Microtech Glass Breaker Removal Tool

This is a simple tool to remove/reinstall the glass breaker on your Microtech Ultratech or UTX-85 without marring up the material or finish.  Some people suggest using an empty drill chuck, but that has historically marred up the metal when I do it, even if I take precautions.

I needed this to adjust the tension on the pocket clip, and didn't want to scratch up the glass breaker with metal tools.

PRINTING:

PLA offers enough strength, and the design is reinforced enough to not need a stronger filament.  Print at 100% infill, with the cup pointed up and the flat of the hex on the print bed.  Supports aren't necessary in this orientation, and print time should be under 15 minutes (depending on your machine's settings).

USE:

The fit is a little tight for the coated/black glass breaker, but not the standard/bare metal glass breaker.  The print can be scaled up by 0.25%-.50% if you need – but it fit my knife perfectly with a little push, as designed.

I used a Knipex adjustable pliers-wrench, but you can use any adjustable wrench, or 10-11mm wrench (I can't give you a specific size, since your print shrinkage and/or scaling can change the hex dimension) on the hex end.  It can be pretty tight, since the glass breaker is typically held in place with Loctite.

After removal, replacement of the glass breaker should be handled with care, as it is steel and it threads into the aluminum body of your knife – steel cuts aluminum, and you could cross-thread the aluminum or strip the threads out of your knife.

WARNING:

Disassembling your Microtech voids the warranty, per Microtech's website.  I take absolutely no responsibility for what you do with your knife, or any damage you cause to your knife.

Also: the offset/thickness provided by your pocket clip allows your blade/carriage to function properly within the knife.  If you remove the pocket clip, and reinstall the glass breaker, the knife will not function properly as the threads will stand proud within the knife handle.  You will need a washer/spacer ~1mm thick, with an ID of at least ~4.7mm to take up the space between the glass breaker and the handle of your knife to remove your pocket clip and keep the glass breaker.