Replace Griptillian scales with wood, micarta, or antler?

MatthewVanitas

MatthewVanitas

Go Army, Beat Navy!
Joined
Oct 6, 2004
Messages
467
I really like my mini-Griptillian. Great size, low-maintenance, and love that butter-smooth Axis lock. However, the black plastic grips are kinda cheesey, and I'm not thrilled with the G10 or whatever other grips they have on the more expensive Axis BMs.

Does anybody make classy-looking alternate scales for the Mini-Grip? Wood, micarta, antler? I realize it'd cost more than the knife, but if there are no classy-looking Axis folders under $150, it might be worth it.

Ideas?

-MV
 
Dang, Chax has great grips, but won't do the MiniGrip anymore.

Any other makers I should look into?

I'm getting some elk grips for my Ruger Bearcat revolver. If the quality checks out, I might see if this cat is interested in dremeling out a Mini-Grip scale-set as a demo-piece.

-MV
 
Perhaps STR might be interested in doing it , there are a few other folks on here who do customizations although I cannot recall thier names.
 
I might be interested. Tell me, the mini-grip is screwed together, right? Not pinned or riveted? And the FRN scales are just on top of the liners, right? Not glued to them?

If the answer is yes to both of those, I'd probably be up for it. I was just given a batch of really great woods- mahoganies, some rosewood, a really incredible cherry burl (you gotta see this to believe it... STUNNING) (on second thought, I don't think I have slabs of that any wider than 1", that's probably problematic), and others, so I could offer you some pretty great choices.

And man, I'm right with you. I think natural handle materials are almost always classier than synthetics.

Drop me a line if you'd like to discuss it further,
mscantrell at gmail.com :thumbup:

Mike
 
@Mike:

Looks to be just two plastic slabs screwed together. I'd open it to check, but I'm at my folks' place, thus w/o Torx wrenches.

When I get back, I'll email you details, including measurments.

If I can find you some elk or moose blanks, can you work with those materials too, or just sticking to wood?

-Matthew
 
Hey Matthew,
Cool, no rush on the measurements, I'm hittin the road for Christmas, and I'll be mostly away from my email till Tuesday.
I've done lots of wood, done some bone, but never worked with stag, so wood is definitely where my comfort zone is. I'd be up for working some stag if you can pick out a pair of slabs, but I'm more comfortable with wood, that's all.
After reading the comments on www.chaxknives.com about how the guy never wanted to do a griptilian again because they were too difficult and frustrating, I'm starting to have second thoughts, but go ahead and send me the measurements and let's have a look! :)
Mike
 


Mine is in G10, but i like it much better than frn. Added 3/16 to length, makes for a great handle. It's mixed up with it's pals.
 
Made them myself, but I am an amateur, don't do them professionally. There is a guy on this forum that may do it for you (STR). This was a real chalenge to do, had to toss out the first set I tried. I would not even do this again for my brother.
This set turned out great, I used 1/8" thick scales, making handles thinner than factory.
More shots?

 
Anyone have any idea what it is that makes mini-Grips so bad to work scales for?

Is this something inherent to all Axis-lock knives, or specifically mini-Grip related?

Is there some other small Axis BM knife that I should buy instead if I want to customize it?


(In the meantime, I'm also looking to upgrade my Kershaw Chive, and have started a new thread for that. That one should be a _lot_ easier._

-MV
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top