Chaparral FRN: Custom Scales

[mada7583]

Does anyone know of a source for custom scales to replace the original gray FRN for the Chappy?

[Michael Janich]

Dear mada7583:

Welcome to the Spyderco Forum.

Stay safe,

Mike

[apollo]

I hope you find someone that can help you but as far as i know LW knives are not so easily customized as normal knives with liners.

[cjk]

Does anyone know of a source for custom scales to replace the original gray FRN for the Chappy?

There's a guy on Etsy who makes some. He's in Australia. I have a set on order.

I hope you find someone that can help you but as far as i know LW knives are not so easily customized as normal knives with liners.

The FRN Chaparral does have liners.

[Doc Dan]

Try BOOMER52 on this forum.

[apollo]

Does anyone know of a source for custom scales to replace the original gray FRN for the Chappy?

There's a guy on Etsy who makes some. He's in Australia. I have a set on order.

I hope you find someone that can help you but as far as i know LW knives are not so easily customized as normal knives with liners.

The FRN Chaparral does have liners.

That i did not know i’m sorry.

[cjk]

That i did not know i’m sorry.

No issue Apollo. Have a great day!

[apollo]

That i did not know i’m sorry.

No issue Apollo. Have a great day!

Thx! Sometimes Spyderco makes no sense to me. If the chaparral has liners why don’t they give the Manix 2 Lw and the para 3 lw some skeletonized ones ? It would make the knives so much better because then you could also customize them and others would still have a lighter knife. Now it sits there with its frcp handle you can do nothing with makes no sense to me. And just for the fans here are some of my favorite customized spydies.

And you also have a great day cjk and have a great weekend aswel.

[sal]

Hi Apollo,

Beautiful pieces. We are honored that you would take the time and expense to mod our models. we are also amazed at the many artists that take the time to create these awesome pieces to fit our models.

As far as Spyderco making no sense to you, my apologies. We are always trying new ways of doing things. Not all of our customers customize our knives to suit their preferences, so we also have to take that into consideration when bringing a model to market. There are a great number of details that we have to consider when bringing out a new model, many of which we need to be aware of in providing the best possible features in each model.

As an example, I'm holding the first production piece of the FRN Lil' 'Temperance folder. This model is the culmination of a purpose built design that I've been developing for 22 years. It has been through many CQI refinements over the years and it is finally just how I would like it to be. I used skeletonized nested liners because that's what I felt would work best for this design. I don't think that anyone will want to build special scales for the model, though I would certainly be honored if someone chose to do so, and would probably buy them. It is just not a "looks" design. Purely functional.

sal

[apollo]

Hi Apollo,

Beautiful pieces. We are honored that you would take the time and expense to mod our models. we are also amazed at the many artists that take the time to create these awesome pieces to fit our models.

As far as Spyderco making no sense to you, my apologies. We are always trying new ways of doing things. Not all of our customers customize our knives to suit their preferences, so we also have to take that into consideration when bringing a model to market. There are a great number of details that we have to consider when bringing out a new model, many of which we need to be aware of in providing the best possible features in each model.

As an example, I'm holding the first production piece of the FRN Lil' 'Temperance folder. This model is the culmination of a purpose built design that I've been developing for 22 years. It has been through many CQI refinements over the years and it is finally just how I would like it to be. I used skeletonized nested liners because that's what I felt would work best for this design. I don't think that anyone will want to build special scales for the model, though I would certainly be honored if someone chose to do so, and would probably buy them. It is just not a "looks" design. Purely functional.

sal

Hi Sal. First of all Thank you so much its an honor that you like my customized spydies.

And also thank you for you’re insight and making things more clear. I know spyderco is always on the search to improve every design and that makes you the best.
But it stil can amaze me from time to time how the designs can be so similar from “shape” but so different on the inside.
I just really would not have expected liners in the chaparral. Since the Manix Lw and the para3 Lw are more then capable to handle everyday use , it just seemed so strange for me since those are allot bigger then the chaparral.

About that lil temperance. I am a big fan of the first one.
I have both the leaf and the Rhino and they are very special to me.
Sadly i could not afford the second generation otherwise i would have it to.
But i hope this one will be in my ball park because i would love the have one to really carry on me and use.

My leaf blade gets some use but since i can not replace it i baby it more then i want.
But is there any chance the new one could have the green color of the original? I know black is still the most popular but the green really had something. If not i am sure my german friends can help me out with it and in that case when its ready i will definitely post a picture for you

But what you say about it not being a pure looks design for me i really like it. Most spydies are a bit different but that is just what makes them beautiful. If i am honest there is only a few models i do not like pure looking at the looks of them. One of them is the rather new one that looks like a dog. ( Do not remember its name)
But i think that it comes because i would as easily see another brand logo on that design then it is a pure spyderco design. ( i know it is a collab but still ) the functional design style of almost all spydies is really appealing to me. And i miss it everytime somebody shows me a knife from another brand.

That is why i have a hard time when my brother comes out with his Chris Reeve knives. They are great knives and i am sure the design also performs great but there is nothing exiting in there lines for me. And i think you hear this often but when you get used to the spydiehole other openingsmechanisms just do not do it anymore.

[sal]

Thanx Apollo,

On the Chaparral, I added the liner to keep the handle thin. FRN is great to a point, but when it's too tin, it bends.

The early green Lil' Temperance models are unique. Hard to find. I just spoke with one of our crew that was able to find one. I carved the first model out of wood to get the shape. We made more plastic models of the Lil' Temperance model before cutting steel than any other model.

We'll make the early ones black to determine demand. If there is demand, we can add steels or colors, as you want?

sal

[Josh Crutchley]

I made some 3d printed scales a while back. The model is on Thingiverse.
viewtopic.php?t=89342
flat
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5215047
textured
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5219809

[sal]

Very cool Josh.

sal

[apollo]

Thanx Apollo,

On the Chaparral, I added the liner to keep the handle thin. FRN is great to a point, but when it's too tin, it bends.

The early green Lil' Temperance models are unique. Hard to find. I just spoke with one of our crew that was able to find one. I carved the first model out of wood to get the shape. We made more plastic models of the Lil' Temperance model before cutting steel than any other model.

We'll make the early ones black to determine demand. If there is demand, we can add steels or colors, as you want?

sal

Thx Sal
That makes sense about the chaparral if i think about it , it has bin a while since i handled one. My brother has one and we like to show our knives to each other so we get to handle more designs then we could on our selves alone.

And also thanks for the little bit of Lil’ temperance history. I am glad i have my originals i bought them long ago from another forummember here. The leaf blade i see rarely but the Rhino version i have never seen for sale.

It is fascinating to hear about designs before they are finished it makes the end result only more appealing. If you build such a design out of wood in the first test is this only a blade and a handle or is there maybe even more in place already?
In the case the demand is high enough the original handle color would be enough for me maybe combined with some zdp-189 since it is a seki model if i remember correctly ? I still need to try that steel for some reason since i mainly buy the colorado models.
Talking about the US models, I wish i could say thank you to Eric for designing the Manix. I have 17 of them at the moment so i am a bit of a fan.
Thanks again for you’re time Sal its so great you are here on the forum.

[sal]

Hey Apollo,

If you want anything in ZDP, I would get it sooner than later. I understand the material will no longer be available.

sal

[Rinzler]

Do you know which steel hitachi has shifted to in place of zdp189? Or have they just discontinued it?

[apollo]

Hey Apollo,

If you want anything in ZDP, I would get it sooner than later. I understand the material will no longer be available.

sal

Thx for the heads up Sal.
That is sad news. Are there other steels besides zdp and h1 that will also no longer be available in the future?

Dimi