Pocket clip (wood-) screws just in wood?

[Wartstein]

Have been trying to sell my Zirikote-wood-scale Millie for quite some time now, but just can´t find a buyer.
So I figured, I´ll start to carry it myself again, and "mod" it a bit more to my preferences

One thing I don´t like about the Millie, is the tip down carry. Now I am thinking about mounting the clip in tip up position, which would also give me the opportunity to create a rather shallow carry (I don´t like "deep" carry in larger knives at all, but want a good amount sticking out of the pocket and less IN the pocket)

I´d do this by just mounting the clip using regular wood screws and maybe some glue.

On my Millie it very much looks like as if the screws are only attached into the wood anyway (and not into the metal of the liner), but I can´t quite see it and don´t want to disassemble the knife.

- How is this on the G10 Millie (I got my wood scale Millie used as it is, never owned a regular G10 model)?
- And has anyone ever mounted a pocket clip on a wooden handle by just using wood screws? If so, any issues?

I´d appreciate any input!

(Pic: Handle and clip as of right now)

[zhyla]

You're saying you think if you pull the scales off there aren't holes in the liners for the clip? That sounds impossible. Wood that thin isn't going to hold that clip very well.

I would drill and tap the liners to make this tip up. Or just leave it as is. It is a pretty piece.

[Wartstein]

You're saying you think if you pull the scales off there aren't holes in the liners for the clip? That sounds impossible. Wood that thin isn't going to hold that clip very well.

I would drill and tap the liners to make this tip up. Or just leave it as is. It is a pretty piece.

Thanks!
No, I haven´t pulled the scales off yet!
But on the Millie I could not drill any liners anyway for tip up carry, cause on the back of the handle there are no liners anymore (Millie has only partial liners).

/ Well... If I carry the knife (again) myself, tip up is way more important to me personally than "pretty" Carried it occasionally, tip down is just not for me, even though it makes some sense in such a large knife.

[Larry_Mott]

I'd rather sell the scales as is than "ruin" them with three more holes.. Perhaps a scale maker can make a threaded steel insert for tip up carry on a new set?

[ferider]

Pretty knife and scales.

I very much recommend not to use wood-screws, you'll pull them out immediately when using the clip.

What you could do is use machine clip screws, and put a piece of metal on the other side of your scales. For example, if you have an old Endura steel liner, you could cut out - say - ~2 cm^2 around the Endura liner's clip screw holes, and use that piece of metal to attach on the inside of your Military wood scale, by using a fitting Endura pocket clip.

Roland.

[The Deacon]

If there are any hobby shops in your area that caters to RC aircraft or boat modelers, consider using machine screws and blind nuts like these:

https://www.dubro.com/collections/faste ... blind-nuts

[zhyla]

Ah, ok, so for solid wood liners I think I would consider drilling slightly oversize holes, filling with a tough epoxy (jbweld maybe?), and then re-drilling and tapping the epoxy. That should allow machine screws to hold well enough.

You can also look into thread inserts such as is used on the liner less manix 2 backlocks.

[Bill1170]

If there are any hobby shops in your area that caters to RC aircraft or boat modelers, consider using machine screws and blind nuts like these:

https://www.dubro.com/collections/faste ... blind-nuts

Those are commonly called “tee nuts.” I’ve never before seen ones that small - good find. The three prongs are there to hold the nut in the wood and to resist rotation. Those prongs are a bit large for a hard species like zircote, and could split the wood. Filed smaller/sharper would shrink the risk of splitting. There exists an alternate design of tee nut that resists rotation via several deformations in the outer surface of the threaded barrel portion. If the OP could find those in tiny sizes, they would be a safer bet for the wood scales.

[Wartstein]

If there are any hobby shops in your area that caters to RC aircraft or boat modelers, consider using machine screws and blind nuts like these:

https://www.dubro.com/collections/faste ... blind-nuts

Thanks to all of you (can´t quote everone here) for your help!! I´ll look into your suggested solutions and what will work best..

And yes, I know I´ll "ruin" the knife concerning what it is worth on the market, and maybe will ruin it literally... but since it is just impossible to find a buyer where I live anyway, I want to at least really use and carry it, and I´ll l just like it better tip up... Really NOTHING wrong with having pretty collector pieces or safe queens, but that is just not for me...

[Surfingringo]

Hey Warstein, I can relate. If you aren’t a “collector” and aren’t going to sell the knife then it would be silly not to modify it to your liking. I definitely would NOT try to attach screws just to the wood. That wood is simply too thin for that. Either use threaded inserts or countersink small steel plates (like one cm x one cm) on the inside of the handle and drill and tap those for the clip screws. The threaded inserts are the easiest way to go though. I have done it myself and did a functional job (though I botched one of the three holes). Forum member Chad Kelly “xplorer” has done a done a number of these and could tell you the right hardware and technique if he sees this.

[vivi]

When I had my BG42/CF Military modded for tip up carry, the person who did the mod uses a steel plate on the inside of the scale to attach the screws. It worked very well. I found the Millie a lot more comfortable to carry tip up.