Just created an H-1 delica 4 (2 pictures)

[beatlman87]

Just created an H-1 delica 4 (2 pictures) and wanted to share



By t7a13h87 at 2012-08-24


By t7a13h87 at 2012-08-24

[Blerv]

Nice Frankenspyder =)

[Donut]

That's pretty sweet. I'm surprised this is the first I've seen this done.

[beatlman87]

That's pretty sweet. I'm surprised this is the first I've seen this done.

I couldn't find any other pictures of anyone trying it so I had to do it. I bet the next gen salts have these handles

[Pockets]

That's pretty cool. When I read the title, I expected Photoshop, not the real thing. I like it!

[Holland]

very nice!

[KardinalSyn]

I like that.

Perhaps somewhere down the line, the Delica and Endura will be Salted. I am not worried about handle parts rusting, which won't happen anyway if a little care is taken. If they do, spares are available. Though the Salt line does have very similar versions to the Delica and Endura, this looks a lot nicer.

[1623]

Curious as to whether or not you used the hardware from the donor knife as it is also rust resistant.

[Prospero]

Very nice, beatlman! I'm tempted to try that myself using a different color scale. Did the final knife require any modifications or special work, or did the blade just "drop in?"

[PSquared]

Nice! How solid is the lock-up? The Salt / Delica 3 has a shorter lock bar than the Delica 4 so you wouldn't have swapped the lock bars as well (as I did when I did my Lil Matriarch / D4 blade swap). If the blade / lock bar interface is perfect I can see myself putting coloured scales on a Salt (not wild about the yellow as the only other colour) and get the slightly longer handle as well.

[beatlman87]

Curious as to whether or not you used the hardware from the donor knife as it is also rust resistant.

The only thing I switched was the blade. I wanted to switch the lockbar too but ran into trouble trying to loosen the screw in the salt's lockbar. It seems it isn't shouldered so as I turned the screw, the other side just turned with it and they would not seperate. I put it in hot water for a while to maybe weaken the thread locker but it wouldnt budge.

Very nice, beatlman! I'm tempted to try that myself using a different color scale. Did the final knife require any modifications or special work, or did the blade just "drop in?"

It dropped in perfectly! The only non perfect thing was a tiny bit of up and down play, and the very tip of the salt's balde was touching the FRN under the blade.

Nice! How solid is the lock-up? The Salt / Delica 3 has a shorter lock bar than the Delica 4 so you wouldn't have swapped the lock bars as well (as I did when I did my Lil Matriarch / D4 blade swap). If the blade / lock bar interface is perfect I can see myself putting coloured scales on a Salt (not wild about the yellow as the only other colour) and get the slightly longer handle as well.

The lock up had a tiny amount of up and down. Not enough I wouldn't use it, but you could hear it if you shook the knife. I also tried the same lock bar with a delica ffg balde and it had the same amount of play. I think that bar is only going to work perfectly with the balde it came with (delica wave)

I put the two knives back to the way they came. Im just going to RIT the Salt because the yellow that sticks up out of the pocket when clipped drives me crazy!

[dialex]

... I bet the next gen salts have these handles

Not very sure about this. The SS liners (and other SS hardware) used on regular Delicas deny the usefulness of an H1 blade.

[rcbalt2]

Looks nice. I like the idea of an H-1 delica.

[jackknifeh]

Very nice, beatlman! I'm tempted to try that myself using a different color scale. Did the final knife require any modifications or special work, or did the blade just "drop in?"

It dropped in perfectly! The only non perfect thing was a tiny bit of up and down play, and the very tip of the salt's balde was touching the FRN under the blade.

Nice! How solid is the lock-up? The Salt / Delica 3 has a shorter lock bar than the Delica 4 so you wouldn't have swapped the lock bars as well (as I did when I did my Lil Matriarch / D4 blade swap). If the blade / lock bar interface is perfect I can see myself putting coloured scales on a Salt (not wild about the yellow as the only other colour) and get the slightly longer handle as well.

