What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

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M4Life
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What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#1

Post by M4Life »

Hey everyone, I wanted to see what you all thought of customizing knives i.e. aftermarket parts, regrinds, anodization, mirror polishing, acid washing, that kind of stuff. Do you love the idea or hate it are there some things that you will do to customize your knives and others where you draw the line, and will you only use custom parts and mods that you did yourself, or are you fine with buying aftermarket parts and mods from someone else? Also what are your guys thoughts on lanyards?
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knivesandbooks
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#2

Post by knivesandbooks »

About the only customization I do is reprofiling the levels to something more acute. I don't do this on every knife but I do it on some.
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steelcity16
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#3

Post by steelcity16 »

When I first started I liked the idea of things like custom scales, scale swaps, rit dye, etc., but I am now fully in the unmodified stock only camp. All of my modified knives have been sold or are in the pile to sell. There are so many I like in their stock configuration, that having the freedom to modify things was causing my collection to get out of hand. Only buying ones I love in stock form has allowed me to keep my collection to a reasonable level. This is one reason why I wouldnt like a custom shop! :eek:
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#4

Post by vivi »

I won't carry a knife I haven't customized.

Bare minimum is reprofiling the edge to a thinner angle, and also giving it a sharper apex than it left the factory with.

Additionally I might regrind the primary grind, mod the handle shape, regrind the tip to a thinner point, remove a blade coating, grind off humps or points on the blade (ground the spyderohole & hump off my Ark), drill new holes in a sheath so it takes g clips, polish liners for improved corrosion resistance or smoother opening, polishing lock interfaces if they feel gritty etc.
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Evil D
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#5

Post by Evil D »

It isn't always necessary but I typically do something to almost everything I carry even if it's something as simple as polishing the pivot or detent path.

I have on occasion gone to great lengths to make a knife more personal..
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#6

Post by Bill1170 »

I like to make my tools “my own” in some way. Knives always get sharpened, sometimes thinned out, convexed, and/or mirror polished. I have waved a few folders, tweaked G-10 handles for comfort, etc.
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#7

Post by Pelagic »

I'm all for getting the scales you prefer, thinning out the blade as you wish, modifying the tip to make it stronger (drop point at end), polishing washers and other hardware to your liking, etc. Very few spyderco's need mods imo, but if you're paying over $100 for a knife you should like it. If the mods truly make the knife more useful or more enjoyable, go for it!
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holeshot
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#8

Post by holeshot »

It's your knife. Do whatever make you happy. Having a excellen foundation to start with doesn't hurt.
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anycal
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#9

Post by anycal »

Changing the pocket clip orientation on my PM2s, as it comes the 'wrong' way from factory ;)

If adjusting action and centering is considered customization, then there is that. Once in a while, custom pocket clip or modified stock clip. Scale swap on my PM2s to match my style. And although I tried custom scales on couple occasions, I have always reverted to stock scales. Not planning on doing that again.
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Jazz
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#10

Post by Jazz »

Sometimes, I just have to adjust something to my liking.

http://www.spyderco.com/forumII/viewtop ... =6&t=43214
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#11

Post by kodai78 »

I like deep carry clips. I also like to sand G10 so it’s smoother to the touch sometimes. I think custom standoffs can be cool. Switching the orientation of the clip to preference is pretty mild customization in my opinion but it’s certainly something I would do if I preferred a different placement. I have tried some custom scales and I may again but currently I have only stock.
I think it’s cool to customize and if you want to go for it!
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Mako109
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#12

Post by Mako109 »

I have no qualms about modifying my knives. I like making them my own and the experience deepens my appreciation for them. In fact I prefer knives that allow modification and that have a strong network of third party makers that can offer options.
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MadmanR1
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#13

Post by MadmanR1 »

I mod almost everything. My cars and trucks suffer my tinkering the most, but very few knives have remained stock either.
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#14

Post by The Mastiff »

Bare minimum is reprofiling the edge to a thinner angle, and also giving it a sharper apex than it left the factory with.
Yep, me too. Even on knives that come very well done like the newer PM2 & 3 I've bought recently will eventually get my edge on it. Nothing unusual but at the least thinner and a higher grit finish.

Eventually I'll refinish the blade with paper and wool but that is only after I've scratched it up. I no longer have a shop area so I keep things simple.

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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#15

Post by dsvirsky »

Other than reprofiling, or maybe removing the clip and adding a fob, I have no interest in customizing my Spydies. I also have no interest in tweaking the action or centering the blade. I buy a knife, use it, sharpen it, repeat as necessary. If I want custom, I buy custom.
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#16

Post by ABX2011 »

I've done some modding on Spydies but much more so on other brands that are less refined and need tweaking.
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MichaelScott
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#17

Post by MichaelScott »

I don’t modify my knives except to remove or reposition the clip, maybe add a fob. I don’t consider these to be actual modifications as they can easily be reversed.
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Tucson Tom
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#18

Post by Tucson Tom »

This is called "pimping out" your knives. Not for me. I do have warm feelings about sharpening them though.

I have no beef with people doing what they want with their knives, or in general for that matter.

If something bugs you and you can do something about it, do it !!
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SpyderEdgeForever
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#19

Post by SpyderEdgeForever »

Regarding customizing and modifying your knives, would any of you do this or some variation of it?

There is a knife user I know who insists on any serious using knife having a decently-wide thong hole to tie a cord or paracord through, for various uses in the field such as attaching to a pole for an emergency spear in a survival situation, and, also to be able to hang on a tool hook or also in order to wrap a cord around the hand if on the water when fishing or engaging in water based activities, so as not to lose the knife.

Obviously this cannot be done on all models, especially certain folders. But if done correctly can it be modified in this way so as not to allow cracks or fractures to spread in the handle/scale material?

Also, would or have any of you ever sanded down texturing in a FRN or G10 or other grip, or, added texturing for a better grip?
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Naperville
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Re: What's your opinion on customizing your knives?

#20

Post by Naperville »

I'm all for making the knife your own. I had a CRKT M16 folder many moons ago that I took a grinder to the butt of the knife so as to sharpen it so that both ends of the knife could be used for defensive tactics.

I have scales to retrofit a couple of Spyderco knives, but have not yet taken the knives apart. It's on my ToDo List.

I'm waiting to buy a better knife sharpener and I'll reprofile all of my EDC knives to around 15 degrees. Since I don't tromp around in the woods, even my 1095 ESEE Junglass is going to get a 20 degree edge on it.
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