RIL/G10 handle construction on a Cricket or Balance?

JLS · #1

I just responded on another thread about the M4 Military sprint handle construction. To my recollection, we had this sprint, the Leafstorm and the Chokwe with a Ti RIL on one side and G-10 on the other.

Is there any chance of getting a Cricket or Balance with the same treatment? I don't need titanium for the lock side, so there really wouldn't be that much difference for production. I'm also fine with VG-10 as the steel, though I wouldn't object to something else to set it apart either. I don't have a Balance yet, but I know with the Cricket, that I'd love to have a little bit more grip on the handle as I pull it out of my pocket.

I know the simple thing would be to make a front scale for myself, but considering that I'm rarely home, my garage is really cold and I have 4 Mules, 2 Swicks and a Caspian in the works right now, chances are slim.

Besides, I can't be the only one to want this, right? Maybe I should contact a couple of the dealers that have done sprints in the past and see if they're intersted.

spydutch · #2

Cricket for me please :D

Would be one helluva expensive Cricket, but I'll buy two.

Fully serrated of course. :p

Except for 420J, steel doesn't matter

JLS · #3

I would guess somewhere about $20-25 extra over a regular SS Cricket, so long as we kept VG-10 for the steel. Hopefully I'm not too far off on that estimate. You'd need a new toolpath to cut the G-10 scale and probably new pivot and handle bolt hardware for the extra thickness, but that's it. I'd gladly pay that to save myself the trouble of making front scales. I'm guessing a lot of other would as well.

MSRP is $105 with street prices about $60-65. $80-90 would be pushing it for a lot of people, but I would probably grab a PE and two SE for that price. Anybody else?

dgulbra · #4

I would love to see more knives in general with g10 and a RIL. I live my chokwe for this very reason. I would love a pm2 with an ATR style lock and g10.

DeathBySnooSnoo · #5

JLS wrote:I would guess somewhere about $20-25 extra over a regular SS Cricket, so long as we kept VG-10 for the steel. Hopefully I'm not too far off on that estimate. You'd need a new toolpath to cut the G-10 scale and probably new pivot and handle bolt hardware for the extra thickness, but that's it. I'd gladly pay that to save myself the trouble of making front scales. I'm guessing a lot of other would as well.

MSRP is $105 with street prices about $60-65. $80-90 would be pushing it for a lot of people, but I would probably grab a PE and two SE for that price. Anybody else?

Couldn't they use the same tooling that was used for the CF version?

IrishSpyder22 · #6

I'm a sucker for the balance and would like to see different variations of it and g10 with RIL would be pretty sweet

JLS · #7

DeathBySnooSnoo wrote:Couldn't they use the same tooling that was used for the CF version?

Possibly/probably. I somehow doubt the CF was stamped, so it would be more of a master pattern for a duplicator or just a machine program, whether that's a laser, mill, etc. From my manufacturing perspective, so long as the blade and lock remain unchanged, many of the headaches are taken care of. Sourcing longer bolts would probably be the biggest headache of the project.

Since it's relatively simple (easy for me to say), I have hope that this might happen.

JLS · #8

I couldn't wait for them to do it, so I did one myself. It's not G10, strictly speaking, but close enough. Plus this looks cooler. I will have to get some textured G10 and do it right soon. It really wasn't too scary.

I'll have to get some pictures in better light tomorrow. The blue on the board really pops nicely.

ABergh10 · #9

WOW....

That system board is soooo cool!!!!

Mallus · #10

Very nice! How did you make the D shaped hole for the pivot bolt? That's were I'm stuck, I've had a dismantled Cricket waiting for a new scale for over a year now...

And for the record: Yes, I too think G10 front piece would be perfect for a production Crickett as well. Being thin is beneficial for some users, I guess, but I'd gladly have a little choppier Cricket if it gave with more grip. Fishing the thing from the pocket would be that much easier!

Jay_Ev · #11

Mallus wrote:Very nice! How did you make the D shaped hole for the pivot bolt? That's were I'm stuck, I've had a dismantled Cricket waiting for a new scale for over a year now...

And for the record: Yes, I too think G10 front piece would be perfect for a production Crickett as well. Being thin is beneficial for some users, I guess, but I'd gladly have a little choppier Cricket if it gave with more grip. Fishing the thing from the pocket would be that much easier!

There's supposed to be a glass fiber Cricket later this year if you can wait 'till then.

Mallus · #12

Jay_Ev wrote:There's supposed to be a glass fiber Cricket later this year if you can wait 'till then.

Hi Jay,

Thanks for the reminder! I wonder if this refers to Nishijin glass fibre? That's good looking material, offers little in the way of improved traction, though.

jonUSA,EARTH · #13

Heres mine :)

Pneumothorax · #14

JLS wrote:I know the simple thing would be to make a front scale for myself, but considering that I'm rarely home, my garage is really cold and I have 4 Mules, 2 Swicks and a Caspian in the works right now, chances are slim.

Besides, I can't be the only one to want this, right? Maybe I should contact a couple of the dealers that have done sprints in the past and see if they're intersted.

Josh, if you would quit fooling around with them fixed blades with the hole that dont work, you would have time!! You im kidding, thanks for the scales on my Swick 2. To answer your question, I would like that. The CF Balance is too thick for its size, so RIL would be perfect.