Easy mod to a GAK

[gg012]

I finally got around to carrying out a modification to my Victorinox German army knife and wanted to share it with you. I love this knife and always take it with me to the woods but it has niggles at me that the awl would be a lot more useful with a hole in it, that way it can be used to sew with.

After some research I found that solid carbide drill bits can be used to drill through hardened stainless steel but tend to shatter if not used in a drill press. Not one to be put off by a lack of equipment, I chucked a 2.05mm carbide bit up in my hand drill and went to work. I held it very still and using high speed, moderate pressure and no lubricant it drilled through the nail nick of the awl in about 5 seconds! Amazing! I had tried previously with HSS and TiN bits with no joy but carbide went through like it was butter. Five minutes with some wet and dry to deburr and it was finished. I am very pleased with this simple modification to add some extra utility to what is a great tool.

Sent from underground

 

[matarius777]

I finally got around to carrying out a modification to my Victorinox German army knife and wanted to share it with you. I love this knife and always take it with me to the woods but it has niggles at me that the awl would be a lot more useful with a hole in it, that way it can be used to sew with.

After some research I found that solid carbide drill bits can be used to drill through hardened stainless steel but tend to shatter if not used in a drill press. Not one to be put off by a lack of equipment, I chucked a 2.05mm carbide bit up in my hand drill and went to work. I held it very still and using high speed, moderate pressure and no lubricant it drilled through the nail nick of the awl in about 5 seconds! Amazing! I had tried previously with HSS and TiN bits with no joy but carbide went through like it was butter. Five minutes with some wet and dry to deburr and it was finished. I am very pleased with this simple modification to add some extra utility to what is a great tool.

Sent from underground

I love my GAK, I used to have a Victorinox Safari, a present given in the early 80s, that is exactly the same configuration, I lost it years ago and always hankered after a replacement but have never seen one in the UK. I was delighted when I discovered the GAKs. The only thing I would worry about is if it has weakened the awl, especially as the GAKs seem to be getting rarer in tip top condition.

 

[gg012]

The hole did end up nearer the edge than I intended but I am not too worried, most of the stress should be near the edge rather than the back of the blade and I only ever use it on green wood. They are hard to find now though, you are right. The only source I have found of Victorinox ones is in Germany, everyone over here only seems to have Miltec

Sent from underground

 

[matarius777]

The hole did end up nearer the edge than I intended but I am not too worried, most of the stress should be near the edge rather than the back of the blade and I only ever use it on green wood. They are hard to find now though, you are right. The only source I have found of Victorinox ones is in Germany, everyone over here only seems to have Miltec

Sent from underground

I got a great one off Varustaleka, I can’t remember the make off hand, it’s just a symbol on the knife,I managed to track it down and it’s an official one made by a German company, the steel seems identical to a Victorinox one I got from a UK surplus supplier, that one I had to re-profile the end of the blade, Now you can’t tell and it is actually a tad under 3”, so UK legal, which the standard size isn’t, so happy days!

 

[gg012]

I got a great one off Varustaleka, I can’t remember the make off hand, it’s just a symbol on the knife,I managed to track it down and it’s an official one made by a German company, the steel seems identical to a Victorinox one I got from a UK surplus supplier, that one I had to re-profile the end of the blade, Now you can’t tell and it is actually a tad under 3”, so UK legal, which the standard size isn’t, so happy days!

Unfortunately they don't ship sharps to the UK any more, it's a real shame as they have some nice pieces. I have a spare Miltec one and it looks like it was ground by a blind monkey with two left thumbs unfortunately!

Sent from underground

 

[Kav]

I also bought a nearly pristine Vic
Marked GAK from Varusteleka. It even had the saw guard. The other
Makers used parts supplied by Vic
And will have the nail file area on the blade. Some are not finished as nicely, but do the job. I’ve found the corkscrew actually big enough to work compared to the smaller ones
And a mini fire steel can be threaded in.
I’ve wanted to add( or is it remove?) a thread hole.
THANKYOU!

