SS4 Beakless Handle Mod (56K)

I cut the beak off my user Street Scrapper 4 handle.




Narrowed & smoothed out the swell using Dremel w/ sanding drum..




Finished (pretty much)..




-----

Oh.. and now it's Stripped too!

* Inspiration..
One day I was in the garage flipping my SS4 user around, grip changes, chopping air, etc.. and the beak caught on something (clothing?).. my SS4 flew tip first into the concrete floor! Took a chunk of concrete out.. surprisingly tip was ok! ..just a small bur on the end of tip.

I also plan to EDC this SS4 concealed along with my Glock.. so goodbye beak.

If you have Large hands, you prolly won't like this mod.. as the SS4 handle isn't all that big to begin with.

* X-Ray
Hog Feet's x-rays of the SS4 Tang over at BF came in Very handy..
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=444088
..I scaled it to life size, printed out, and used as a template.. to know exactly where tang was.. where to cut & where not to cut.

* Problems i ran into..
In this rough mid-production pic.. you can see the voids in the Res-C, probably air bubbles during the injection molding..




* Res-C & fire..
Err.. i'll talk about That one another day..

* Impressions.
It's more compact now. Lot easier to flip around, get into ice pick grip, etc.
That beak is actually great for choking back on and getting a lot more leverage for chopping.. unfortunately SS4 blade doesn't have any mass for chopping. That kind of beak would be Awesome on a heavier HRLM type blade.

The SS4 still ate this X-mas tree though <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ..

I love seeing folks truely make a knife their own!

Very nice, I bought a dremmel just to carve on my SS4 handle, please share your tips.

oddball,
Oh you're gonna Love that Dremel! there are soooo many bits to choose from.
It is my "go to" tool hanging front & center on my workbench pegboard.

-eye protection.. good wraparound, scratch resistant coating helps. Cuz stuff gets flung around Fast! i use racquetball goggles w/ elastic band when hanging upside & griding stuff.

-get all the combo bit packs with lots of different bits.. try each bit in the same material.. that's the best way to see cutting characteristics of each bit.. see what kinda lines/patterns they leave behind, etc.

-vary the rpm cutting speed too.. handy for different types of material.

-practice on your crappy knives/guns first to get the hang of it.
(someday i'll tell about the time i accidentally made my 1911 .45 go full auto! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />)

-In the beginning you prolly want to clamp workpiece in a vice so you can use 2 hands on Dremel, to get a feel for when it wants to kickback, or pull sideways, etc. Once you get the hang of it you can hold workpiece in one hand, and grind/cut with other hand.

-I made an "adapter" out of wood for clamping my Dremel in my Vice.. making a stationary grinder/cutter. I find it's handier than my bench grinder for small work.. can change bits.

Tony...that is sweet wok bro!!!


I dig it!

I know all about using a Dremel, I just have never owned one.

I have used die grinders, all the way up to CNC machining centers.

I just wanted to know which bits worked for you.

I was thinking that an electric tire groover might be the best tool but a Dremel has lots of other uses and I don't groove too many tires.

Hey, very cool job! It looks like it turned out great. More importantly, even if it didn't *look* great, it fits your hand.

(Which Glock?)

oddball,
oh shoot! i was barking up the wrong tree! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

I cut the beak off with a hacksaw.. that Res-C put up a good fight!
Those thin cutoff wheels would've gotten stuck in it!

Then started rounding the butt with a high speed steel cutter, but found it cut "too clean & too sharp".


ended up using a 1/2" sanding drum for all the shaping & finished with it too.. left it rougher.. more factory looking.
It was the 60-grit course sanding drum (dremel part# 408)
..only because i forgot i had more 120-grit (#432) at the bottom of the drawer!



hmm.. i've never tried a tire groover!

Well, you’d certainly be able to pick it out of a pile now.


I couldn’t find it, but a long time ago someone posted a pic at SR of a CT or BR that they had the handle on fire. I think they coated it with alcohol or something and lit it. It appeared fine though. Res-c is tough stuff.

Andy if you come across that thread.. please post a link to it!!
i've got a little bit to Add to it.. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

Did you get that funky burnt rubber smell when you ground it down? Man I hate that smell

I hate the smell of sanding Micarta!!!

My wife is a dentist. Often times when I'd visit her at her office I'd get a good whiff of burning tooth. That's another smell that really doesn't sit well with me.

My old next door neighbour was a fire-fighter, roast pork didn't sit well with him...

Nice job!
When they come out with the non-busse street scrappers, I might modify one of those the same way.

I agree with gravelface, it is cool to see people modify their blades. and, of course, post nice pics for us to drool over.

Most of my own mods involve polishing/removing various finishes.
I do have a couple of wooden handled knives that I plan on reshaping.

rooikat,
Do you have any stripped Infi knives that you EDC?
I am on the fence about whether or not to strip the coating on my SS4.

No. The only infi I have is my AK (tan, of course), and my black skeleton key.
I plan on spraying the key tan at some point, but not stripping it.

The best job I have done so far was on a Cold steel Recon Scout. I have also added a better polish to several titanium knives I do EDC, as most makers don't spend a lot of time polishing their ti.

I think the ss4 would look good with a satin finish, however, after seeing my brother's, I like the polished spine look a lot.

