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Delica Rebuild: Copper, HAP40/SUS410, Signet and Fang

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Starting with a nonstandard Delica.
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In this case, nonstandard in two ways: it's got HAP40 cored SUS410 clad steel, and a Wharncliffe blade:
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That faint line you can see running parallel to the edge is where the SUS410 ends and the HAP40 begins. SUS410 is very stainless and HAP40 is very strong -- it's a Hitachi steel with the same formula as CPM Rex 45. It will patina with light use, unlike the SUS410, which is pretty much just there to be stainless and to keep the core layer from cracking from stress. You can try and stop it if you like, the patina, but most people just let it go -- once a patina forms oxidation of the base steel stops. To break any knife down I usually start with the clip.
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Clip fasteners are nearly always T6. Grab a Torx T6 and undo the clip screws. One of them will probably have some threadlocker on it and will take additional grunt. Not much, tho. Spyderco's generally cool about not daubing on threadlocker like they're putting mustard on a sandwich.
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Not bad, just a little bit of threadlocker on the bottom. Now the rest of the fasteners:
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Pivot screw last:
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Pop off the top scale:
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Swimming in oil! Generally speaking, I leave it on even though it's messy handling, because steel does corrode over time, and oil prevents it. Taking off that liner:
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Very like the Endura. There is some tension on that lockbar, so just be careful taking it apart. By careful I mean two things: keep your fingers away from the slicey bit, and be careful that the spring pressure doesn't send something flying when you disassemble it. Because that'll happen, if you're not being careful.
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Simple. Off with the orange, on with the copper:
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Pop on the signet:
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The trick to rebuilding the Delica is to get the lockbar back on without either sending the spring flying or cutting yourself because the blade spins toward your hand. I'd have taken pictures doing it, but both hands were busy. For me, I actually found that I could just take the spring out, assemble the rest of the knife, and then fit the spring in, bending it back so it can snap into place, then snapping the liner and frame on, quickly fastening the pivot bolt and at least a couple other screws while you hold everything clamped together so the spring doesn't shoot out. Just be warned that it's not as easy as saying it. :) This is how it comes out.
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Finally, putting the Fang on, which takes less than a minute.
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There we go. Another knife modified to have a wave draw. I usually put lanyards on knives I have modded in any way, just kinda because I like doing that. But I mostly do not put them on karambits because the lanyard can get in the way when you reverse your grip. In this case, the knife came back together with an exquisite balance in the hand, between the copper scales, the Fang and the Signet, and I expect that adding any lanyard would mess with it. So it stays like this! And I think I'll keep it.
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Awdeonut
10
Feb 4, 2020
Nice job. Love the copper. How is the weight?Were your custom parts sourced from ebay?
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reswright
3850
Feb 4, 2020
AwdeonutThe weight's not bad for copper, and it's well balanced across the hand. The copper scales were from Flytanium and the Signet and the Fang were from Wise Men Company, bought through their websites. https://flytanium.com/

http://wisemencompany.com/
reswright
3850
Feb 2, 2020
jassxonsmiths@erickong as flattering as I find the text in this post I believe it may be link spam, passing word to you
Awdeonut
10
Feb 4, 2020
reswrightOkay. Thanks for the heads up
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