Spyderco Forums

Hi forum,

last week I received a Ti fluted Millie directly from Spyderco and I just wanted to share some Ti-pimp features with you. I really like the knife, it is built like a tank, slightly slimmer than the regular Millie and....blab blah features discussed a million times :rolleyes:

Here is what I did. I really like the seashell pattern but the 'silverish' appearance of the new knife doesn't show it that much around the pivot where the patternlines are finer and the milling shallower. It is there but not enough to my likings. So I sandblasted the scales with Aluminum-oxide and than sanded them lightly with 2000 grit sandpaper. That made the deeper milled parts coarse and darker while the higher 'ribs' of the pattern came out shiny. It contrasts very nicely, even in finer parts of the pattern around the pivot. I emphasize 'lightly'; putting to much pressure on the sandpaper and the deeper milled parts will be shiny as well and than the entire effect is gone.
You can also see some other lines from the milling process in the scales, but that is fine. This 'highlighting'-technique also gives the knife a worn and aged appearance.









I hope the pictures show my story a bit, I am not much of an photographer....sorry :o
Finally I replaced the screws and clip by Ti and added a Ti-spacer, I hate it when keys or coins ruin my edge when carrying in an open construction.
Screw together, loctite, breakfree and done... :) Ti is a really wonderful material to work with.

cheers,
Tom

I really like that. I've always thought this model would look really good with some wear.

nice!

Your pictures certainly does your workmanship justice! The starburst pattern around the pivot stands out and really looks great, and seems you were able to bring out more color along the scales. Nicely done!

I have to be honest here.

To my eye, the area around the pivot looks bad.

Those perpendicular striations ruin the effect to me...they almost look like big chatter marks from machining at the factory.

The first fluted Ti Military I bought had the exact same things and I returned it to New Graham and asked them to hand pick one from their inventory that did not have those marks. They were able to comply. That fact alone shows me there's a little bit of inconsistency in the execution of the fluting-- no doubt a hard effect to pull off....just recall the fluted Carbon Fiber Native.

IIRC, there was a thread here or over on BF about those striations across the pivot area.

It's good that you're pleased with it.

I like your work, it really does look much better and defined.

I do agree with paladin, too. As a machinist, it appears that when they roughed out the scales, they failed to leave enough stock on to get rid of the roughing pattern when they finished the knife with the fluted pattern.

Seriously though, good job with your execution bringing out the pattern and having enough skill not to smooth out the scales. It is an art to execute good bench work like that.

Hi all, thanks for the compliments. Indeed, those striations don't look that nice. The blasting and highlighting make them come out more as well. I understand that specialists like you Adam can see where it went wrong. Indeed without it would have been better and nicer. However I am satified with the knife, the milling and my modification. Those flaws are ok for me..... :rolleyes: Is your handpicked Millie totally without those striations Paladin?

The striations aren't that great looking, but I appreciate the work you put into it. If you look past the minor manufacturing flaw, the pattern you've managed to highlight around the pivot is indeed quite beautiful.

Specifically, the second photo you posted shows it off well.

Tom, sorry didn't mean to sound like I was critical of your work :o ...

I really appreciate when a SpyderKnut takes a model and makes it his/her own through mods or use...

I love what you did with the Ti. :)

And my Millie is without the chatter marks about the pivot. :spyder:

Hi Paladin, not at all do I consider your message as critial of my work, thank you for this second compliment as well
Besides that I even more appreciate the honesty :rolleyes:
It is interesting where the topic led; to the milling-production-process of the liners. When I look in the catalogue I see the same perpendicular lines around the pivot. Do other Ti scales (like the N5 Ti) also show these marks? And who makes the Ti scales for Millie?