Is this the pic? I've posted this one before, but the picture belongs to Cliff Stamp. From some of his testing. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

FWIW, I once threw River 8's Howling Rat at a tree. It bounced back and landed right in our campfire -- spraying coal and ash everywhere. I immediately went to action and fell to the ground laughing. The others, only slightly less amused, began to dig the HR out of the fire with sticks.

The Resiprene showed very little effect after being in the fire for easily 20 full seconds. A few of the cuts and marrs in the handle did seal up quite nicely. The only real burn marks where found on the knife's lanyard. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Tough stuff! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

BTW, that's two more steps toward "Mutt". Three now. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I like the mod it looks good. I love my Dremel it is one of the most versitile tools ever. You know those little disks of sandpaper that come with the drill.
I make my own out of thicker belt sander material it is way cheaper than the drums and works good. I use quarters to draw a circle and cut it out with old garbage scissors. It makes the work of hand sanding and polishing much easier and you can have any grit.

That's the one! Thanks, you saved me from having to search through my massive collection of saved Rat pics. (Sorted by forum poster)

Sorted by forum poster, eh? That could work. I sorted all mine by blade model. Of course, since there are so many pics with multiple blades, that just means I have one HUUUUGE folder called "misc" <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Yeah, it’s also an intelligence gathering capability. Cause then I know what knives everyone has if I ever wanted to offer any trades. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> You could also make folders by blade model, but instead of having duplicate pics, just copy a shortcut to the image instead of copying the image. Takes much less disk space that way.

The smell of cutting elk antler with a cut off wheel is awful and probably
similar to burning tooth. I used to love roast pork and now I will think of burnt human flesh next time. Yes I know the stinky stuff was a whole page ago but who
doesn't love this topic?

Burning teeth, bone, or hair is really gross... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Poor Gen 1 HR........I weep at its passing.

But yes burning bodies is a smell never to be forgotten.

Paddling man,
Glock 23 .40s&w, 2nd gen (no finger grooves or rail)


360joules,
Thanks for posting that burning HR pic!
While trying to melt res-c to try to fill in the voids in my handle.. i found res-c burns quite readily! not like gasoline Poof! more like cheap birthday candle wick (gotta hold it in the fire for awhile).. i'll try to elaborate maybe w/ more pics later..


Unsub,
Let's see pics! that sounds pretty neat.. are you talking about making sanding drum cylinders? or those flat cutoff disks for cutting metal?


Andy,360joules,Andy & 360joules.. wow you guys are Sick!
I thought about database driven with searchable text keywords.. so i can punch in say.. "chopper" + "rat" + "sick puppy".. and the results would be pics of YOU Two! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Tony:

Nice mod. I got an SS4 about a week ago. At first I did not like the handle at all and have considered selling or trading it. However, the more times I pick it up the more it grows on me. It may be a keeper. Got a Bandicoot coming in the mail for handle comparison (and use, of course).

How do you post multiple qoutes in 1 response?

mike biz,Thanks,
Same thing happened with me!
I bought an HRLM from the Swamp to play with, sell later, just to tide me over while waiting for the "2nd Offer SS4".

But when I got both, and really used both.. that HRLM grew on my like Crazy!
But as you said.. it took awhile for me to realize!

Couple years ago I had to get rid of ~20 firearms in a hurry.. less than 5 minutes I picked out 2 to keep, less than a week sold the rest.

Maybe as I get more experience with these Busse/Swamp/Scrap knives.. I'll learn to discriminate faster.. maybe not! Sure is fun though!

Cut and paste. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> I type my replies in Word, then post them after I'm done. That way if the browser crashes, I won't lose all my text. (Which has happened many times)

cut and paste then bracket it with [quote] to get the funky little box around it.

The sanding disks look like the cutoff disks made out of sandpaper mounted on the same dremel attachment. It is not as quick as the drums but way cheaper and 60 grit will clean the rust off anything and is perfect for sharpening shovels and garden tools. I use up to 1000 grit in polishing stuff but it takes some practice and trial and error to get the tecnique and speed right.

Andy and Jerry you guys are total computer hackers, I bet you even have speel check?

Mmmmmm speel chek!

That looks GREAT!!

TKC,
thanks.
got any pics of your SS4 in new sheath yet?
i wanna see!

That speel check was a totaly unintentional pun.

LOL and nicely stated...I'm not sure I will ever be the same after some of these insightful comments <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/barf.gif" alt="" />

Dan

Yeah, they threatened to arrest me for it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> (I went into the UNIX root and downloaded the password file of everyone on campus at college) Spell check is another reason why I type replies in word. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

No, I don't have pix of my SS4 and it's new pants. I will get to taking them eventually.

Oh man that is CLASSIC, LMAO <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.
Did River8, thank you for the patina?

Helle

tony22r, great use of the forums to mod your knife, <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> it looks great. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />
That HR in the fire bit got me off track, but dang funny. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Update..
Thanks guys.. it's been a fun project & learning experience too.

My SS4 has finally been Stripped also..
http://www.scrapyardknives.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=14737

thanks to oddball for providing inspiration & tips on that project..

That naked SS4 looks great!!

Definitley like the nekid SS4.

Haha!

Handles - chemical resistant

Blade coating - not so much




Looks great

Wait, is this a new contest?

I love the look of the beakless S4. I didn't really care for the beak on mine either as it made it hard for me to change grips. Like someone else said, when the non INFI version comes out I may have to give it a try.

GregB