First folders, questions and advice ahead of time?

[Frank Hunter]

I've taken on a request to start making folding knives. These first one's are going to be a lockback style, 52100 blades with the "bodies" made of 304 relieved for jigged bone scales. I have the bushings for the blades and spring stock on order. I have several thicknesses of brass for the liners already. The lock bar is going to be 440C as it's what I have in close to the right thickness.

I suppose my first question is what kind of hardness should I shoot for the lock bar to end up at so it and the blade wear properly against one another? I know going into folders is going to be a whole different ball of wax with all new pitfalls and fine points to consider. Any advice or outright mistakes to avoid I should hear before I get to grinding?

Thank you for your time.

 

[Sticks]

Frank,

I am new to making folders. I have learned a lot and would like to pass some of that on. I looked at your web site's gallery. You obviously know how to use a grinder, drill press, etc. If I were starting from scratch, I would use precision ground steel, the same for both the blade and spring lock. They have to be the same thickness. Drilling all holes square is also necessary and clamping precision ground steel to the drill press base is helpfull in that regard. Mark the centerline of both the cutting edge and spine of the blade. You want the blade to close with the point dead center. That means the blade has to be ground so the point is dead center. The first one I ground I thought was true, but... So, I learned to mark the spine and cutting edge for reference.

I use 304 for liners. Its difficult to work. You probably know this, but I've learned to use good quality and new drill bits. Just last night I was drilling liners for 3/32" pins for scales. The bit was new, Vermont (not the quality I was referring to). It skated all over the 304. I finally drilled a "mark" with a larger bit where I wanted the hole to be. Eventually I pushed/drilled the Vermont bit through, but at the cost of slightly bending the liner (that took me an hour to "straighten out". literally).

Drilling holes for fixed blade knives I was never too concerned about whether they were the exact dimension. But with folders that's important. So, I use an slightly undersized bit and follow that up with the correct reamer.

Have fun!

Jay