The lock up had a tiny amount of up and down. Not enough I wouldn't use it, but you could hear it if you shook the knife. I also tried the same lock bar with a delica ffg balde and it had the same amount of play. I think that bar is only going to work perfectly with the balde it came with (delica wave)

Great job. Looks great. About your up/down blade play;

I put the Manbug ZDP blade in my G-10 Manbug. I swapped just the blade and the lock bar was higher than the liners when the knife was open. The lock bar didn't seat in the notch in the blade tang fully. So I used the lockbar that was originally in the ZDP knife keeping the blade and lockbar together. Then the lockbar was only a TINY bit higher than the liners in the knife with the ZDP/G-10 combo. It wasn't enough to see or feel unless you really looked for it. AND there was a little up/down play as well. Wanting perfection I thought about taking one side of the knife off so you have the scale/bolster, liner on the table. The back spacer, spring, lockbar and blade could sit there and I could look at how the blade tang notch and lockbar met. Since the lockbar didn't go into the tang far enough I figured I could grind metal somewhere allowing the lock bar to fit a TINY bit lower in the tang to be even with the liners and get rid of the vertical play. I never did to this for two reasons. I wanted to be able to put the knives back if I wanted to and I also was worried about doing more harm. A little too much steel removed and it can be a disaster. Anyway, after about 3 days the lockbar is now even more even with the liners and the "mod" isn't necessary. The pieces seem to have "settled" into near perfection.

BUT, it raised the question in my mind of would I go as far as grinding the tang or lockbar if switching a blade resulted in parts not being even. I haven't answered that question yet and it will probably be a decision made on a knife by knife basis. That is if I ever do this again.


Jack

[jackknifeh]

Not very sure about this. The SS liners (and other SS hardware) used on regular Delicas deny the usefulness of an H1 blade.

Is there a difference in the liners and hardware in the salt knives? Are they more corrosion resistant than "standard" hardware?

Jack

[Donut]

Is there a difference in the liners and hardware in the salt knives? Are they more corrosion resistant than "standard" hardware?

Jack

The Delica 3 and Endura 3 series had solid FRN scales. The Delica 4 and Endura 4 series has steel liners on the inside of the scales. It makes sense to use the Delica 3/Endura 3 design to create the Salt series because it is much easier and cheaper to make them rust proof.

If you use the Delica 4/Endura 4 design to create the Salt line, then you have to use H1 or Titanium for the liners and instantly your price goes way up. I doubt people will be running to pay near $100 for a Salt series knife.

The current design on the Salt series seems to be taking quite a beating. I don't see many threads on the Salt knives breaking.


To directly answer your question, it has been said that every component of the salt series is rust proof. The clips are titanium. A couple of professional divers have posted and say that the Salt knives die (suspecting the spring) after a couple years of daily use in water. I have been watching and haven't seen anyone officially say what they use for the spring, I don't think you can use Titanium or H1 as a spring, so maybe that one piece is using a normal (not completely rust resistant) spring steel.

[Zenith]

Donut...much better put then I would have.

Its been mentioned before on forums. For many, frankly, won't like it. The salt series is perfect for its design philosophy.

[beatlman87]

I have to agree. The salt designs are perfect for what they are meant to do. The only down side is the volcano style FRN. I have used my serrated salt 1 to cut through tough materials and when pulling the knife back I can feel my grip slip because the serrations are holding on to the material so well. I know they probably wont change the FRN to the bi-directional delica 4 handle, but it would be welcome for better grip, especially when your hands are sweaty or wet

[Jazz]

Not very sure about this. The SS liners (and other SS hardware) used on regular Delicas deny the usefulness of an H1 blade.

What he said exactly, and the Salts are our last wonderful, linerless Spydies, so enjoy them. It does look cool, and I'm impressed, and amazed it fit right in, though.

- best wishes, Jazz.