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Post by steelhound on Sept 15, 2011 3:47:40 GMT
As the proud owner of one of Gus' original Tac Kat II's with micarta slabs, I have never been quite comfortable with the smooth grip it came with and rather small guard lug. While it never actually happened, I felt that the sword might slip out of my hands while cutting (especially water bottles), or that my top hand might slide onto the blade if I was, say, ramming the kissaki through a zombie skull. Removing the slabs and wrapping with paracord offers good traction, but I really like how the scales fill the hand and wanted to contour them somehow. My solution came after seeing what a forumite from SFI did to his Little Tigress' scales, and I have done my best to apply the same pattern to my grip. The result is fantastic; it offers a good grip without chafing the hands, lightens the weight of the handle, and it also makes one-handed use of this larger Tac Kat much, much easier. While my dremeling is not the prettiest, I was really going for performance right now, and will probably clean it up with some sandpaper later. Here are some pics:
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2011 4:20:50 GMT
You did a much better job than I could, looking good!
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Post by steelhound on Sept 15, 2011 6:45:16 GMT
Thanks, Bill, it was a good opportunity to get familiar with the router bits for my Dremel, but I definitely fudged up a few times.
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Post by chuckinohio on Sept 15, 2011 12:32:52 GMT
You'll be able to clean it up pretty easily with a file and some sandpaper.
Neat mod to a neat sword, looks pretty cool.
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Post by steelhound on Sept 15, 2011 15:55:30 GMT
Thanks Chuck, I'm gonna try some sandpaper and a new sanding bit I got for the Dremel in the next few days. Some of the imperfections are just gonna stay, though, since they're too deep to fix. Next time I do something like this, I'm gonna lay it out better and try using the angle guide with my Dremel for a little more uniformity in the grooves.
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Sean (Shadowhowler)
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Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on Sept 15, 2011 21:23:38 GMT
I like it... yes sir, I like it a lot. I prefer the slabs to the paracord... HATE the paracord, that is what has kept me from buying any of the new Atrim Tacticals... what you did there is exactly what I would like to see on them.
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Sept 16, 2011 2:40:36 GMT
Not only does it "look like it growed there" but it fits, I think, the "tactical katana" look. I am not an expert, I do not play one on TV, and I did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I think that "fits" the katana look, only tactimal.
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Post by steelhound on Sept 16, 2011 2:48:29 GMT
Thanks Sean, and I agree with you, grip slabs of some sort are my preference for Gus' Tacs as well. I did my Tac Leafie with poplar grips in a different style, but I think that this type of patterned contouring allows for different sized hands and gives more options for grip placement.
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Post by steelhound on Sept 16, 2011 2:58:38 GMT
Kris Flippo over at SFI deserves all the credit for this design, and I think he did a great job in terms of looks and function.
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Post by Sweet on Sept 16, 2011 7:22:04 GMT
Those came out great!
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Post by Son of Laren on Sept 17, 2011 1:10:49 GMT
What kind of screws or bolts did you use to attach the micarta slabs with, and where did you get them? Did you have to drill holes in the tang and thread them? I'd like to duplicate this process.
Thank you!
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Sean (Shadowhowler)
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Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on Sept 17, 2011 1:39:27 GMT
Those look like the stock threads/bolts on the slab grips... he just milled out the lines into the slab to add texture to the grips.
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Post by steelhound on Sept 17, 2011 1:40:25 GMT
Luckily, Gus makes his Tacticals with the holes already drilled, as I wouldn't want to risk screwing that up myself. He just wraps them with either paracord or bungeecord so you can't see the holes on Tried and True's website, but the Tac Kat has three smooth 1/4" holes.
You won't be able to find the same attachments as they were custom made by Gus and used to be standard on his Tacs, but as far as I know he doesn't make them anymore. What will work good are chicago screw posts, they come in different sizes, and if you go down to your local Ace Hardware I know that they carry ones 1/4" thick by 1/2" high (post dimensions) in stainless with a Phillips head drive, and that will work just fine (as long as you don't mind the Phillips head). Then I like to use hex drive machine screws and a washer for the other side of the attachment. Getting the holes lined up can be tricky, at least for me since I don't want to put a running drill bit through the sword holes. I just Imagine it catching and disemboweling me, or else inadvertently widening the diameter of the holes.
If you wind up doing this yourself, I would recommend making some wood scales first as a dry run; either way, it's a lot of fun!
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Sept 17, 2011 1:53:06 GMT
Then props to Kris Flippo, but you did a good job on it. Nice, brother, nice.
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Post by steelhound on Sept 17, 2011 2:25:47 GMT
Thanks Cossak! I just didn't want to take credit for someone else's design.
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Sept 17, 2011 4:14:49 GMT
I think that does you honor, as does your craftsmanship in rendering another's design. Karma!
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