Frame Lock without CNC

theWeatherman

Well-Known Member
I have been seeing lots of really nice folders lately and I have read some and would like to plan out a frame lock folder.

I was wondering what you guys could tell me about making frame lock folders out of titanium without having a CNC machine?

I have a drill press, grinder, and band saw. I am really interested in the process of cutting the lock bar out and making the relief cut for the spring.

Thanks

Brian
 
I've made a bunch of framelocks, and have never owned a CNC machine. I use a cutoff wheel to cut the long axis of the lock....and my bansaw for the short axis (face) of the lockbar. I think it's important to use the thinnest cutoff wheel you can (the one's I use are 1/32" thick) I do use a milling machine to thin down the rear portion of the lock to .045-.050". It's important to note that the length of the lockbar plays a big role in how thick the "web" should be left on a framelock...the shorter the lockbar, the thinner you want the "web" to reduce the amount of lock pressure caused by a shorter lock bar. Just the opposite is true if you make a longer lock bar.....the "web" can be left thicker.

On my larger framelocks, I generally make the lockbar 2 1/2" if I'm using bearing in the pivot, and thin the "web" to .050". If I use a bushing and washers, I cut the lockbar to 2 1/4" and thin the "web" to .045". If you understand and keep in mind that the type of pivot, the length of lock bar, and the thickness of the "web" all have impacts on how the folder operates, you will quickly figure it out.
 
I've made a bunch of framelocks, and have never owned a CNC machine. I use a cutoff wheel to cut the long axis of the lock....and my bansaw for the short axis (face) of the lockbar. I think it's important to use the thinnest cutoff wheel you can (the one's I use are 1/32" thick) I do use a milling machine to thin down the rear portion of the lock to .045-.050". It's important to note that the length of the lockbar plays a big role in how thick the "web" should be left on a framelock...the shorter the lockbar, the thinner you want the "web" to reduce the amount of lock pressure caused by a shorter lock bar. Just the opposite is true if you make a longer lock bar.....the "web" can be left thicker.

On my larger framelocks, I generally make the lockbar 2 1/2" if I'm using bearing in the pivot, and thin the "web" to .050". If I use a bushing and washers, I cut the lockbar to 2 1/4" and thin the "web" to .045". If you understand and keep in mind that the type of pivot, the length of lock bar, and the thickness of the "web" all have impacts on how the folder operates, you will quickly figure it out.

Ed, how do you determine this when you design the knife?
 
Ed, how do you determine this when you design the knife?

I'm not really sure that you can "nail" it all down when designing. I learned it through trial and error. The length of the lock bars...I got from making lots Liner Locks....and only had to tweak it a bit for frame Locks. I might be a bit different than others in respect to how I view if a knife is "right"....I've been told that I'm overly picky about my folders, and suspect I am. They've gotta be just right before I'll let them out of the shop. To do that, very often the first 2-3 of a given design (especially folders) tend to be "sacrificial" in that I use them to successively tweak things like lock pressure, open/closed geometries, and other aspects that I can't "nail" without actually doing it on a knife I have in my hands.
 
Weatherman,

On that kit the lock bar was already waterjetted. Once you determine the location, you'll have to cut this with a thin dremel wheel like Ed suggests.

FYI. I made my first framelock prototype out of .062 stainless and when I got everything to work used that as a pattern on the thicker titanium. After you make a "keeper" pattern you can take the SS and make a linerlock out of it and give it to a kid or use it as a shop knife.

Steve
 
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