Clip Upgrades.....

[Firefighter880]

Most of these posts have been about the color/ painting of the clips... but I was curious about the actual metal/ material? And I don't mean like "molded-clip era" to present, or three-screw vs. lanyard-hole style, but more like changes within just the last few years of the actual clip metal.

When I first received my Manix, I immediately had to take the clip off and bend it inward to give it a "tighter" grip on the handle. Before I bent it in, you could actually fit a quarter in the space between the rounded part (that is suppossed to touch the handle) and the handle. I guess you could say it was about 1/16" away from the handle.

No problem, I just took it off and bent it in to make it hold tighter. However, it seems like the "material" or makeup might be different than other Spyders. I compared it to the clips on my Millie and Blackhawk, and they seem to be stronger. The clip on my Manix feels somewhat lighter and more flexible.

Are they a different material? or designed differently? Or is it just my overactive imagination?

Personally, I like a super-tight grip on my clips. I don't mind it fraying my pocket a bit, because I don't want to lose a knife like my Manix. It seems for how heavy that particular knife is, it should have one of the strongest, tightest clips? That is why I was so puzzled when I first got it and could actually see a space between the rounded part of the clip and the handle, and because it seems more flexible and "lifts up" easier when snagged on something.

Am I crazy?

:confused: :confused:

Needless to say, it only took a second to adjust, and the Manix is one of my all-time favorites!

:spyder:

[Harry White]

As many as you can put in the jar and cover with acetone.

Sometimes they need a bit of a second soak to loosen up the last pits of paint.

thats good advice. last night i soaked the clip and screws from my pacific salt in acetone for about 30 minutes. then i tried rubbing off the paint with a fine grit wet/dry sandpaper, but it wasn't working too well. i then switched to a basic green 3M scouring pad and the paint came off very easily. but there were a few spots (inside the slots of the screws, for example) that were still showing spots of black paint. so i soaked the pieces again for a few minutes and used a pointy file (a nail or even a toothpick might also work) to remove the paint from the hard to reach places.

optional final step -- run the entire clip (including the edges) against a leather strop charged with chromium oxide.

the end result is great -- especially on the salts, as the clips are titanium, which looks great "naked."

i'll post a pic when i get home tonight....

[mr.vu]

I like the idea of more naked clips. I think instead of paint, clips could be coated with DLC, or something more abrasion resistant. I'm not sure what Emerson Knife clips are coated with, but to me they are much better that the black I have on my Spydercos.


Vu

[merciful]

That's great. Boy, keeping that up is the best way I can imagine to make sure that nothing really bad happens, like sarin in the subway or a nuke on Wall Street. I have trouble getting some of my knives into Canada, but at least there aren't cops looking to make an issue of me having them.

I like a lot of things about the States, and the people there, but the times are changing and I don't think I'm going to be going to the effort and expense of getting a passport to go to what is slowly degenerating into a dangerously paranoid and repressive place. And there's no **** solution: i can't advocate another revolution because I'm well aware that plenty of bad stuff happens in the best revolution. It's tough.

Well, there's an unrelated interjection to the thread.

Sorry, can't go with that. The LEOs in NYC have decided it's time to jack-up their arrest quotas by busting anyone with a One-Hander clipped to their pocket. Including Spydercos.

Black handle, black clip, on a pair of black pants = Best way not to get harassed.

[Harry White]

Here a pic of my newly stripped titanium Pacific Salt clip, as promised, alongside it's naked counterpart, the Delica 4 clip. What do you think?

[Manix Guy 2]

I have to say I mess around with my clips . I bead blast , shot blast and also wire grind , I guess I like different results . I avoid wire clips but after reading so many positive comments I may try one in the future . I have been surprised how different my results have been some very shiney and others rather flat in appearance but all look good . Great pictures !

[fellyjr]

Here a pic of my newly stripped titanium Pacific Salt clip, as promised, alongside it's naked counterpart, the Delica 4 clip. What do you think?

I think you did an awesome job HW! :cool:
My clip polishing job on my FG D4 didn't turn out as good as your's. What's your secret? :confused: :D

[JspyEDC]

I prefer those sterile unfinished clips to the black painted ones too.... :cool:
...truth is my favorite clip is this gray one on the Gray Calypso Jr VG10 sprint run and on my R2......vs. the mighty plain ole wire clip as is on the Caly3, UKPK.... :rolleyes:

Hey Brian,

Trade you a (new) shiney, SS clip to put on one of your FRN FRIENDS, for one of those smoooooth clips...........?

They are beauties....where did you get/produce them?

Jess

[Echo63]

i leave most of my clips how they come, if the paint starts to chip and look c**ppy then i might start to think about refinishing it

anyway the TI clips on the salts - theyre titanium
and what happens when you attack a clean polished chunk of TI with a hot flame ?
this


i have done both my salt clips, both still look great nearly a year later
its a pain to remove if you want to re do it though

[jaislandboy]

Hey Brian,

Trade you a (new) shiney, SS clip to put on one of your FRN FRIENDS, for one of those smoooooth clips...........?

They are beauties....where did you get/produce them?

Jess

Hi Jess I actually Had 2 of the Grey VG10 Calypso Jrs.....so I swapped out the black one that came with the Burgundy ZDP one....at least for that photo....
My dad owns the other Grey one now....With the cool clip! :)
The clip on my R2 looks very similar though....I like it!
Hey Dirty Harry (White)! :p great job on those clips! :cool:

[bell]

STR does a great business in titanium clips for Spydercos. For some reason Spydie has sort of lost it in terms of clips. I change out my spydies to titanium "blue jean blue" low rider clips by STR.

Like Spyderco wire clips

[Harry White]

I think you did an awesome job HW! :cool:
My clip polishing job on my FG D4 didn't turn out as good as your's. What's your secret? :confused: :D

Thanks felly! see my earlier post in this thread (#22) -- i described how i did it on my pacific salt clip. i did a similar thing with my delica clip -- acetone soak -- but scrubbed with wet/dry sandpaper with the delica clip. actually, the 3M pad works much better, but i didn't know that then. i may have also rubbed it down with some polishing compound once it was stripped (can't remember). i love those d4/e4 clips -- my favorite shape, along with the wire clips.

hey echo, love that rainbow Ti clip! what type of flame did you use? would a regular lighter do (like the one in my firebyrd? ) or did you use a mini-torch? any tips would be appreciated, as i might try that with mine. thanks! :)

[argyll]

To heck with all that. I'm still waiting for a deep pocket/low-ride clip for the E4/D4. :mad:

Best regards,

Argyll

[Echo63]

[quote="Harry White"]

hey echo, love that rainbow Ti clip! what type of flame did you use? would a regular lighter do (like the one in my firebyrd? ]

i did them both on the gas ring in the kitchen (you know the gas burner thingy)
you could probably use a small blowtorch, although im not %100 sure how well it would work

[Harry White]

i did them both on the gas ring in the kitchen (you know the gas burner thingy)
you could probably use a small blowtorch, although im not %100 sure how well it would work

perfect! i have a gas stove. thanks!