Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Kershaw Rainbow Leek with STR emerald green ti low rider clip


Shown here is a emerald green anodized titanium pocket clip made to fit a Rainbow Leek by Kershaw knives. Sometimes they come out so nice you just have to show em off a little. Keep in mind that the one shown is a concept. And while it is the basic pattern I designed originally trying to stay along the same feel as the original clip that comes on the folder when new we do have some room to play there creatively to make adjustments if we like. So long as I am able to work within the templates I have precut out using up my titanium stock I'll work with folks. We can go over that when you contact me.





http://www.yuntaa.com/FileManager/Download.aspx?ContentID=52E030C97E8122C9E04400144FB7B71E


Here are a few more of the same model only a standard Leek in tip down carry vs the rainbow model which is set up for tip up carry. Most of these aftermarket low rider clips I make are going to be 'location specific'. If you imagine flipping the clip on this rainbow model to tip down you can see that the fold over would overhang off the end by quite a bit. This is typical of many folders as the proximity of the holes to the end of the knife is most always different from one mount position to the other. Doesn't matter if it is a Spyderco Para Military or Military or one of the Leek models or many others. Few are going to be the same for hole placement in regards to their distance from the end of the handle.

Hope that makes sense.

The Leek ranks up there for me with the Para Military 2 and my mini AK 47 for the top three spots in my everyday line up. It would not be unusual to catch me with one or more of the above on my person at any time. One thing the Leek really has going for it is the perfect size! I love the size of the Leek and the blade shape which I consider to be among the most useful you can use. I also love the rainbow Leek in particular because a friend of mine has one of these he bought years ago and I sharpen it for him frequently due to how he uses it. The finish on this knife is so durable and scratch resistant that you have to respect it regardless of how pretty it looks because it makes for a very durable pocket knife. I find the blade steel Kershaw uses to be more than adequate preferring the 14c28 over 420HC or anything being offered by SAK or Case only preferring 154CM and ATS34 over it for the more frequently seen stainless steels made available. I'd take S30V or D2 over all these though. Fortunately the Leek has been offered in so many blade steels that one should be available to please even the biggest steel snob around. I had a Leek with ZDP189 and another in 110V. Both were gifted to my son though as I did not want to use the limited editions. I have no problem using the very common rainbow Leek. I snagged this folder off of Wal-Mart on line for just over $55 shipped! I can't argue with that at all for what you get. .

Thanks for looking
STR
STR@bladeforums.com
Leek Factory Clip 

Factory clip tip down
Custom Low Rider Tip down 


Low Rider in pocket shown in titanium, anodized blue @ 28 volts for the DC power supply 

Friday, March 4, 2011

A "Scagel Style" folder pattern in a modern day interpretation




First things first. Click any picture to bring it out to full size.
A few years ago I bought a couple copies or clones of Scagel folding knives. These sanctioned licensed copies were by Northwoods Knives. (top photo of double blade model) These were supposed to be built to exacting tolerances following patterns from original knives they knew of and had possession of, at least long enough to copy, that Bill Scagel himself had made when he was alive. Although they are both very nice (see first picture of second wood handle model ) they were quite pricey, limited in number made and more importantly quite heavy for their size. The way Northwoods made them both the folders I bought were double blade models like the top knife shown here with stag handles which anyone knows is also problematic for the handles cracking especially around the pins.

Unlike what I've  done here with my version of this folder, both these copy knives were made using extra thick blade and spring stock by Northwoods since that is what Bill Scagel's knives were like. As a result of the springs and blades being as thick as knives way bigger than normally seen in knives of this size, both had very big 'foot prints' in the pocket. They were way more folder than I would want to carry due to the thickness of two extra thick blades and the weight they brought to the table but otherwise I loved the shape and design characteristics of both.

I have several other Northwoods Scagel models. Of all the models I own the one shown above with wood handles in that first picture is the knife that excited me even if it is not original anymore because its been taken apart to make into a single blade. I like it so much because its very pockeable. I've carried it off and on. However, the 'shoe shined' rounded off finish and thickness of this one and the fact that Lignum is the heaviest of all wood means its still a bit thick and a bit heavy even as a single blade model now. The bottom line is that its close but no cigar and still carries bigger than you would expect for such a small knife of only 3 and 3/8" closed. My intention in creating my own version of this wonderful design was to improve on that footprint size and reduce the weight at the same time.

What I've done here is simply re-interpret this classic pattern for my own pocket as shown next to the two Northwoods models in the first picture. My examples here are 3/32 blade stock using ATS34 steel set at 60 Rockwell hardness for the blade and 50 RC for the back spring as opposed to what appears to be 3/16" stock if not more on the Scagel copy by Northwoods. This is a classic Sod Buster design or very close and as you know if you've followed some of my other models, I've been a Sod Buster fan all my life!

All of my folders are all equipped with titanium liners in .050 thickness as opposed to the much heavier nickel silver or brass used in many other traditional knives and all of these folders except for the last one sport textured G10 handle scales made to pop on and off to interchange. The models shown here all weigh in at 1.4 ounces to 1.5 ounces for the first two shown together. I used solid ti pins in those first two and made the pivots a beefy 1/8" diameter on all of these. The last one shown alone here in black textured G10 is the one in my pocket. I've been using the tar out of this thing since finishing it up!. The original that I copied to make these weighs in at 3.4 ounces.

None of these shown are for sale but the first of some I plan to make later and later on I'll have some available. I had this project shown here on my agenda to do for some time and finally got around to using those blanks I had cut out by a Water jet service a long time ago.

