Kopa Assault Project

[STR]

I will try to put a step by step as I go in this thread. This is a rather unique situation from a Spyderco owner who bought a NIB Kopa Evrina ( C92EVP ) just to have it rebuilt using teal G10 scales. Originally he just wanted it redone using the original liners and other things that could be reused besides the blade, lockbar and spring, but it turned out getting it done that way was not going to happen.

This is my own fault really because in the course of working on Deacon's Kopa for him I let it out to someone that the Kopa in fact had liners under the bolsters. I guess I always thought it was solid you know. Like that the bolster and liner were all carved out of the same block of steel on each side. The truth is that the Japanese do such a fine job of fit and finish that you can't even see the lines anymore where things join when they get done with it. Well, you can if you look very very hard but only in certain spots. Its the same with the pivot, and other exposed pins. They are very difficult if not impossible to see once finished.

Anyway, to get after it the first step is to take it all apart. That is easier said than done with this folder. The whole reason I ended up having to do a complete rebuild rather than be able to reuse the liners and old spacer as originally planned is because it got beat up pretty bad getting it apart. I had to hammer the liners straight again just to get a decent shot here and they are still bowed some. Of course I saw this possibility and it was discussed before hand though. By the way. If you guys think I want to get back to doing this kind of work think again. This is like working on a slip joint. In other words it was a royal PITA! During the course of discussions it was decided that since I have to rebuild the liners too since the old ones were shot that I'd go ahead and make the new folder longer by 1/4" to 3/8". Lets get started.

Notice the little white chunk of the original handle scale material there in the break down pic? Thats the biggest piece left after getting it apart. Notice also that one bolster is missing. I've come to the conclusion that there is a hiding place in my shop that screws and other parts with minds of their own disappear to to escape me. I looked for it. I have no earthly idea where it went. Its out there with all the other parts in la la land or off with the elves or something. :D

Once its apart the second step is to map out the new liners for the G10 scales. You can see that in picture two by the ruler showing the new length it will be when done.

Third step will be creating a new spacer/spring holder to fit the longer body and that will be up later as this will go start to finish unless I get an objection.

Thanks

[DRod]

This will be an interesting project to follow. You do amazing work, Im sure that will reflect in this project. :)

[The Deacon]

Steve, thanks for showing the breakdown photos. This will be an interesting project to follow.

Regarding the missing bolster, too bad we don't live closer to one another. I could loan you "Missy the Wonder Ferret" my ace finder of lost (and not yet lost :rolleyes: :D ) knife parts. Right now, among her swag is one "side" from a burgundy Goddard, one from a yellow Atlantic Salt and both steel slabs from a Stretch. :confused:

[dedguy]

So I guess you're working with G-10 now? Sounds like an interesting project. Are the handles going to be full G-10 or will the front bolsters remain? I imagine the rear bolsters would be impossible to include due to the lengthened handle/

[Piet.S]

Thanks for sharing this project here Steve.
Hope you find that bolster back.
A Kopa is not the easiest knife to rebuild I think.

[STR]

So I guess you're working with G-10 now?

Ok. About the G10 thing. Believe me I don't want to say I'm working with G10. Fact is this guy that owns this knife is one of my all time best friends and once again allowed me to do it in such a way as to use 1/8" thick stock so all I have to do is cut it as precisely as I can get it with the barn doors wide open and a respirator on, do as little sanding as possible and bead blast the finish. If I had to do any serious amount of sanding to shape the handles and create a lot of G10 dust I'd have told him Micarta was his only option as I've done before. I have to pick the days when I am able to open up every door in my shop. Its in the 80s here today. Besides this I turn on every fan, vacuum the cuts on the band saw and vacuum any sanding thats done and all the while I wear a vest and respirator to even get near it. I look like I'm going into surgery by the time my wife gets done dressing me for this stuff. Believe me he'll pay dearly for putting me through it. :eek:

I know I've told several of you that I won't work with G10. Truth is my wife bought me a much better respirator a while back, I invested in some other things like good vacuums, the vest and masks but even after all this I'm still I'm not advertising that I will work it. Even when I do I cut as many corners as possible to avoid a lot of the dust accumulating in my shop. I don't stock G10 and prefer to avoid it at all cost but on occasion I will make every effort to please. Hope that explains best I can about that. I assure you it scares me every time I use it. The last thing I want is another asthma attack and a trip to the ER. Maybe its been too much time and I've forotten I don't know.

