Tomatoes have got a rough deal a the moment , they say knife crime is on the rise. 
I took a sharp maker triangle sharpening stone to my spyderco southard and made a little detent ball ramp. It made closing it one handed a lot easier. My ramp is much shorting that this one, but still works much better than no ramp at all.
@ DB Custom ……. Thanks for the info on the “Lightening Pockets” Dale, I figured as much; appreciate your confirmation.
I did notice the tab on the lock bar insert & figured it was for limiting ‘over travel’ of lockbar. Many ‘quality’ lockbar folders now have this, as I am sure you know.
BUT…… His design is the absolute slickest I personally have ever seen!! Most can be seen from the outside…. but his is not noticed at all as it is integral.
From what I can see, he has taken the term “Form Follows Function” to a new level!!! As I said earlier, from all appearances; a very well thought out design! :+1:
Have you ever been to Blade Show in Atlanta, GA Dale?? It is usuall held last week of May or first week of June each year. If you have never been, I highly recommend it! It is an experience you & your wallet will never forget……
I haven’t been to a blade show and for that reason as much as any, my wallet won’t soon forget this experience without even paying entry fees to a show! 
Wish I could go though, if for nothing more than to meet great folks like Bill and Krista at their booth….a lot of siblings can barely survive a Thanksgiving dinner in close proximity, this guy is so good he WORKS with his sister! lol Only making a jab because my own sister lives in the same town Bill lives in, far from me and not just physically. The way of the world sometimes I reckon.
electricjelly, nice work! All it takes is the introduction of the detent ball to the plane of the blade so it doesnt’ have to make that climb, a little goes a long way in a situation like this. 
Oh yeah, I noticed the clip was also attached with one screw from inside the slab. There is probably a ‘female’ pocket machined in the outside of the slab to receive a corresponding size & shape ‘male’ protrusion on the clip. So as to keep the clip from rotating as it is secured by only one screw??
Again…… well thought out & sleek!!
Yokiamy, you asked about the deal with my friend… I don’t want to jinx it as it hasn’t happened yet but if you’ve ever heard of the Performance Center you may have an idea why.
Yeah Dale…. It is great just seeing all the knives & meeting people. That is worth the trip……
If you ever do get a chance to go… take it. You won’t be disappointed, even if you can’t take your wallet. I had to leave my wallet at home last time I went. :person_facepalming:
BUT…. I have lucked out a few times by receiving an exhibitor pass to the show from maker friends who had extras…… :innocent:
I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express too…. .
Well, I DO think my wife’s family is planning a get together in Mississippi…. that would put us some 600 miles closer to Atlanta now wouldn’t it?
If it is the one in Springfield, MA…… that opens up all kinds of interesting possibilities!!!
It sure would!! All you’d have to do then is find your way to I-20 and head East. June 1 - 3 this year……
Links below to peak your intetest even more.
That’s the place, and now you know why a few lights became solvent…
YES…. I certainly do!!! :+1: …
So welcoming to see discussion around my primary hobby in here (flashlights are a far second place to knives). The Koenig designs are nice and while he wasn’t making them himself, the USA manufacturer he had making them (Millit) uses precision worthy of the old price tag. I presume his new in-house process is even more refined.
I just wanted to add my experience for those who mentioned forming their own detent ramp, as I’ve done quite a few. Especially on designs utilizing a ceramic detent ball, any roughness left from the process will be amplified in hand, almost like a needle on a record player; just be sure to finish it out to a very high grit and polish and you’ll be good to go. Aim about .5-1mm center of the track left by the ball.
Maybe we should make a new thread for “All things NON-Budget knives”? :)
lol, I hear ya Jake!
Everything get’s customized, from knives to flashlights to guns… cars riding mowers EVERYTHING! It’s an obsession, I know.
Great idea!! :+1:
Cause when it comes to knives….
…………Budget usually don’t cut it……
Performance center, that sounds like musclecars!
Well, since i live in a country where it is not normal to carry a gun, i did not hear of that performance centre
Not so much as a carry weapon but more for target shooting and possibly hunting. Squirrel maintenance.
(Ok, just kidding about the squirrels, but wouldn’t it be fun?)
And fwiw, the price they show these days has changed a lot over the past year, and my friend offered me a deal I couldn’t refuse… so I’ll buy it from him and hold onto it for a while, thinking he’ll regret letting it go and want it back before long. lol
Also, fwiw, this is an 8 shot .357 Magnum capable of handling any load out there, even the 700-800 lbs ft seriously hot hunting loads.
Edit: The appeal? The Performance Center used a custom chrome flashed hammer and trigger, overtravel trigger stop, custom inset bore chamfer, custom tuned action. The action is supposed to be slicker’n owl sh*t on a mossy rock. They are fairly legendary, I’ve dreamed of one for many years, and the opportunity slapped me in the face. What was I to do?
Hey dB, I know this is your thread… I just bought my first knife today for $120. Spyderco Gayle Bradley 2. What do you think about it?
The Gayle Bradley is a much loved blade, can hardly go wrong there. The CPM M4 is supposed to take an extremely tough edge, one of the best blade steels in the industry, top 5 for sure. Nice buy!