I Saved $660!

[OLDE CUTLER]

From past uses, I can say that Delta Ceramcoat craft paint is not very durable and scratches easily. However, it is real easy to touch up.

Thank you, Sir! What paint would you recommend for durability? This is my concept knife, might make another using a tanto bladed Taiwan Lightning, which is shaped more like the Microtech, but also priced around $30 like the Titan.

I noticed the picture above that shows the paints you mixed together. One is acrylic craft paint and the Toyota paint must be some kind of enamel with a solvent as it says it is flammable. Did these mix together OK? Maybe you have hit on a hybrid that will stick to what must be metal handles? The problem I had was the acrylic could be scraped off with the fingernail on the metal piece that I tried it on. Normally enamel would be better I think for metal. I use the same Delta Ceramcoat you show to paint my wooden mini decoys, and some of them have scrapes and scratches from handling. Make sure everything is degreased thoroughly to remove fingerprints. Also there are some very good spray paints for metal, like Krylon Fusion, which I used this past summer to repaint the outer face of the metal front door to the house.

[1967redrider]

From past uses, I can say that Delta Ceramcoat craft paint is not very durable and scratches easily. However, it is real easy to touch up.

Thank you, Sir! What paint would you recommend for durability? This is my concept knife, might make another using a tanto bladed Taiwan Lightning, which is shaped more like the Microtech, but also priced around $30 like the Titan.

I noticed the picture above that shows the paints you mixed together. One is acrylic craft paint and the Toyota paint must be some kind of enamel with a solvent as it says it is flammable. Did these mix together OK? Maybe you have hit on a hybrid that will stick to what must be metal handles? The problem I had was the acrylic could be scraped off with the fingernail on the metal piece that I tried it on. Normally enamel would be better I think for metal. I use the same Delta Ceramcoat you show to paint my wooden mini decoys, and some of them have scrapes and scratches from handling. Make sure everything is degreased thoroughly to remove fingerprints. Also there are some very good spray paints for metal, like Krylon Fusion, which I used this past summer to repaint the outer face of the metal front door to the house.

Thanks for the info!

[1967redrider]

I picked up another Titan for around $30 with a black tanto blade just to experiment with. I got up the . . . courage . . . to take it apart. First I made sure the spring tension was released by firing it into the side of a wooden box from about 2" away. Removed the clip screw, then the 6 handle screws and, surprisingly enough, nothing came shooting out at me. (internal pictures attached)

Simple internal design and the blade just rides in a track. It would be interesting to attach a piece of Plexiglas for the handle to see the internal workings of the parts in motion. Looks like blades could be easily swapped out too. Put it all back together, reloaded the blade (just give it a good shake forward), it fires perfectly. Not bad for $30!

[1967redrider]

I changed the screw and trigger color to red, I think it looks better and closer to the Microtech colors.

[Madmarco]

I picked up another Titan for around $30 with a black tanto blade just to experiment with. I got up the . . . courage . . . to take it apart. First I made sure the spring tension was released by firing it into the side of a wooden box from about 2" away. Removed the clip screw, then the 6 handle screws and, surprisingly enough, nothing came shooting out at me. (internal pictures attached)

Simple internal design and the blade just rides in a track. It would be interesting to attach a piece of Plexiglas for the handle to see the internal workings of the parts in motion. Looks like blades could be easily swapped out too. Put it all back together, reloaded the blade (just give it a good shake forward), it fires perfectly. Not bad for $30!

Beautiful conversion John! I prefer your build by a mile over the M/T, specially the dagger blade. I had to assemble a "Tomb
-Raider" OTF I received from China, and I was quite surprised how really simple the internals are, not much more than a track and a couple springs, SIMPLE! Congrats, yours looks great!

[1967redrider]

I picked up another Titan for around $30 with a black tanto blade just to experiment with. I got up the . . . courage . . . to take it apart. First I made sure the spring tension was released by firing it into the side of a wooden box from about 2" away. Removed the clip screw, then the 6 handle screws and, surprisingly enough, nothing came shooting out at me. (internal pictures attached)

Simple internal design and the blade just rides in a track. It would be interesting to attach a piece of Plexiglas for the handle to see the internal workings of the parts in motion. Looks like blades could be easily swapped out too. Put it all back together, reloaded the blade (just give it a good shake forward), it fires perfectly. Not bad for $30!

Beautiful conversion John! I prefer your build by a mile over the M/T, specially the dagger blade. I had to assemble a "Tomb
-Raider" OTF I received from China, and I was quite surprised how really simple the internals are, not much more than a track and a couple springs, SIMPLE! Congrats, yours looks great!

Thanks, Marco. I recently picked up a Lightning with a stainless Tanto blade and another Titan with a black Tanto blade, along with the spray paint Olde Cutler suggested. Going to play around with their color schemes. Picked up some clear coat too, might try doing the "distressed" look on one of them. Supposedly a bag of gravel works perfectly. I forget who makes the silver knife.

[Madmarco]

I picked up another Titan for around $30 with a black tanto blade just to experiment with. I got up the . . . courage . . . to take it apart. First I made sure the spring tension was released by firing it into the side of a wooden box from about 2" away. Removed the clip screw, then the 6 handle screws and, surprisingly enough, nothing came shooting out at me. (internal pictures attached)

Simple internal design and the blade just rides in a track. It would be interesting to attach a piece of Plexiglas for the handle to see the internal workings of the parts in motion. Looks like blades could be easily swapped out too. Put it all back together, reloaded the blade (just give it a good shake forward), it fires perfectly. Not bad for $30!

