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Post by ShooterMike on Mar 31, 2013 21:18:25 GMT
I am pretty stoked about FINALLY being what I consider "finished" accessorizing this blade. It started as one of Gus Trim's Tactical Willowleaf swords from the early period when he had stopped making them with grip slabs and had begun using paracord handle wraps exclusively. I HATE PARACORD GRIPS!!! So, I embarked on an odessy to come up with a grip configuration that made the most sense to me. I tried several different wraps, but never found anything I really liked. Along the way Sonny Suttles made me the scabbard shown in these pictures. It is a wood core, covered with leather, with a sewn chape and mouth of extra-thick leather, then covered with truck bed liner and krinkle-coat black paint. The inside of the scabbard mouth is lined with "tactical nylon" (actually two pieces of a black nylon rifle sling). I finally conned a knife maker friend of mine into finishing the grip slabs shown below. They are ground of black linen micarta and are held in place by 8 taper-head screws that mate into 4 threaded tube nuts in the tang. All is then given a generous amount of blue loctite for a semi-permanent hold. I figured something like this should be shown in its "natural" environment, so I had a bit of photographic fun with various and sundry props from my part-time working kit. Hope you folks enjoy the pics. Now to make some cutting vids... New grip slabs, you can see the thickness of the tang The sword on the "sword" shot, for purposes of showing comparable length Obligatory "cheeze" shot
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Apr 1, 2013 23:47:22 GMT
Those turned out really nice, Mike. At first the height seemed off to me, but that was just a visual trick since the grip slabs come up over the level of the guard, and quickly went away.
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Post by William Swiger on Apr 2, 2013 3:48:31 GMT
Those look really nice. Really makes the sword look great.
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Post by ShooterMike on Apr 2, 2013 10:47:22 GMT
Thanks. They really bring out the true handling and performance of the blade. It seems to cut all by itself. And the way they fit my hand...just great. I have GOT to cut some tatami with this sweet little blade today!
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Apr 2, 2013 14:35:21 GMT
If, by happenstance, there should be a video camera just sitting around, you know . . . .
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Marc Kaden Ridgeway
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Post by Marc Kaden Ridgeway on Apr 2, 2013 14:38:59 GMT
WOW !!
Nice Mike, Very nice..
Very nicely posed, as well.
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Post by chuckinohio on Apr 3, 2013 14:26:53 GMT
That package plays very nicely.
Plain, utilitarian and fuctional. Good stuff!!
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Post by WEWolf on Apr 4, 2013 1:44:23 GMT
If I tell you that you have a sexy sword willl you promise not to take it the wrong way?
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Post by Sébastien on Apr 4, 2013 4:03:43 GMT
Very nice mod', I really like that new grip.
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Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on Apr 4, 2013 13:04:45 GMT
I hate para-cord grips as well. Love the older Tac Swords Gus was making with the slab grips. I was trying really hard to find a couple a year or two ago... and I was going to have scabbards made just like you did, with the truck liner. Alas... those that have these old Tac Atrims are not selling. Great looking sword.
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Apr 4, 2013 13:16:39 GMT
I'm with you, Sean. Why, you'd almost think there was a marketing opportunity there . . . .
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Post by ShooterMike on Apr 4, 2013 18:54:23 GMT
Yeah, back when Gus was making these a few of us encouraged him to do this type of grip slabs. But they never sold well with the paracord grips (imagine that) so he wouldn't make any nicer ones. And I thought he never made many of the ones that would have sold well, like the Cuttoe and Willowleaf (shown above). I think most production went to the gladius, katana, longsword and various willowleaf-style blades. A lot of folks said they wanted one. But nobody much bought any of the models he produced. I seem to remember a couple of them sitting on Christian Fletcher's website for almost a year. But they were the "ugly" ones.
Oh well, Zombie Tools rules that part of the market now. And they do a decent job, even though most of their models are a bit over-built as actual swords, instead of end-of-the-world choppers. But that's what they are intended to be, and they do a good job of it.
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Post by Striderfly on Apr 5, 2013 0:22:04 GMT
Nice grips. Yeah, I always looked at that little Tigress tactical but never went for it. Now I kick myself a couple times a year.
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Apr 5, 2013 1:25:12 GMT
I generally looked at the Tigress and thought, "Why isn't it a saber instead of a boring ol' kat?"
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Post by Alex.Moranz on Apr 5, 2013 3:04:45 GMT
Thats a great looking sword. I also like your kit configuration.
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Apr 6, 2013 0:12:10 GMT
Mike, do you happen to know how heavy your tac willow leaf is?
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Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on Apr 6, 2013 1:09:13 GMT
Dunno what it weighs... but I handled that once when I visited Mike, it was awesome... but so were all the Atrim Tac swords I've gotten my hands on. Love them, and want some.
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Post by Kilted Cossack on Apr 6, 2013 1:39:54 GMT
An Atrim was awesome? Where's my shocked face?
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Post by steelhound on Jun 12, 2013 1:05:07 GMT
Little late finding this thread, but that's one cool-lookin' Willowleaf you've got Mike! The grips look great on it, and I especially like that it extends over the pommel area. I've done the same with grip slabs for a few ATrim Tac Sabers as well, and like how the fuller pommel feels in hand. Did you drill the fourth hole in the pommel yourself? I've wanted to add a fourth hole to mine, but just don't quite have the courage to risk messing it up.
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Post by ShooterMike on Jun 12, 2013 22:39:32 GMT
The Tac Willowleaf comes in a about 1.75 lbs. It is extremely light and fast, and capable of placing cuts with amazing speed. The only drawback is it lacks a bit in blade presence. Thus it can't make deep shearing cuts on tatami and other realistic targets.
I did put in the additional rear hole for mounting hardwear. But I had to parially anneal the blade in that area before I could do so.It was then as simple as drilling a 1/4" hole. Not something that you should have trouble with if you're willing to put a touch to the area you want to drill.
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