Anyway, step three and four are done now.

Next will be step five which will be drilling the holes which involves tapping the new liners and spacer, making the new knife tip up carry which my friend thinks it should have been anyway, then creating a nice little 'beautiful pocket clip for it and then of course the blade and lock bar will have to be drilled out for the new barrels for the new body construction.

Stay tuned.

STR

[STR]

Step 3 and 4 are up.

Seen here is the new spring holder/spacer bar in the correct new thickness and length for the new longer liners and handle. The new folder will have .003 PB washers in it and the thickness of the spacer had to increase by that much or as close as possible to satisfy me. So thats done.

Then my wife helped me prepare for surgery and I went out and cut the G10 scales. Thats up below also.

Next up we drill holes after marking them precisely.

STR

[dedguy]

Don't worry STR, I'm over G-10 these days. All about the wood and metal.

[STR]

Ok well, these step by step things are harder to do for me than I remembered. Having to hike the 60 paces one way to my computer from my shop is a pain so I skipped ahead here. Lets see we have up step five, six, seven and eight and more all at the same time here.

Step five as you recall was drilling the holes after marking. Thats done.
Step six was threading any and all holes that needed that done and its a been there done that thing now.
Step seven was cutting screws to fit in the threaded spacer. Done
Step eight was making the liners all to shape.
Step nine was bead blasting all the parts
Step ten was getting a working folder. All that is done now.

Seen here we have a working folder. Next step is to once again get my wife's help to dawn my 'surgery attire' to work the G10 scales in the mix and we'll be done and it will be on to step eleven to make a pocket clip.

Once thats done step twelve will be marking and drilling the holes for the clip and lucky number thirteen will be threading those clip holes
Fourteen, finishing out the clip
Fifteen bead blasting it and calling it a done folder.

Finally step sixteen will be to simply take the entire folder apart one last time to anodize all the new titanium parts a teal blue color to match the scales of teal G10.

Oh yeah. I forgot to mention. My friend, the owner of this knife, Friz, told me that this all started when he saw the Caly IV at the shot show. He got very excited about it and wanted one but grows more and more impatient I guess. Anyway, he decided to move forward with one of his own and this is the result. Not a bad idea. It fits the hand pretty good now really.

Stay tuned. It will be done today. :D

STR

[STR]

I have a request to see it closed. Here it is and I'm heading back to the shop.

Thanks for looking.

STR

[Harry White]

Wow! This is a fascinating thread. Thanks for doing, STR.

The new Kopa looks almost a half-inch longer. Can't wait for the finished piece.

[STR]

Ok this one is done but I think I screwed it up Friz. I'm afraid I'm going to have to have it a couple years to figure it out too because its that bad.

Not buying it? Yeah me neither. I guess this Kopa has been officially assaulted. :D I named it the "Kopa XL" in the final pics.

Personally I'd carry this one without the clip but I know Friz likes them so I am sure he won't. Anyway, on to other projects.

Thanks for looking.

STR

[STR]

Two more quick ones and I'm off to grab a bite.

Thanks again for the compliments and questions. I got the PMs guys. I will reply I've just been tied up. Sorry.

STR

[Fred Sanford]

Very nice work Steve. Looks very good.

It's hard to tell what color that G10 is. What color is it?

It's really a neat looking knife. I'm wondering if you should be working at Spyderco? :)

[STR]

It looks teal in person. I didn't buy it so I do not know what it was sold as or where it came from.

STR

[Th232]

Very nice job you did there!

[Harry White]

Looks great! Definitely a different color than anything I've seen before on a knife -- most unique. Thanks again for posting.

[Bolster]

Thanks much for posting this STR, very very interesting!

[will_77]

Very nice, STR. In the end, being bead blasted, the G10 ended up looking like the turquoise canvas micarta that you've used in the past.

[The Deacon]

Excellent work, as usual Steve. It's wonderful that those of us who are not always totally satified with the "look and feel" of a given Spyderco model, but see it as something that has great potential, to have someone who can bring it closer to our personal vision of perfection. Know I've been enjoying having a Kopa I actually WANT to carry, am sure this one's owner will feel the same about it.