6
Basic Member
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- Jan 21, 2016
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Thanks!!! I just have to dial in the long pull and then Ill be happy. I will eventually get it dialed in the more I work on it. I have a couple knives I want to keep the blades as is but I will be hunting others to attempt the perfect clip/pull combo with soon. Keep posting yours up, Im enjoying them very much!
Matt
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2016
- Messages
- 663
Something seemed familiar the whole time I was working on this 29. Then it suddenly dawned on me...I made a freaking battery!
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LOL. Nice work
redsparrow
Gold Member
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- Oct 3, 2014
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- 7,365
Something seemed familiar the whole time I was working on this 29. Then it suddenly dawned on me...I made a freaking battery!
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Nice job on your 29 mods birdvis!!! Great idea to have an "eveready" blade.
Nice job on your 29 mods birdvis!!! Great idea to have an "eveready" blade.
Haha I wish I could say it was my idea. It was purely by accident
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Just finished up a couple experimental TL-29 mods. This one was in Camel Bone and was just an attempt to try my hand at breaking a TL-29 apart and putting it back together and it still be a functioning tool afterwards. I got ahead of myself, broke 2 TL-29's down at the same time and the springs are different lengths apparently. I put a longer spring in and the blade was extremely hard to pull open and was at a strange angle when fully open. I dont feel too bad as Ive seen a couple in other threads that appear to be the same way but it was bothering me. I also made a bone (lol) head move and cracked the bone so that was enough for me to take it all apart and start over. The only pics I took apparently were these, just to prove that it lived, even if only for a day. They showed the spring issue. I LOVED the bone and will be trying it again with a different TL-29, not sure what Ill do with these parts that I salvaged but it will be good practice to complete it.
This is the other knife. I got it into my head that I REALLY wanted a long pull, clip blade GEC #15 (or #77 as I like the size better) in natural canvas micarta. Seeing that they are few and far between, I figured Ide git it a shot with the Camillus. I noticed that some TL-29 main blades have the nail pull towards the middle of the blade (centered in the recess of the screw driver) but the one I had received had it further up the blade closer to the tip. This gave me the idea to try and grind out my own clip and attempt a hand filed long pull. Clip turned out awesome...long pull not so much. It got off line before I knew it and looks silly THO it randomly is level with the handle lol. This knife will be a user tho I will likely try again with the long pull clip setup to try and get it right. The handle should darken up some as well as time goes on.
With a Beerscout to show its size. Slightly longer which is perfect for what Im hunting for size wise!
I learned quite a bit but still have some things to figure out and try on the next batch! Addicting fun!
Matt
You said you hand filed the long pull, what did you use? Also, if the off kilter pull bugs you enough you could grind the spine down to match the angle of the pull
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66sprint6
Basic Member
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- Jan 21, 2016
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I taped everything off and used some clamps as stops on each end then used a couple small flat files to get the line started and finish it off with the boxed edge of on of the smaller flat files. I got off course due to poor lighting Im pretty sure. I you look where I started near the tang stamp end, its on course and at the correct angle...then it got off from there. I toyed with the idea of doing just that, taking the spine down but I LOVE the clip look to this blade. IF I end up getting it right down the road, I will probably do it and it will become a super sleep pocket knife. Im also gonna toy around with putting a dremel cutoff wheel in my drill press and see if I cant add a bit of consistency to the initial cut, then file from there.
That said, i posted a visitor message to you but Ill ask here, where do you get your natural micarta and what do you do to get that amazing color?
Matt
I'm pretty sure I got it from USAknifemakers.com. I just sand it up through the grits to about 1200 then I buff it out. Depending on what you use as a compound it will darken up a bit. Add a little oil or wax at the end and it will give it a nice color.
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Something seemed familiar the whole time I was working on this 29. Then it suddenly dawned on me...I made a freaking battery!
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Nice shadow!