Where to look

[JAWilliams]

Hey everyone,

I am looking for plans for making a slip joint. I would like to look at drawing for the parts and basic design. Or would it be better to buy a kit and go from there? Thanks for everyones input.

James

[Billy Helton]

James I like to buy a kit that I like and just use it as a pattern. I have tryed to work one out but I almost ran out of hair. You can change the blade design a little to tinker around with it.

[Three Sisters Forge]

Give Dave at Great Lakes Water Jet a call. He helped tremendously get the liners and blades working for me.

Try him or USA knife maker : http://www.usaknifemaker.com/store/kit-knives-blade-blanks-folder-kits-from-glwj-c-73_89.html

quality stuff.

Jim

[Cubane]

I have put together a little tutorial on drawing one up from the sketch to the mechanism. Have a look at http://knives.mutantdiscovery.com/slipjoint1.html

Alistair

[mike miller]

Trace sells the kits that David makes and in several different variations. Ryan Minchew WIP shows about everything you need to really put one together.

[Sean Cochran]

James
Both Ryan and Alistair have very good tutorials as well as Chris Crawford.
That said I agree with Billy, working out a completely new design can be challenging. Not that its impossible, but it can be unnerving. If you havent made one at all I would suggest starting working from a pattern, kit or take apart an old knife and copy it. This really is the best way to get an idea of the workings of a slipjoint. Even doing this way you will have to make some adjustments and that will help you learn what makes a slippie tick.

I have some patterns I can send you, all you have to do is cut them out with an exacto and glue to your stock. Let me know, and good luck.

Sean

Edit: +1 on Daves kits, I have used a couple of them, it will save alot of work.

[zerogee]

One way or another, get your hands on some known good, working slipjoints for patterns. My favorite way is to simply get a few really old high quality knives in patterns you like - ones with worn out and/or broken blades -- damaged scales are a plus - makes them cheaper -- that still have decent snap and are still fairly tight (so you know they were designed and built well enough to withstand their life of use and abuse) and take them apart as patterns to study and copy. Getting the details of the whole tang/spring geometry correct is really tough to do (looks really simple, but there are a number of subtle things going on that you have to make work together), unless you work from a good pattern as a starting point.

[JAWilliams]

Thanks everyone.

[Brent D. Cramer]

Take a look at this.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=463675&highlight=coke+bottle+challenge

[Glenn Dykes]

One way or another, get your hands on some known good, working slipjoints for patterns. My favorite way is to simply get a few really old high quality knives in patterns you like - ones with worn out and/or broken blades -- damaged scales are a plus - makes them cheaper -- that still have decent snap and are still fairly tight (so you know they were designed and built well enough to withstand their life of use and abuse) and take them apart as patterns to study and copy. Getting the details of the whole tang/spring geometry correct is really tough to do (looks really simple, but there are a number of subtle things going on that you have to make work together), unless you work from a good pattern as a starting point.

I have tried to give a few folks what I thought was good advice over the years on how to build slipjoints. That being said zerogee in this one post told you THE MOST important thing . Take em apart and STUDY them till ure sick of looking at em. At this point you really can't grasp just how good this advice is. I wish I would of had it many moons ago. Wish you all the best , and I have nationwide calling if there is anyway I can help.

[PatrickKnives]

If you look at post #43 on the link that cramer posted you will see the slip joint coke bottle that I made, I am making another now. The pattern is really good and if you cut it accuratly the knife goes together pretty well with good spring tension. I am making another now and if you want to try you can ask me questions during your build.

I suggest you start with a cardboard model, I use thin micarta to make a working model. then cut steel

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r65/pcrknives/cokemodel001.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r65/pcrknives/cokemodel004.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r65/pcrknives/CokeFinal021.jpg

[JAWilliams]

I am going to give this a try. After the weather gets alot better. Thanks everyone.

[M. Wohlwend]

Several ways you can go about it, but taking apart a cheaper (RoughRider) slipjoint and studying how it works is a great start. Why not take advantage of the design work that has already been done? Slipjoints are traditional, so old designs are often good designs. You are not getting paid for design as much as you are getting paid for QUALITY. I just bought two Case brand trappers and was disapointed on how the springs were out of tune.

Taking classes from a Mastersmith or other experienced folder maker can also save you tons of flustration. They can give you lots of tips you will never think of on your own.

Good luck, and post pics of you work!

Mark