para 3 - lanyard tube and aftermarket replacements?

[foofie]

I finally got around to swapping the scales on my rex 45 - from orange to blurple. Thanks again @spydersense for the scales.

I sanded the scales down, which I realize is an odd preference. After I reassembled the knife, I realized that by smoothing out the texture, I had taken 1-1.5mm off each scale. The lanyard tube now sits very proud. It rubs on my pocket, and I can't fit my Lynch deep carry clip since the corner of the clip is lifted off by the lanyard tube.




I should have time next weekend to grind down the tube - as my plan B.
The questions:
- Are aftermarket lanyard tubes a bit shorter (ie they would not sit proud)? By the images on ebay, they look to sit flush with the peel-ply.
- Any other suggestions for a shouldered spacer? I don't use a lanyard, so don't actually need a hollow tube.
- Could I just leave the tube out completely?

Please, don't make me go this route :eek:

[Sharp Guy]

I would think the aftermarket tubes would be the same width. I can't say for sure since I've never bought one.

Also, I haven't tried it but I don't think you can leave the tube out since the shoulders help hold the liners in place. You can try it and see what happens. At worst it doesn't work and you go to plan B.

I think I'd just file or sand a little material off of each end, debur as necessary, and call it good.

[Brown_Recluse]

I haven't ordered any myself but I've seen other people get anodized hardware and lanyard tubes/plugs for PM2 and Para3 from Blades We Love and the lanyard plugs were specifically made smaller so they won't cause problems like the stock lanyard tubes. Doctor Frunkey recently made a video of him installing it on a Para3.

[PStone]

That sand job looks great! If that were my knife, I would try to sand down the tube you have first. Worst case, you’re buying another anyways. But best case, you got a really nice looking para3 that you didn’t have to buy another tube for

Can I ask how flush the stop pin and other screws are? I would think that if you took that much off the thickness, more than than the lanyard tube would be affected.

[Sharp Guy]

I haven't ordered any myself but I've seen other people get anodized hardware and lanyard tubes/plugs for PM2 and Para3 from Blades We Love and the lanyard plugs were specifically made smaller so they won't cause problems like the stock lanyard tubes. Doctor Frunkey recently made a video of him installing it on a Para3.

The Flytanium lanyard tubes are smaller in diameter too but that's not foofie's problem. He sanded his scales and made them thinner. So now the lanyard tube sits proud on each side.

[Woodpuppy]

How’d you get the stock lanyard tube back in? I chucked mine up in my drill press and used a file to take the flare out, there was no way it was going to go back in. I’d just file down your stock one, you could chuck it and use a file in the bottom, just mark off the amount you want to take off. I would not try to do it with a saw. I doubt a pipe cutter would work.

[foofie]

I haven't ordered any myself but I've seen other people get anodized hardware and lanyard tubes/plugs for PM2 and Para3 from Blades We Love and the lanyard plugs were specifically made smaller so they won't cause problems like the stock lanyard tubes. Doctor Frunkey recently made a video of him installing it on a Para3.

I only searched tubes. Plugs may be another way around the problem. Thanks.

[foofie]

That sand job looks great! If that were my knife, I would try to sand down the tube you have first. Worst case, you’re buying another anyways. But best case, you got a really nice looking para3 that you didn’t have to buy another tube for

Can I ask how flush the stop pin and other screws are? I would think that if you took that much off the thickness, more than than the lanyard tube would be affected.

Dirt - Thanks. You are corrrect that the tube is not the only hardware that is proud. The stop pin is usually a bit recesed, and the shoulders are rounded so it still looks/feels fine. The other screws (mid-body standoff) are also 1/2 a rotation proud - about 1/2 millimeter. To do it right, I should touch those to the grinder as well.

[foofie]

How’d you get the stock lanyard tube back in? I chucked mine up in my drill press and used a file to take the flare out, there was no way it was going to go back in. I’d just file down your stock one, you could chuck it and use a file in the bottom, just mark off the amount you want to take off. I would not try to do it with a saw. I doubt a pipe cutter would work.

Err... not so pretty :D
I centered the tube on the liners/g10, have the rest of the knife assembled, and then used a self-adjusting locking pliers (fancy name for a fancy wrench) to slowly squeeze. I use two pieces of leather so the teeth of the pliers do not touch the scales/tube.

Pipe cutter is an interesting idea - not sure there is enough purchase. Will have to dig one up.
I think file is the way to go. Maybe I will chuck up the tube like you did, to make it faster going?

I have something like these:

[PStone]

That sand job looks great! If that were my knife, I would try to sand down the tube you have first. Worst case, you’re buying another anyways. But best case, you got a really nice looking para3 that you didn’t have to buy another tube for

Can I ask how flush the stop pin and other screws are? I would think that if you took that much off the thickness, more than than the lanyard tube would be affected.

Dirt - Thanks. You are corrrect that the tube is not the only hardware that is proud. The stop pin is usually a bit recesed, and the shoulders are rounded so it still looks/feels fine. The other screws (mid-body standoff) are also 1/2 a rotation proud - about 1/2 millimeter. To do it right, I should touch those to the grinder as well.

The only reason I asked is because it looked so good and couldn’t tell from the photo

[foofie]

Just a bit of background too. I like blurple. I really do.
But... I also have been considering the cf/s90v version. I wanted to dry run what would happen if I sanded down the peel-ply CF scales. It is all definitely doable.

[Sjucaveman]

How’d you get the stock lanyard tube back in? I chucked mine up in my drill press and used a file to take the flare out, there was no way it was going to go back in. I’d just file down your stock one, you could chuck it and use a file in the bottom, just mark off the amount you want to take off. I would not try to do it with a saw. I doubt a pipe cutter would work.

I was able to put stock lanyard tubes back in without removing the flare in a bench vise with cloth over the jaws so add not to mark the scales. Regular g10 goes in easily enough, the peel ply CF offer much more resistance.

[KJKeyserSoze]

I also tried using my vise to get the original flared lanyard tube from my para 3 s45vn to go into new titanium scales, with success and I see bite marks now even with cloth over the vise. What is my next option ? Get the lanyard removal tool by sharp dressed knives and lanyard tube from flytanium?

[Woodpuppy]

Whoops.. I basically re-typed my whole response from up the page. My bad. I have nothing new to add and can’t delete my post :o