1095 blade- how thick should it be?

[sixleggedinsect]

id like to make a a folder that can stand up to a lot of abuse. prying, chopping, etc. is 1/8" in 1095 good enough?

ill make metal scales for it. any opinions here? (again toughness the high priority). i was thinking maybe titanium, or maybe stainless steel. are there commonly accepted thickness for making a burly folder? i expect the blade to be heavy, so id like to use titanium with a couple small skeleton cuts to keep the weight down. but will i bend it prying? at what thickness?

thanks

 

[Buck268]

I had an AUS8 blade that held up to a lot of various uses as a tool that it wasnt...

I can't give you specifics on thickness, but I'd say a good idea would be to have a lot of the handle cantilever over the blade to protect the pivot.

 

[knarfeng]

Putting Ti in contact with carbon steel is not a good idea. Forms an dissimilar metal pair that increases the corrosion rate on the carbon steel. If one is electrically insulated from the other it would be OK though.

As for thicknesses, etc., You should be asking this on the blade makers forum. They will have better info.

 

[PC356]

Going to have to be one hell of a long folder to do much chopping. How many folders have you built prior? :jerkit:

 

[StretchNM]

Another thing to remember is that a folder's weakest point is the pivot. That's the only thing holding it all together (notwithstanding a previous post advising you to extend the frame substantially around the pivot for some measure of strength).

I understand you want a folder that'll handle heavier than normal chores but, if it were me, I'd be thinking about a fixed blade.

Good luck.

 

[mr.trooper]

id like to make a a folder that can stand up to a lot of abuse. prying, chopping, etc. is 1/8" in 1095 good enough?

ill make metal scales for it. any opinions here? (again toughness the high priority). i was thinking maybe titanium, or maybe stainless steel. are there commonly accepted thickness for making a burly folder? i expect the blade to be heavy, so id like to use titanium with a couple small skeleton cuts to keep the weight down. but will i bend it prying? at what thickness?

thanks

The problem isnt the steel. The problem is that you want to use a folder for prying and choping

If your going to do it anyway....

Make the blade at least 1/4 Thick of differentialy hardened 5160. Make the Pivot pin of 3/8" diameter of 1095 or 5160, hardened to 65 or 66 Rc. Set the pin in 3/8" thick bolsters of 420J2 hardened to 54 Rc. It will be ugly and heavy as hell, but tougher than any production knife iv ever seen.

 

[sixleggedinsect]

I had an AUS8 blade that held up to a lot of various uses as a tool that it wasnt...

I can't give you specifics on thickness, but I'd say a good idea would be to have a lot of the handle cantilever over the blade to protect the pivot.

interesting. i thought that woudlnt matter because the blade was only in contact with the washers. i figured id use brass washers and the largest ones i could fit into the design.

to the naysayers- thanks for your input. i understand the limitations of a folder, but im sticking with it. 1/4" blade? geez, im not looking for a crowbar.. eh?

i am familiar with dissimilar metal corrosion but hoped it wouldnt be a problem. with some care and a little oil. currently im leaning towards steel scales anyway,for strength. would a 1095 blade and generic stainless scales be less likely to seize up than a ti/(brass)/steel combo?

thanks