I've have a Knu-Pac frame that I got many years ago when I was taking a kayak up to the Boundary Waters on a regular basis. Eventually, I got tired of packing and unpacking at every portage, and switched to canoes. I stopped using the Knu-pac with the canoes. It worked great but added another thing to take.

Now my son and his wife moved to England and left me their 65 pound 17 foot alumicraft canoe. In some ways its a more stable fishing platform and easier to paddle than my kevlar canoe for the extra 15 pounds. Based on past experience, I don't think the weight will be a big issuefor me if I keep the portages under 150 rods or so. The canoe has an aluminum center thwart. I was thinking about buying a portage yolk, but I realize the Knu-Pac might be perfect.

Unfortunately, the Knu-Pac frame needs some tlc. The company went under maybe 10 years ago when the owners retired and new people bought it. Those people seem to have disappeared. My daughter was able to get access to a 3D printer and make a new plastic fork for the top to replace a cracked one, but I still need to replace some pins etc. Does anyone have any updated info re the company? My internet search did not supply an answer other than some old bulletin board discussions on this site. Otherwise I guess I will be spending time at the hardware store trying to mix and match.

I wonder if there is a financial opportunity there, although I know that the old Knu-pacs were always more popular on the east coast than in this area. I was looking at some backpacking packs with an external frame at Cabelas recently and I wondered if all I had to do was remove the top bar and insert some forks in the frame to make a new "knu-pac".

Knu-Pacs haven't been resurrected..
Paddlers with pack canoes found them very useful as otherwise portaging those ( they dont have a yoke and the seat is on the floor) was an issue for bushwhacking in the Adirondacks. While lightweight carrying one over the shoulder for three miles is an issue.
I had one and found it dangerous with a detachable yoke on a dedicated solo. ( the horns slipped and jammed between seat and yoke). That was before I acquired a pack canoe . I'd love to be able to find one now.. ( I got rid of mine)

They did work well with tandem canoes as there is nothing nearby to jam between.
So after the company went under those that had old fashioned external frame backpacks went ahead and did what you are considering

Quest Outfitters for new parts, Check old framed packs on Ebay for used parts, and a local cobbler/shoe repair for stitching bags/belts/straps. Add some ingenuity on your part and resurect your Knu-Pack.

butthead

butthead: "Quest Outfitters for new parts, Check old framed packs on Ebay for used parts, and a local cobbler/shoe repair for stitching bags/belts/straps. Add some ingenuity on your part and resurect your Knu-Pack.


butthead"

Thanks for the tip re Quest Outfitters. I think they have most of what I need. Also a good place to know about generally for customizing stuff.

Below is an excerpt from an email from Eric Knudsen, who developed the knu-pac, when I was looking for additional frames. We tried the Kelty Cache Hauler and broke it on the first trip. It was portaging a MN3. We have 4 of Eric's frames and none have ever had a problem.

It is really a shame that the new owners never brought the knu-pac back to market. Very odd to buy a product and just drop it like that and never even sell it to someone else. I bought the final stock from Eric and guard my collection with my life.

From Eric, Dec. 20, 2007 (so info on frames is old):
We really are out of Frames, but all is not lost. If
you want to buy new, look for the Kelty Cache Hauler,
it's their freighter frame that they introduced after
Camptrails stopped making theirs 3 years ago. For
used packs (ebay, craiglslist, etc), look for a K-2 or
Dana Loadmaster as a first choice, it's probably the
best external frame made, but now discontinued.
Others that will work are the Kelty Tioga (easy to
find, but get a newer one) and the Camptrails
Freighter. Jansport will NOT work and I would stay
away from the Cabella's Freighter as it's too weak.
Who knows, you might even find a Knu-Pac (stick to the
later models with the floating shoulder strap
assembly.

Chicagored: "My daughter was able to get access to a 3D printer and make a new plastic fork for the top to replace a cracked one..."

WOW. We have come a long way!! Smart daughter!!