 

[Ozmundo]

Unfortunately they don't ship sharps to the UK any more, it's a real shame as they have some nice pieces. I have a spare Miltec one and it looks like it was ground by a blind monkey with two left thumbs unfortunately!

Sent from underground

I have the one that he was practicing on beforehand to get that good. I tend to carry it for work or somewhere I might l loose it. Good luck to anyone who appropriates it.

 

[gg012]

I also bought a nearly pristine Vic
Marked GAK from Varusteleka. It even had the saw guard. The other
Makers used parts supplied by Vic
And will have the nail file area on the blade. Some are not finished as nicely, but do the job. I’ve found the corkscrew actually big enough to work compared to the smaller ones
And a mini fire steel can be threaded in.
I’ve wanted to add( or is it remove?) a thread hole.
THANKYOU!

I just looked at my Miltec next to my Victorinox, there is no way in god's earth that it is assembled using Victorinox parts. Each tool is a different shape for starters, the action feels mushy on the Miltec and the metal finishing is different too.

Sent from underground

 

[Kav]

P

I just looked at my Miltec next to my Victorinox, there is no way in god's earth that it is assembled using Victorinox parts. Each tool is a different shape for starters, the action feels mushy on the Miltec and the metal finishing is different too.

Sent from underground

I was NOT referring to the junk from Miltec! There were several knife makers in NATO that took up finishing and assembly with Victorinex parts and stamped a fascinating collection of makers marks. This started when the volume ordered was greater than Vic could produce. THEY often are slightly less
well finished butfully equal in all other categories. They also have the striker surface Vics lack.

 

[gg012]

P

I was NOT referring to the junk from Miltec! There were several knife makers in NATO that took up finishing and assembly with Victorinex parts and stamped a fascinating collection of makers marks. This started when the volume ordered was greater than Vic could produce. THEY often are slightly less
well finished butfully equal in all other categories. They also have the striker surface Vics lack.

This isn't true. Several contracts were let between the mid 1970s and 2008 (?) but the other manufacturers did not just assemble Victorinox parts. Even Miltec manufactured some of the originals before the current company started reselling cheaply produced knock offs. The nail file was added around 1985 and you can find Victorinox both with it and without it

Sent from underground

 

[Kav]

Collectors sort out such minutiae as they pay inflated prices for wall hangers. I’ve got six from various makers. Yes, they moved to full in house production after initially receiving semi finished components yes, the old Miltec was one before Reagan’s plot to Democratize China and destroy unions by shipping our jobs there.
Whatever, I’ve got six to gift on,
Tea time; in my UK made Sadler Brown Betty, not the ones made in Indonesia or wherever.

 

[ESpy]

Fractionally tangential - would anyone know where a set of replacement scales for a Vic Trooper could be sourced? I'd forgotten the 2 were near-identical (probably confused by the later one-handed GAK I have).
Or am I going to have to make my own...?

 

[gg012]

Fractionally tangential - would anyone know where a set of replacement scales for a Vic Trooper could be sourced? I'd forgotten the 2 were near-identical (probably confused by the later one-handed GAK I have).
Or am I going to have to make my own...?

If you want genuine ones then trawling the internet for second hand is probably your only option as they aren't made any more. Presumably a set off a modern reproduction GAK would fit but they wouldn't be true to the original knife. Depends how bothered you are

Sent from underground

 

[gg012]

Collectors sort out such minutiae as they pay inflated prices for wall hangers. I’ve got six from various makers. Yes, they moved to full in house production after initially receiving semi finished components yes, the old Miltec was one before Reagan’s plot to Democratize China and destroy unions by shipping our jobs there.
Whatever, I’ve got six to gift on,
Tea time; in my UK made Sadler Brown Betty, not the ones made in Indonesia or wherever.

Ok Kav. Good idea, have a cuppa

Sent from underground

 

[palace]

I have had a B&H GAK for 9 or 10 years. I shortened the blade with a Dremel whilst keeping the blade cool wrapped in wet cloth to make the blade/cutting edge to slightly less than 3" I did the same with my Victorinox GAK which I gave to one of my son-in-laws.
I actually prefer the fit & finish of the B&H...