Native III (wire) clip on Native FRN?

[zhyla]

I've got a Native FRN (which replaced my 1st gen Native last year). It's a great knife. But the clip has lost some of its springiness and is looser now. I know I can bend it back but I was thinking maybe a wire clip would be better.

I see the Native III has a wire clip but customer support said it won't work. It looks like I'd need to dremel out two small channels to make room for the wire on either side of the barrel. Anyone tried this? Anyone see any reasons why it won't work?

[The Deacon]

You might also need to add a washer to compensate for the fact the clip will now be riding deeper in the handle but, assuming you have the talent to cut the channels, it should work. No offense, but I can't be sure if you do or not. You mentioned Dremel, and unless yours can be run at very low speed, that's a really bad idea. FRN and high speed cutting tools don't play well together.

[zhyla]

My dremel goes pretty slow on the low speed, but I guess it's a question of how low is low. Seems like it'd be hard to get that washer thing the right thickness, this is probably a bad idea. Thanks for the input.

[Bolster]

I wouldn't try cutting channels with a dremel tool. Handheld very likely won't give you the exact results you need. This is the job for a milling machine.

[dialex]

I put a Salsa wireclip to a Golden made Native without any modifications necessary. I simply took out the original stamped clip and replaced it with the wireclip.
I did the same to a Delica, FYI. In this last case, indeed there was the need for two small channels, which I scratched into the FRN handles using a sharp thin screwdriver. Overall, it was a 10 min. job. :)

[mark greenman]

I put a Salsa wireclip to a Golden made Native without any modifications necessary. I simply took out the original stamped clip and replaced it with the wireclip.
I did the same to a Delica, FYI. In this last case, indeed there was the need for two small channels, which I scratched into the FRN handles using a sharp thin screwdriver. Overall, it was a 10 min. job. :)

Do you have any pics? That sounds like an awesome mod that I would like to do to mine.

*edit* I just checked out your concept knives, WOW! I soooo want like more than half of them, especially the Tarantula and Akimbo! Keep up the good work; I'll be saving my pennies

Thanks!
Mark

[zhyla]

I'd be interested in a picture of the Salsa clip on your Native. I'm confused by the Salsa... the clip goes down inside the handle?

Really like that U-Boot folder you drew up.

[ChapmanPreferred]

pics would be fun.