# "Improving" my cheap pocket knife ...



## wquiles (Aug 12, 2014)

I normally carry a Spyderco (have several), but I could not resist trying out the Kershaw Thermite.


Extremely sharp out of the box, but blade was not centered, I did not like the blade assist (specially at closing time - hated to "work" to close it), and it was just plain heavy!


Since it is such a low cost knife, I did not feel bad about experimenting a little 


Bone-stock, compared to my Milie:
































Of course when removing the assist "spring", one must drill so that the liner lock can "bite" into the blade and keep it closed:






Align mill as best as possible:










I got lucky position-wise, but the first attempt was a little too shallow:














So I had to re-align again, and try once more:










Now I have full engagement on the detent ball. First open, then fully closed:












My next mod was the enlarge the area to engage the lock - purely ergonomic reasons:






Much better now:








But that leaves a hole since that area of the scale was hollow (for the assist spring). So I am using 2-part epoxy to fill that void, and also to make a one piece (along with the steel liner) for the next operation:














I had two do it in two sessions:








Now I can proceed to make the holes to take weight off:
















I also did an internal cut on the scale opposite to the lock, which is hidden from the outside:






Cleaned up the edges:




















But it was still not "quite" light enough:






So I made up some Titanium spacers to replace the plastic piece between the two scales:


















Had to make a custom sleeve since my chuck won't hold stock that thin:














Then drill and trim each of the 3x spacers:














Still have a little bit of epoxy to clean up on the bottom scale, but this is how the spacers look in place:






















And yes, it is lighter in weight now:








Still need to do some work on that pocket clip - don't like it too much.


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## JimDawson (Aug 12, 2014)

Nice job.  :thumbsup:


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## davidh (Aug 12, 2014)

patients of a saint i'd say.  nice wip photos.


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## ScrapMetal (Aug 12, 2014)

Love the project!  Upgrading a mediocre knife like that is great.

-Ron


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## Ray C (Aug 12, 2014)

Nice pics and nice knives...

One thing though, if you think your knives are cheap, you're going to flip when you see mine...  The local hardware store sells these for $1.99 each.  I love them and buy another each time I go there (a couple times a week).  They function very well and the blades are strong and sharp.  The one kept in my pocket gets used a dozen times a day.  I've been tempted to make better scales for them but that would surely mean they'd end-up in irretrievably lost at the bottom of a bilge...






Ray


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## wquiles (Aug 12, 2014)

Good point Ray - "cheap" knife is a relative thing )

The Kershaw Thermite is "based" on a Hinderer knife that costs $300+, so to get many of the basic features for $24 (on Amazon), that is pretty good.


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## Jamespvill (Aug 12, 2014)

Very cool modification! I've always had an obsession with knifes, but never learned how to properly sharpen one until fairly recently. I always use a Lightening OTF knife when I'm in the shop. Unfortunately not legal in most states, but as a utility knife at home...fair game! The automatic in/out sure makes it convenient for one-handed use.


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## wquiles (Aug 13, 2014)

I wanted a little bit more grip in the back spine, so using a round head end mill, I grooved the back side:
















Still at 3.9oz - not much removed to make a difference, but much better grip now.


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## High-Side (Aug 17, 2014)

I always like your projects and write ups.
:thumbzup:


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## wquiles (Aug 17, 2014)

Thank you.  I have similar plans for the second one I bought, so this first one is the "test bed" for the mods


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## Andre (Aug 21, 2014)

Nice work! Your already better than a lot of knife modders out there. 
The spyderco military is a great knife, but it is bulky. I bet thats why they made the paramilitary. A lighter and smaller version, but with the addition of the compression lock instead of the framelock.

I like my Endura 4, also have a Spyderco resilience is just a little too large. I will eventyally convert it to a tanto blade shape and maybe I will like it then.


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## melsdad (Aug 21, 2014)

Very nice work! Have you built a liner lock from scratch?

That is on my list of projects!!


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## wquiles (Aug 21, 2014)

Thank you guys.

Based on what I have learned from this one, for my next Thermite I will be using ceramic bearings, and a new scheme for the "holes".  Hopefully in the next week or so


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## zmotorsports (Aug 21, 2014)

Wow.  Very nice work.  Looks great.

Mike.