Beautiful conversion John! I prefer your build by a mile over the M/T, specially the dagger blade. I had to assemble a "Tomb
-Raider" OTF I received from China, and I was quite surprised how really simple the internals are, not much more than a track and a couple springs, SIMPLE! Congrats, yours looks great!

Thanks, Marco. I recently picked up a Lightning with a stainless Tanto blade and another Titan with a black Tanto blade, along with the spray paint Olde Cutler suggested. Going to play around with their color schemes. Picked up some clear coat too, might try doing the "distressed" look on one of them. Supposedly a bag of gravel works perfectly. I forget who makes the silver knife.

All really nice OTF's John, can't wait to see how you mod them! Can't help you with the silver knife, don't know who makes them either, but it sure has a sleek profile!

[1967redrider]

Painted up another OTF knife this weekend. This one is a Lightning (on the right) as opposed to a Titan (on the left). On comparison, I like the shape of the Lightning better, but it misfires occasionally. Could be because it's fresh out of the box and hasn't worked itself in yet. The Titan never misfires. Going to change the orange screws and thumb trigger to red also, I like the red better. Couldn't find red spray paint for some reason?

[Madmarco]

Painted up another OTF knife this weekend. This one is a Lightning (on the right) as opposed to a Titan (on the left). On comparison, I like the shape of the Lightning better, but it misfires occasionally. Could be because it's fresh out of the box and hasn't worked itself in yet. The Titan never misfires. Going to change the orange screws and thumb trigger to red also, I like the red better. Couldn't find red spray paint for some reason?

Very good look'in John!

[1967redrider]

Thanks, Mark.

[KLJ77]

I really like what you did, John. AAPK Knifers sure know how to think 'outside the box'. Those would bid over $100.00 on the bay. The young kids today would go cray, cray over them.

[1967redrider]

I really like what you did, John. AAPK Knifers sure know how to think 'outside the box'. Those would bid over $100.00 on the bay. The young kids today would go cray, cray over them.

Ha!!! Thanks, LJ. The paint Olde Cutler recommended seems to be pretty durable. I added a coat of clear coat for backup, will probably spray my "Prototype" with clear coat too. And I did change the orange screws to red, I like it better.

[1967redrider]

They're selling for $808 now at BladeHQ! Jump fast if you're in!

https://www.bladehq.com/item--Microtech ... to--117646

[cody6268]

They're selling for $808 now at BladeHQ! Jump fast if you're in!

https://www.bladehq.com/item--Microtech ... to--117646

That version looks like it's been carried a few months. I know they're going for the aged look of Boba Fett's armor, but it still looks used to me.

[GSPTOPDOG]

I took on an interesting project this past weekend. Surfing through online knife stores, I spied this new Microtech release of a Mandalorian'...

Over Saturday and Sunday, I put down at least 3 thin coats of paint, making sure there was ample drying time between coats. I also swapped out the 2 unpainted handle screws with painted ones late Sunday evening. Monday morning before heading to work I put everything back together, having let everything dry overnight. And here's the finished project, a good $660 cheaper than the concept, including original knife and supplies costs. I'm pleased with it and happy to have the savings set aside for other knives.

Sorry to inform you R.R. BUT that $660 you saved back in early November 2020, is now only worth $440 according to the online "Bidden Administration Inflation Calculator" well look on the bright side... at least it is worth more right now than in will be by the end January of 2023 I think it will be down to about $390 by then...

And if our government keeps printing $$$ the way they have been for all these years your $660 will eventually be worth about $30. But look on the bright side; at least you will have broken even wink: and sometimes that is all you can hope for in life

[1967redrider]

I took on an interesting project this past weekend. Surfing through online knife stores, I spied this new Microtech release of a Mandalorian'...

Over Saturday and Sunday, I put down at least 3 thin coats of paint, making sure there was ample drying time between coats. I also swapped out the 2 unpainted handle screws with painted ones late Sunday evening. Monday morning before heading to work I put everything back together, having let everything dry overnight. And here's the finished project, a good $660 cheaper than the concept, including original knife and supplies costs. I'm pleased with it and happy to have the savings set aside for other knives.

Sorry to inform you R.R. BUT that $660 you saved back in early November 2020, is now only worth $440 according to the online "Bidden Administration Inflation Calculator" well look on the bright side... at least it is worth more right now than in will be by the end January of 2023 I think it will be down to about $390 by then...

And if our government keeps printing $$$ the way they have been for all these years your $660 will eventually be worth about $30. But look on the bright side; at least you will have broken even wink: and sometimes that is all you can hope for in life

Sad but true, GSP.

[1967redrider]

Awesome job Red!

Thanks, Kim. Here's the most recent one I painted up. I used spray acrylic instead of the craft paint I used on the "Prototype." The red paint is some kind of outdoor craft paint.

[1967redrider]

I honestly can't see a real difference in the photos with the different paints that you used. It's most likely just me though.

I hope you ain't working with that dirty old Dusty Duck on Ebay - lol.

No way, no ma'am! I avoid that guy like the plague.

[1967redrider]

No offense Red, I just thought that it was cool that you were making your own breed of knife. But, it could make one worry about what other people are putting out there.

I know that you ain't no Dusty Duck. I don't know why someone hasn't hunted him down yet.