TL-29 mods thread... Let's put 'em here

[Meridian_Mike]

I like it! Did you do the file work, on the bolster?

I did.... it was a fun learning experience.

[glennbad]

Ding Ding, winner!

[Doc B]

I like it! Did you do the file work, on the bolster?

I did.... it was a fun learning experience.

No one would ever guess it's past.

[Jeffinn]

I picked up this Holub Sycamore on E-bay awhile ago. I don’t know much about the Holub brand but the knife seems well made and solid (like most electrician knives).
I had some smooth black bone left so I did some cleanup, dressed up the bolsters and put some new bone handles on it. I might still inlay a shield in it but for now it’s looking pretty good.
This is the first one that I’ve put the belt loop back on. I’m not a fan of the loops but they seem to be a part of most electrician knives so I put it back on.

[Meridian_Mike]

Beautiful Job Jeff! I love the bolster work. You are a master at bolster work!! (Thanks again for your tutorial!)
That is a first class Electricians knife now! The bone looks great!

2 thumbs up my friend!

[Meridian_Mike]

Here is one I did for my sister-in-law. I put one of these in the "dirty santa" game just before Christmas. She got it BUT then someone stole it from her. I thought she was gonna CRY. SO, my wife told me I should make her one....
Well, here it is......
Culpepper's green smooth bone.
.

.
Dog-gone-it.....
I just noticed in this picture, that there is a crack going across the entire cover at the rocker pin....
Where the heck did that come from. It wasn't there yesterday.
Welllllllll crap.

[doglegg]

Crack or no crack it turned out awfully pretty. Cracks seem to be part of the curse.

[Meridian_Mike]

Crack or no crack it turned out awfully pretty. Cracks seem to be part of the curse.

LOL... yep, the curse sho' got me on this one!

[Jeffinn]

Great job on that one!
That Culpepper green is some pretty nice stuff and I like the threaded and rat tail bolsters!

[Meridian_Mike]

Great job on that one!
That Culpepper green is some pretty nice stuff and I like the threaded and rat tail bolsters!

Thanks Jeff!

[glennbad]

That's dang nice, shame about the crack though...

[Meridian_Mike]

That's dang nice, shame about the crack though...

I am so confused by that dang crack. I could have sworn it was NOT there during finishing....
Then, taking pictures this morning... there it was....CRAP!!

(maybe I'm just about blind.....LOL)

[Reverand]

Green is typically my least-favorite color, but I have to admit it looks really good on that knife! I hate cracks like that, but I would be tempted to Zap-a-Gap it to stabilize it, and keep rollin'. It looks too pretty to tear it apart again!

[Jeffinn]

That's dang nice, shame about the crack though...

I am so confused by that dang crack. I could have sworn it was NOT there during finishing....
Then, taking pictures this morning... there it was....CRAP!!

(maybe I'm just about blind.....LOL)

I’ve had one or two knives that developed a crack after opening and closing the blades a few times. My assumption was that the pin to hole clearance was a bit too loose which allowed the pin to shift when the blades were opened and closed. I drilled the holes to match the pins but maybe they were a bit too snug or too loose? Both of the knives in question were Swinden key knives but I can’t really see how that’s an issue.
For now those cracks remain somewhat of a mystery. I rehandled both of them and re-installed the pins with no issues afterwards so who knows!
Zap a Gap is a great way to stabilize that crack and avoid the disassembly procedure!

[herbva]

After long admiring all the terrific and highly creative work posted on this thread, I couldn't resist giving it a try. Here are my first 2 modest attempts, both in Culpepper's "sunset" smooth bone. The top one is a simple one-blade conversion and I got a little fancier with the second one; added rear bolsters and "wharncliffed" the screwdriver. (Is "wharncliffed a legitimate verb?) I wasn't quite as careful as I usually am, so both have some minor imperfections. Now that I've had a taste of this, I really like these TL-29's. Very sturdy knives with thick liners, blades and springs and I think they take well to thick scales, which I greatly prefer. Because of the imperfections, I am not planning to list these for sale, but if anyone takes a shine to them, a reasonable offer might be considered. (The blades are tight with good snap, but one has a hairline crack next to one of the rocker pins and a there are a few other minor details.) I modified the bolsters off a donor from my parts bin this time, but I would like to find suitable sheet metal to make bolsters for my next TL-29 endeavor. Or, perhaps does anyone know of a good source for bolsters that have already been stamped out?

