Gator Skin texture pattern for the Endura

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BOOMER52
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Gator Skin texture pattern for the Endura

#1

Post by BOOMER52 »

I came up with a new texture (Gator Skin) that I wanted to play with... and decided to go with a bolstered look. Playing a bit with CAD I landed on a single bolster design and then went further and created a double bolster. After a day or two viewing the PREVIEW CAD images I decided to go with the double bolster BUT a reverse curve at the bolster junctions... it just suited the lines of the knife better.

I had the olive drab G10 but just a small amount of black G10 on hand and figured that the best way to go about this project was to do inlays. Here's some pics of the process...

This is the CAD PREVIEW of the original version...
Image

I then reversed the bolster junction curve...
Image

The idea was to use inlayed black G10 as I had very little on hand...
Image

The inlayed G10 would machine like this...
Image

AND... so it did...
Image

This is the result compared against the CAD PREVIEW image...
Image

Image

Fun project...!
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kennethsime
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#2

Post by kennethsime »

Woa, I thought this was just a CAD layout! Nice work! Did this Endura start life as a G-10? If not, did you mill out the inside of the scales to nest the liners like factory or build it linerless?
I'm happiest with Micarta and Tool Steel.

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#3

Post by BOOMER52 »

kennethsime wrote:Woa, I thought this was just a CAD layout! Nice work! Did this Endura start life as a G-10? If not, did you mill out the inside of the scales to nest the liners like factory or build it linerless?
This is an Endura 4 FRN and I do double sided machining for the nested liner pockets.
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Holland
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#4

Post by Holland »

That looks great! well done sir :spyder:
-Spencer

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Commendatore
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#5

Post by Commendatore »

Amazing scales!!
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IG-88
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#6

Post by IG-88 »

The scales are awesome! The Gator pattern is sweet to look at and looks very nice in green and black. The drawing and real knife look exactly the same! Great job!
It looks like this patterns gives a lot of gip. How do they feel in hand?
Current EDC: Techno, Squeak, Southard Flipper, Caly 3.5

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Clip
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#7

Post by Clip »

How much do you charge :)

Do you have a CNC setup at home that does this? Homebrew design with router or similar, or actual mill with CNC capability?
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BOOMER52
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#8

Post by BOOMER52 »

I do have a self designed and built CNC router. I use Vectric Aspire for CAD/CAM. Thinking about getting a mill so I translate into metals... especially Ti...!

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xceptnl
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#9

Post by xceptnl »

BOOMER52 wrote:I do have a self designed and built CNC router. I use Vectric Aspire for CAD/CAM. Thinking about getting a mill so I translate into metals... especially Ti...!

Image
Very nice.
Image
sal wrote: .... even today, we design a knife from the edge out!
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GTPowers
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#10

Post by GTPowers »

My jaw in on the floor and now I'll be tripping on it ALL DAY LONG!
Stellar work.
-GT
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#11

Post by CarbonFiberNut »

Anybody who builds a device out of 80/20 is OK by me ;)
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Ferris Wheels
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#12

Post by Ferris Wheels »

What kind of tolerances have you been able to maintain with your CNC router setup?
Current :spyder: : Para2's Brown, Blue & Orange, Etched Spin, CF Caly3 ZDP189, Gayle Bradley, UKPK Orange G10, Manix2 M4, Sage 1, Caly 3.5 in Super Blue, Urban Orange G10
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#13

Post by BOOMER52 »

Ferris Wheels wrote:What kind of tolerances have you been able to maintain with your CNC router setup?
Right from the get go it's been precise, accurate & repeatable with tolerances of .001" or less. The router runout has been the bigger issue... it varies from router to router!
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Rippervet
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#14

Post by Rippervet »

BOOMER52 wrote:I came up with a new texture (Gator Skin) that I wanted to play with... and decided to go with a bolstered look. Playing a bit with CAD I landed on a single bolster design and then went further and created a double bolster. After a day or two viewing the PREVIEW CAD images I decided to go with the double bolster BUT a reverse curve at the bolster junctions... it just suited the lines of the knife better.

I had the olive drab G10 but just a small amount of black G10 on hand and figured that the best way to go about this project was to do inlays. Here's some pics of the process...

This is the CAD PREVIEW of the original version...
Image

I then reversed the bolster junction curve...
Image

The idea was to use inlayed black G10 as I had very little on hand...
Image

The inlayed G10 would machine like this...
Image

AND... so it did...
Image

This is the result compared against the CAD PREVIEW image...
Image

Image

Fun project...!
Brother you have some wicked talent...GREAT JOB!!!
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Pomelly
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#15

Post by Pomelly »

You are really an Artist with the "A"big, really great job!!! WOW!
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Evil D
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#16

Post by Evil D »

I'm not really feeling the black bolsters, but I love that color green and love that texture. Very nice. My '85 Mustang is a similar olive green color.

Image
All SE all the time since 2017
~David
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#17

Post by BOOMER52 »

That 'stang is CLEAN!

I also do non-bolstered gator skin scales. These have 60 thou black G10 liners. All about choices!


Image
Image
Image
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Pomelly
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#18

Post by Pomelly »

But You are a monster! Does it is your job or "just" natural talent? And You make them just for You or sell it?
Congratulations for your great job, really impressive!
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Evil D
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#19

Post by Evil D »

BOOMER52 wrote:That 'stang is CLEAN!

I also do non-bolstered gator skin scales. These have 60 thou black G10 liners. All about choices!


Image
Image
Image
That is really cool. How do you tap the holes for the clip if your liners are G10?
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BOOMER52
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#20

Post by BOOMER52 »

The stainless liners are still nested in there... the liner I was referring to was just the thin G10 black color layer lining the inside of the scales. Strictly cosmetic.
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