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## Andre (Aug 21, 2014)

melsdad said:


> Very nice work! Have you built a liner lock from scratch?
> 
> That is on my list of projects!!



Why not make a framelock? A lot stronger and considered higher class.


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## X-RAY (Aug 23, 2014)

im impressed, very cool. not to criticize, but with your skill level, why not just build the whole thing from scratch? again, not trying to "cut" (sorry) down your project, just curious. thanks.


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## wquiles (Sep 7, 2014)

melsdad said:


> Very nice work! Have you built a liner lock from scratch?
> 
> That is on my list of projects!!





Andre said:


> Why not make a framelock? A lot stronger and considered higher class.





X-RAY said:


> im impressed, very cool. not to criticize, but with your skill level, why not just build the whole thing from scratch? again, not trying to "cut" (sorry) down your project, just curious. thanks.




Thank you guys.  Maybe for a future project.  Right now experimenting and learning from this low-cost knife is great since messing up is not so bad $$$-wise.

I just completed the second Thermite.  Here are some photos from the build.


I started by sanding and scuffing the two parts to be epoxied:




Then used JB weld, and oiled the screws so that they would not get permanently attached:




To line up the two half's I used the long screws:




Once I had everything aligned, I clamped, removed as much excess as I could, clean holes/pockets, etc.:





This is why I used JB weld - I want to use these ceramic wheel bearings and a portion would need to be supported due to the hollow scale (for the spring assist):










So I measured the thickness of the original bronze washer against the ball bearing washer:




As expected, once I cut the pocket, the bearing one of the scales would rest on the G10, so I also purchased these to use behind the wheel bearings (I wish these were like 0.010" instead!):




Once I center the mill, I can then cut the pocket.  Since these washers are more than 0.010", I can't quite cut as deep as I would like, so there will be a slight gap (more on that later):










Yes, the pocket is slightly larger than the new bearing, but that was the size of the closest end mill I had at hand:










Then do the other scale (solid steel), and assemble to check my handi work:





Here is the back, with the slight gap I mentioned (roughly 0.020"):








Note that even on the steel scale I need the thin hardened spacer since a portion of the bearing would be exposed otherwise:





As with the first Thermite, I have to drill the hardened steel blade to create a stop to hold the blade closed (since I removed the spring assist stuff):





Maybe not Space Shuttle accurate, but close enough:





As before I cut the spine for better grip:




But I made the cuts near the end more shallow, since then activating the flipper edge, the original cuts were a little too deep and slow down the finger somewhat (the cuts were almost "too effective" !!!):




Did the back, but also a little bit on the other side for improved grip/ergonomics:








I "really" like this asymmetrical cuts in the top "much" better:





Now to work on the other area that needs (my opinion) work - the thickness and the "design" on the G10 scale:







And I applied a new pattern:












Much better feel/ergonomics and much better (my opinion) looks as well:





Close up of the two bearing "systems".  The ball bearings are AWESOME in action.  So much smoother and effortless, it is hard to describe:




After using it for just one day, I realized that the smooth scale is just too slippery, compared to the new one I made on the G10 side, so .....







Unlike the G10, which I made flat first (before cutting the new pattern), the steel scale is not "flat", but I did not want to remove any thickness and I wanted to preserved the stonewashed finish.  So as a result, the new pattern is not quite perfect (second photo, lanyard side of the knife), but it turned out OK:







Like before, I enlarged the finger opening (better ergonomics for me):





And now I have my $25 dollar knife ready for more daily use.  I have a few other, more expensive knives, with much better steel, etc., but this one now is "special" to me:

















Will


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## darkzero (Sep 7, 2014)

Nice job on the frag scales!


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## wquiles (Sep 7, 2014)

darkzero said:


> Nice job on the frag scales!



Thanks Will.  The work on the scales makes the knife look nice, but it is the ball bearings that make it great now when opening.


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## Plas62 (Sep 7, 2014)

Nice work, you should check out "Blade Forums" or "Knifedogs Forum" if you are getting into modding / making knives. There is a look of good information on those site and a nice bunch of folk.

 I started out modding old slipjoint pocket knives that I would picked up at Garage sales and Flea markets about 5 years ago. In the last couple of years I've started to make my own knives. Below are pic's of my 3rd slipjoint that I completed a few months ago. I started work on my next one a couple of weeks ago. It's an addictive hobby.

Jim


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