[doglegg]

Herb you did well. If you print it out then it is a word. Nouns become verbs all the time. You are a knifesmith and a wordsmith.

[Jeffinn]

Nice! The wharncliffed blade is a really great mod.
Well done!
Jeff

[Reverand]

Those are right pretty! You gentlemen are making me jealous!

[Meridian_Mike]

I’ve had one or two knives that developed a crack after opening and closing the blades a few times. My assumption was that the pin to hole clearance was a bit too loose which allowed the pin to shift when the blades were opened and closed. I drilled the holes to match the pins but maybe they were a bit too snug or too loose? Both of the knives in question were Swinden key knives but I can’t really see how that’s an issue.
For now those cracks remain somewhat of a mystery. I rehandled both of them and re-installed the pins with no issues afterwards so who knows!
Zap a Gap is a great way to stabilize that crack and avoid the disassembly procedure!

I'm am gonna get me some of that "Zap a Gap" stuff. It sounds like good stuff!

[Jeffinn]

I’ve had one or two knives that developed a crack after opening and closing the blades a few times. My assumption was that the pin to hole clearance was a bit too loose which allowed the pin to shift when the blades were opened and closed. I drilled the holes to match the pins but maybe they were a bit too snug or too loose? Both of the knives in question were Swinden key knives but I can’t really see how that’s an issue.
For now those cracks remain somewhat of a mystery. I rehandled both of them and re-installed the pins with no issues afterwards so who knows!
Zap a Gap is a great way to stabilize that crack and avoid the disassembly procedure!

I'm am gonna get me some of that "Zap a Gap" stuff. It sounds like good stuff!

It’s a form of super glue. I like it because it can be sanded and polished and becomes almost invisible once the repair is complete. There’s a medium and a thin product and I use the medium most of the time. It’s a good product to have around the shop.
Jeff

[WillyCamaro]

Jeff nailed it. It's perty famous in the plastic modelling world, because it's such great stuff to work with. They also make accelerator for it, and de-bonder.
Willy
P.S. The knife mods are coming along wonderfully fellers .

[herbva]

Jeff, I recently started using the thin followed by gel to finish a crack off (Dale's great idea, not mine.) That stuff is amazing. Just be careful, I actually got one finger stuck to the knife and lost a bit of skin!

[Jeffinn]

The thin is definitely fast setting and will get hot to the touch if you get it on your skin. It’s some amazing stuff though. I haven’t tried the gel yet.
Jeff

[Meridian_Mike]

The thin is definitely fast setting and will get hot to the touch if you get it on your skin. It’s some amazing stuff though. I haven’t tried the gel yet.
Jeff

Hot to the touch? Dang....
NOW, it doesn't melt the material you put it on does it? (like some sort of chemical reaction?)

Since I have the surface of the knife finished, will I have to sand or polish again?

[Jeffinn]

Yes, sand down the glue with 220, 400 and 600 grit, then re-polish it/buff it out.
And no, it won’t melt most of the materials that we work with (as far as I know), it just cures so fast that it tends to heat up (at least when it’s on the skin). It’s surprising just how transparent a repair can be.
One of the other things I learned was that standard super glue can be set instantly by sprinkling baking soda over it. Apparently they use this technique in the repair of chips and cracks in certain airline props and rotors (according to what I read online). The baking soda creates a chemical reaction which causes the glue to set instantly (and possibly a bit harder). I haven’t really found a use for this particular technique but I’m sure it’ll come in handy at some point.
Jeff