Emerson CQC8 Frame Lock Conversion

This one just up. I also did a CQC13 frame lock conversion for this same customer but forgot to take digitals before shipping that one off this week. This folder here got delayed a bit due to some difficulties I had with my tap matic breaking off taps trying to thread this .160 thickness beast. I finally won out stubbornly and got it done though and it turned out sweet if I do say so myself. Nice balance on these 8s when they are converted. I really like the feel of this one. Actually, truth be told I like the feel of the stock versions of this one also. Its a 'sexy' model and the only fault I ever found with it was the size which is a bit large for me personally. The Horseman coming up here in a few that will be posted is a very appealing folder much the same in its lines as the 8 but smaller and I see one of those in my immediate future. :-)

Thanks for looking. Hopefully I'll get some pictures of the 13 to post here before too long if I can talk the customer into taking some shots of it for me. If so I'll post it also. I shipped both separate when this one hit a snag so I guess that threw me off.

By the way, if the screw there in the stop throws you I have gone over that and how its done by me in some detail below in the Waveless CQC14 conversion posted here on the next page. Simply scroll down to older posts and go to the next page to read more about how and why I have done this when asked by customers. Contrary to popular belief this is not my 'default' way of doing these. I still do them with the original pin also. In fact most have been done that way. Its just something folks kept bringing up with me so I came up with something to offer those asking about a solution for what they saw as an issue.

STR

Gritter's CQC14 frame lock conversion

Update. Be sure to click on refresh once the page loads. Sometimes it does not bring up the new posts automatically since your last visit so you have to kind of remind it to do so. Thanks. I did this one just the other day. Packed it up forgetting to take pictures of it.

Gritter contacted me here after seeing one of the other 14s I did for someone else. He took a lot of pictures and these are not all of them but the ones I liked a lot. He also did a review with his youtube account here and another slide show which he posted the link to in the comments.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1tJTki7DmA

Anyway, there are some great comparison shots of the thickness differences between what I am using on most of these (.160) vs the stock thickness most often seen in production folders (.125) which in these shots is the Emerson Comrade 12 model.

Thanks for looking and thanks to Gritter for the great pictures.

STR

Three BUSSTR folders ready for a new home

I managed to knock out all three of these today. I wasn't sure if I could get all four done this week for folks but somehow the nice weather gave me a second wind so I got after it big time today.

The two shown in the second picture lef and right top are black and tan G10 and red and black G10 models. The red one is a red linen BUSSTR about like one already posted earlier in the first run of these BUSSTR folders sporting the wonderful little Cobbler blades. All of the four made here lately turned out quite well.

These high carbon blades are some kind of awesome! I know I've said that over and over but they really are great users.

Anyway, the two G10 models are 3.3 ounces each and the red linen one here is 3 ounces even up.

I've got to say that the pictures here don't do the black and tan and black and red G10 justice. These look really cool in the hand almost sparkling from the glass pack in the way they were made. Its the first chance I've used it and put some anatomy on the handles to bring out the layering.

Thanks for looking folks

STR

BUSSTR in black linen with thin Cobbler blade

This BUSSTR folder is yet another of more to follow from the second run of them using these thin Cobbler blades long discontinued from RagWeed forge. You can see the others throughout the first couple pages here as you scroll back in time. Its finished up and ready to go off to a new home.  

As shown this folder weighs in at 2.9 ounces but I'm sure it will be 3 ounces even with the clip mounted here soon. Like all the others this one is 4.5 " closed with a slightly over 3.125" blade. 

Thanks for looking. 

STR

STR's "He Man" Folder in D2

A new development if you have read over this before is a review done for the green handled D2 folder. This is on youtube by a friend and fellow knife nut, Cutlery Lover. Here is the link if you care to look it over in a video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-4JHTNnfsk

You might note that I've changed the name to simply the "He Man" model to make it easier that spitting out all the rest. Its still a RIL (Reeve Integral Design Lock but from now on these will be all be titled the He Man model since the lock is not for the faint at heart)

First pictures up are a couple shots of the folder I built and posted about yesterday in orange G10 side by side with the D2 model and then some solo of the D2 model I did today. This D2 folder is another birthday knife. It is one of several other birthday knives I've built on my birthday over the years since I started making folders. I don't do it every year and I've only kept one of them all this time although I often think at the time I'll keep them of course but rarely do I do it being the full blown knife addict I am. It seems each one gets a bit better than the last. I guess thats the way it should be though and this one is certainly nice.

Anyway, this D2 folder went together quite well. I used fancy stand offs in the rear instead of the standard ones like I did yesterday on the orange one. The washers in this D2 blade steel model are teflon as opposed to the PB washers used in the orange one and the action is quite smooth on both but I'd have to give the edge to the D2 model there. Unlike yesterdays model I did this D2 folder in textured green G10 for the overscale for adding some grippy texture to the slab.

I also equipped this folder with one of my signiture low rider clips and again this is a 'mans knife' just like the orange one is a man's knife because both of these folders are equipped with a very strong lock for no compromising strength! Even though the locks are stout the action for both knives is smooth and the blades roll out easy enough for convenient use. As you can see from the photos there are no wimpy lock cuts here thats for sure! These .095 thick ti slab models with no thinned down lock relief cut to bend the lock are probably as strong as a frame lock can be for the size and footprint of the folders. I did put a shallow cut in this one furthering my experimentation to see how much it would change the action. It didn't by much and the lock is still very thick. The lock cut does not go all the way across the lock but stops short of coming down to the bottom leaving the bottom of the lock solid as you can see in the photos. I suggest that these solid and near solid .095 locks are stronger than any .160 thick lock with .045 to .059 lock relief cuts to spring the locks given that you look at the folding knife system as a chain with a chain only being as strong as its weakest link. The weak link is all but eliminated in these thinner profile. 095 locks. Read more on that in the next post down from right before I did this folder.

The D2 model is a bit heavier than the one from yesterday. This one weighs in at 3.5 ounces. Measurements are the same as the orange G10 ATS34 blade model shown below in the next post which is also seen here side by side with my D2 model. As shown this folder has a hand rubbed blade finish vs the bead blasted finish for the ATS34 model.

Thanks for looking.

STR