Custom LionSpy- Bowie Re-grind/clip point, and some heat ano for good measure!

[DCDesigns]

Back a couple months ago, before the lion spy came out, I had thought about getting an Sr-1, and was toying with the idea of Reginding the large blade into more of a bowie like shape, as I have always wanted a folding bowie. For one reason or another, I never ended up getting one (I think I was thinking about the aluminum version, since I didnt want to potentially mess up a $400 knife, but then I wasnt sure of the long term lock strength an aluminum lock bar would provide...) But I still had a sketch I made when I was playing with the idea.


(there is a small pre-production pic of the lion spy that I used for reference)

Well recently, I won a lightly used Lionspy that happened to be a stores display model. I got it for $240, so Initially I was really excited, since this was a model, and steel, that I have been waiting on. When it got here, I was not as excited. It was ground in a way where there was NO tip, the blade was way off center, and there were (and are) tooling marks on the rotoblock and scratched on the Ti. At first I tried to restore the tip with a 220 norton bench stone, eventually resorting to droping the point slightly by grindint the top of the tip to meet the bevel. I wasnt happy with this at all, and was contemplating selling it. Then I found that pic. And well... about an hour later, I am now very happy with it!, The blade is still a little off center, but I can live with that now that I have made it more my own...


(Ti side was stone washed and then immediately heat anodized)






Inside the rotoblock in case you were wondering...


Over all, I could not be happier! I finally have my folding bowie! I find the clip point to be FAR more useful than the shape from the factory. Felt very stubby and cumbesome when using the tip. Not any more!

[ricechrispy]

That looks amazing. Nice work, as always.

[tonydahose]

nice job...it's always a big leap of faith when you start to mod a new knife, especially a pricey one. congrats.

[ChapmanPreferred]

That looks like an excellent tool to use hard! Well done. A fellow forum member did a similar mod to a Spyderco Native Lightweight with very appealing results.

[DCDesigns]

Thanks all! Yea it was sort of stressfull at first since I didnt know EXACTLY how it would turn out or look, inspite of the pre-visulization sketching. I was afraid it would be out of proportion or something, but Im very happy with the results. It will indeed be an excellent hard work tool. I told myself last week when I ordered it that I could only keep one, between the Tuff and the Lionspy. Since I cant justify keeping two $250+ "beaters" (if you know what I mean) .I think its obvious my choice... lol. I like th Tuff, I just dont love it. The looks of the pre production prototype were much more up my alley, I wish they stuck with that, because the random divits are uninspired. I think the nail in the coffin is that I cannot easily open the tuff with one hand, and the Lionspy flys open. So the tuff goes. I may pick one up in a year or two if they come down in price, or if I can snag a used one. I really hope spyderco decides to come out with another 3v model ASAP, preferably one where we can play with its thin edge abilities. I think a para sprint, and mule are a must!
...way to derail your own thread DC... lol

[Blerv]

Cool! Nice work :D

[bammann45]

Nice work. Thanks for sharing.

[jabba359]

It certainly takes guts to mod a knife that expensive. Great job! The flame anodization looks fantastic!

[DCDesigns]

It certainly takes guts to mod a knife that expensive. Great job! The flame anodization looks fantastic!

Thanks Blerv Bamman and Jabba! yea I had a few pucker moments when i thought I couldnt get it back together or the Ti had warped or something. I think I would be CRUSHED if I ended up screwing up a $300 knife

[broadarrow1]

Very nicely done, looks awesome!!!

[J D Wijbenga]

Nice job! I like the point better this way.

[DCDesigns]

Nice job! I like the point better this way.

Thanks, I appreciate it!

I am amazed at how much more useful this tip shape is. The knife is pretty much perfect for regrinds with its ultra wide sides. I encourage any lionspy owner with a grinder or spindle sander, or dremel if its all youve got, to bowie-fy your knife if thats what you want to do (especially if the same guy who ground mine ground yours...). The result is very useful! The stock tip seemed really too bulky to use. I tried opening a few things where I needed tip finess, and it just blundered through with no feedback and little control. Although I guess I never experience a true stock tip, just my drop point one, but i doubt there would be a difference. The great thing is with this steel I can be pretty confident in that tip's strength, and still use it as a hard use tool. (one of the reasons I stone washd everything on it). I just wish I had a wicked edge or an edge pro some times when sharpening this thing, that belly is great for using, not so great for sharpening freehand. ...a lot of controlled wrist movements involved.

[DCDesigns]

Very nicely done, looks awesome!!!

Nice job! I like the point better this way.

Thanks, I appreciate it!

I am amazed at how much more useful this tip shape is. The knife is pretty much perfect for regrinds with its ultra wide sides. I encourage any lionspy owner with a grinder or spindle sander, or dremel if its all youve got, to bowie-fy your knife if thats what you want to do (especially if the same guy who ground mine ground yours...). The result is very useful! The stock tip seemed really too bulky to use. I tried opening a few things where I needed tip finess, and it just blundered through with no feedback and little control. Although I guess I never experience a true stock tip, just my drop point one, but i doubt there would be a difference. The great thing is with this steel I can be pretty confident in that tip's strength, and still use it as a hard use tool. (one of the reasons I stone washd everything on it). I just wish I had a wicked edge or an edge pro some times when sharpening this thing, that belly is great for using, not so great for sharpening freehand. ...a lot of controlled wrist movements involved.

[Splice]

That looks AWESOME!

[Slash]

Looks sweet.

[dialex]

Now that's a cool mod, congratulations and thanks for sharing the great pics. Enjoy your awsome "new" knife.

[jtoler_9]

Hey DCD. Nice work as always. Your mods always look good. Any update on your bushcraft with moded handle

[DCDesigns]

Hey DCD. Nice work as always. Your mods always look good. Any update on your bushcraft with moded handle

Hey, thanks for that! I feel the pictures dont really do the ano justice. As far as the bushcraft goes, I ran into sort of a problem. One, just one, of the hole I was re-purposing for a grip pin is undersized VERY slightly. I have tried drilling it out, using hand files, all sorts of stuff. (im still really puzzled how a 3/8th drill bit can go through a hole that a 3/8th grip pin wont...) Basically I will most likely end up having to break down and replace my dremel that died a couple years back, and use a carbide burr to take it up a size. That or Ill be cheap and just buy the burr and run it in my drill press or something.. So I will either have to mod the hole, or try to sand down the pin equally a little to get it to fit better (come to think of it I may put it on my lathe some how and take it down that way to make sure to get it even. It doesnt need much.), or both...

This one seemingly small hurdle has sort of put me off the project for a while since I havent had time to solve the little fit issue. Once its solved though, zip zip zip, the holes will get drilled (i will be re-using the stock lanyard tube), then the rest of the roughing out will go quickly. I will probably spend a few weeks on the final finish work since Im enjoying working without a deadline. I WAS going to consider doing file work on the tang, but after seeing how tough this 01 is, and how this one little spot reacted to my files, I think I may pass on that quagmire. Its funny, before this I didnt really think of 01 as a "formidable opponent" when it came to grindability. Makes me re think my view of the old tool steel. There might be other steels with carbides out the wazoo, but this stuff is still tough as ****!

[Jeremy_A_Neel]

This is what I think of when I read "modified bowie". Not an upturned, banana shaped blade as is the norm for knives sporting this description.

[DCDesigns]

This is what I think of when I read "modified bowie". Not an upturned, banana shaped blade as is the norm for knives sporting this description.

thank you sir! I appreciate it. My personal favorite bowie folder is a modfied bowie grind that was on one of the hand made hinderers.