Anyone ever rehandled a Kershaw Avalanche?

[knifemaker3]

Hey guys,
I have a customer who is wanting a Kershaw Avalanche rehandled with a brown bone handle. I've never messed with the assisted opening knives before. Any special precautions I need to know?

I'm going to have to get back with him as the knife is too long for a piece of bone to fit the entire knife. I'm hoping he will let me trim the existing handle down and use the front part as a bolster. Then I can fit the bone on the knife.

So, anyone have any precautions I need to know before I start unscrewing this thing?

Thanks!

[orvet]

Craig,
I have not had an a/o apart.
I do know that there are springs in there & one is under tension at all times.
It could be a problem.

I did talk to the Foreman of the Kershaw Factory Last time I went to a sale.
He showed me how to tune up one of the a/o, a Leek IIRC.
His comment was, "There is a lot going on in there in a very small area."
That was enough to make me a little shy of ripping apart an a/o, at least if it wasn't mine.
I hate to mess up a customer's knife. If I run across a real different knife construction I usually take apart one of my own to learn how it works.

Hope this helps a little.
Dale

[knifemaker3]

Dale,
I'm really leery about taking this thing apart. It seems there are a lot of parts in these things that doesn't look like it lends itself well to rehandling them. I will probably just take the thing back to the guy and tell him that after closer examination I will not be able to rehandle it.

Besides, the bone won't cover the entire knife anyway and if I have to cut down the existing handle it would be more work than what I quoted him and double the price to rehandle it.

Oh well, win some, loose some.

On another note, it's been quite awhile since I've bought any bone for handle materials but my stock was getting low so I looked to see what is being charged. It's went up almost double from what I paid the last time! And it's only been a couple of years since I bought some! And stag... I could sell what I have in sticks and make 3 times above what I paid for genuine India Sambar stag before they banned exports. I've got some I bought for less than $10 before the ban that I found in a box tucked in the back of my handle material cabinet yesterday. I've been seeing a little more Samber stag in places....did they finally lift the ban or is it coming from another source?

Anyway, getting off subject.....Later!

[muskrat man]

I can't be of much help but I have had a leek apart for an attempt at a rehandle in my early days. it was a PITA to say the least. It went back to the customer just as it had come to me STOCK. However, i'm sure I could do it now with a few years experience now I have a decent handle on things, but like Dale I like to rip one of my own apart first if at all possible so I know what to expect.

[blademaker]

Not really of much help either, but have torn apart an a/o, anything with screws begs for me to take it apart? Can't recall what it was but it was a few years back and raising teenagers has made me forget alot. A kid at work bought two assisted and wanted me to rehandle one....we called him trust fund kid.....we used to buy his high dollar toys he bought for half after he played with em...so I didn't feel bad if I messed it up. Anyway...I did take it apart.....remember it being interesting......stayed in a ziplock for a month.....decided to give it back stock.....and most important....I did get it BACK TOGETHER....but only having a few rehandles under my belt, I really wasn't comfortable. As for trimming down the end don't think anything important back there but.....really can't remember....told ya I wouldn't be much help

Craig

[orvet]

Can't recall what it was but it was a few years back and raising teenagers has made me forget alot.
Craig

I raised 6 kids and got them safely through the teen years. My youngest turned 20 last year.
I survived with few hairs left (all remaining are gray), and something else was affected, but I forget what that was.
It may have been my memory that was affected, but I forget.

Dale

[blademaker]

Craig
I've seen your work and I say go for it! Dale....SIX...think I bought a comb last year.....can't seem to find the da... thing.....

Craig

[blademaker]

Got to thinking on my previous post......?????.....don't know if the inside of the handle material played any part in the spring works?????

Craig

[Diligence]

Craig....I know I have seen exploded views of several models of assisted openers....but I cannot seem to find them. I think it was on Bladeforums...

D

[orvet]

Craig....I know I have seen exploded views of several models of assisted openers....but I cannot seem to find them. I think it was on Bladeforums...

D

D,
if you find the views, please share them with us!

Thanks,
Dale

[Diligence]

hmmm...now I'm curious where I saw those - and now I am searching while the twins cry - thanks for making me into a deadbeat dad...lol

A couple of views: (but these are not the ones I saw before)
http://www.benchmade.com/about_knives/l ... anisms.asp
http://www.kershawknives.com/knifetech. ... nd=kershaw

here it is!!!!
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/attac ... ntid=20371

it's a leek, but still kershaw

[knifemaker3]

Just for an update on this knife, I gave it back to the gentleman and after giving it back he contacted me to see about doing a stag overlay on the handle. He is now looking for some stag and will get back with me when he finds some he likes. I hadn't thought about doing an overlay on it, but he likes thicker handles on his knives so an overlay will fill the bill perfect.

D,
Thanks for the picture links. I was afraid a spring or something would come flying out when I took it apart and from the looks of that kershaw pic I ain't too sure it wouldn't have! That's alot going on under them handles!

Thanks to all who have posted!