Anyway, these are great little folders whether done in tradional styling with natural handle materials like wood, stag or bone, with or without bolsters or a non traditional approach such as mine using G10 and Micarta man made synthetic materials for handles. Either way the knife fits into my philosophy that less is more, less is best, and keep it simple. These done using G10 or Micarta are everything I think a carry knife should be to be great. That means an EDC should be light weight so that you don't know its on you until you need it. It should be stainless to be pretty much immune to sweat, salts, rust and other such things like pitting or staining. It should be a great edge keeping hard blade with proper heat treat. It should be able to work bigger than its size and it should be grippy and done with a handle material immune to acids, oils, chemicals, moisture, splitting, cracking, chipping , fraying, warping or temp or weather changes. I have all that now shown right here. Thanks for looking.

Edit: Bob Pickle is a fellow knife maker friend and has sent me pics of the one I did for him that he wanted to do his own handles on so I'm posting those up for folks to see. This turned out really nice Bob and I really like the lignum handles on yours. Nice and flat! I know that one rides in the pocket right!. Thanks for sharing it with us.
STR


Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Mini Ti Pry Info Thread (click here)

SHOP CLOSED 

Mini Ti Pry Info below:  Update Jan 21, 2016 Be sure to check out the new video by my friend Jeff Quinn from Gunblast.com over in Dover, TN. Last video scroll to bottom. 



Shown above is the V notch "Dirty Brown package" by the mouse and above. This package is the Mini Ti Pry with dark olive 550 para cord and 10.5 volt khaki anodizing. Shown next to an unwrapped bead blasted pry tool for contrast. Please note this can change. This cord color is hot and hard to get at times. So if out I may sub but I will try to keep it close. Most of the time I have this color cord in stock. 

various cord I have in stock to wrap with. You pick it I'll stick it on there


More of the various multi color or camo cord or both
this is another good picture for color choices. Do note shading can be off from the pictures depending on monitors used to view them. I can get close is all so its just for a general idea only.





Already familiar and just want to reorder? Scroll straight down to the red print...

The mini ti pry is still being made. It runs $35 each via check or money order made out to Steve Rice
4006 Woodville Rd. Bartlesville, Ok 74006 or you can pay via pay pal to http://paypal.me/StephenRice and I ask for $40 on the first with each additional being $35 if you use that method. Please keep in mind I'm a one man show with an item that sells fairly well.  No two of these are exactly alike.

These are made of 6AL-4V titanium 

Holidays slow me down some as things pick up. These are made to order real time in most cases, however I have at times taken pre-orders and made them in small runs depending on personal schedule. Max orders are now two per person per day please! 

The Mini Ti Pry. What is it? Perhaps "useful" describes it best. Simple, lightweight, convenient and handy.  These are 4" in length and 1/2" wide.. I have carried one of my own for a time now and mine is not wrapped. I use it for all kinds of things. My own personal titanium fingernail if you will. :-)

If I sell you one or two and you liked a particular aspect about them be sure to bring that up if you want it again or you get another unique piece. I hate routine and my primary focus is the grind thinness over the shape or look.  
  
At one time I used a service to cut these out for me where all were the same shape but when I went to reorder the prices had changed to do that again. To do that now it just added expense really to both of us. 

So I have gone back to the old way for how this started using scraps of titanium in uneven sheets to the thickness needed and cutting it out in strips the old fashioned way by hand on my band saw. So you are truly getting a custom order done up real time made here in the USA when you order. 

I can wrap these pry bars in para cord for you, it is included and even if ordered without cord wrap I still wrap them because they ship more reliably via first class mail that way. They are easy to untie once they arrive to you. When the post office has lost the packages in the past its been when they were really flat when I shipped them unwrapped and the post office tried to run it through as envelopes. 

Finish choices are stone washed or etched. I do not bead blast any longer. Sorry, asthma.  I can hand rub these out too but ask five bucks more! It takes a while. Once you chose one of those choices you can choose to have it anodized a color. 

These are all a pry bar on one end and a flat head screw driver on the other. At request I am offering straight bars as in flat unbent ones or bars bent on the pry end where I put the V notch.  


So, who buys these? Mostly it is the military and the target shooting fans and hunters to be honest. They can be made subdued colors or bright colors either way. They use them for ammo jam removal tools and chimney stack removal tools. They actually work well for that for anything though from 17 cal prairie dog hand loads to 22 LR on up to 50 cal or more.

 I know they work well for shotguns with non functioning extraction springs also.

 Also, these have been reported to make good investigative probes for working crime scenes or for digging around in places one would not want to go with their fingers. Some police officers have shared pictures with me of them holding up murder weapons and undergarments and other such things during such investigative work. 

In a pinch these pry bars can open boxes, pop tape, pry staples, lift water meter lids in the yard or hot pot lids in the kitchen, pop stubborn canned food pop tops or beverages for those wanting to save a fingernail and I've got some guys that use metal detectors, some 'diggers' as they call themselves that use these also for some extraordinary finds! 

In recent years many businesses have adopted no blade or no weapon policies in the work places. For those that either can't carry a knife or just don't happen to have one on them, they like the light weight (1/2 oz) and 'sheeple' friendly acceptance these receive in public places compared to pulling out a knife. 

I hear tell they are terrible on the insides of washing machines also so if you forget to remove the one you carry consider yourself warned!

If you need to contact me personally: STRsbackyardknifeworks@gmail.com  


Reminders for ordering. What I need to know to fill your order
1- Finish choice and or anodized color? I offer stone washed or etched for flat finishes and after either of these you can color the bar if you want?  Remember, I cannot get black or red colors
2-Do you want one straight as in flat bar? Or do you want a slight bend in the end of the bar? 
3-Cord Wrap color choice?
  
STR