2 Damascus and Carbon Fiber Ouparators coming up

[STR]

Finally got something I've been waiting on and I know someone else that has been waiting patiently also. Well, two guys actually. This order is for two. They both want the same folder, frame lock with non lock side carbon fiber and the damascus blades. Been waiting a while for the blades and as expected they were mailed out Monday and arrived today.

I still have some things ahead of these to finish Gary but I'll be working on these little by little until done now that everything is here.

The scan below is the rough cuts of the frame side in ti all drilled out, the carbon fiber sides all drilled out with the safety coating still on them that I will have to peel off and the two blanks where I left off on them when I stopped for the day.

STR

 

[bdws1975]

ohhh..fun, fun. Can't wait to see how this turns out.

Nice job Steve,
Brett

 

[k20c]

Great news! You deserve the patience award, Steve. I've asked a lot of questions in a lot of emails and you always provided a very articulate, considered response.

Can't wait!

 

[STR]

Yeah thanks. Patience was in short supply this morning for my temper. I discovered I cut both ti slabs out of the wrong titanium in .110 thickness. I went ahead and recut them and drilled the new ones out though in the proper .140 thickness and finally am happy with it but it pissed me off that I screwed it up. At least I found out early on and there is no waste though> I'm sure I'll eventually turn the other two into folders down the road as well.

Got my rear spacers cut out to the proper thickness. Now to the blade refining but thats going to have to be next week. The wife took me for one of her 'clean up jobs' for the rest of this weekend and no gettin' out of it unless I want bedroom privleages yanked in punishment so its off to do some honey dos for the wifey.

STR

 

[k20c]

No hurry; been there, done that. I got a pass to go with a friend and hit all the cool guitar stores in Seattle on Saturday. One of the few things more addictive than knives.

 

[STR]

There was a time in my 20s when I never went anywhere without my Ovation guitar.

Still have it but its my son's now.

STR

 

[STR]

I did spend a few on these this morning refining the blades a couple steps closer.

Just so you know they are not at a total stand still. Each step we get closer to home so little by little its coming along.

STR

 

[STR]

Little more refinement going on today with these. Again for you guys that have these on order, if you want to store these pics I'm posting snag them to your hard drives because I'll be deleting pics as I need to to make sure I am not running out of storage space down the road. I'm not planning to leave them up indefinitely as I did in the past.

I trimmed these up to closer to the shape they'll be when finished today and am now working on more refinement in the contact for the lock and rear stand offs. Keep in mind just to show it I've reversed the bottom ones scales to show the CF. Its actually backwards of how it will be once done FYI. They are starting to take shape and look more like a folder now.

Thanks

STR

 

[STR]

Mapping out my long cut for the lock now.

Some critical steps coming up next but its moving along on both. Both pilot holes are drilled and the detent ball holes. I also cut out the short cut today.

STR

 

[STR]

Long cut done. Both looking good so far. I still have lots of tweaks and finish left but its looking good now.

STR

 

[k20c]

Very nice!

 

[STR]

Here are two shots from yesterday. Got a few steps closer today on both as well. Had to straighten both blades a bit today surprisingly but it seems to have worked out. I'm quite pleased so far.

Have a rough lock cut lock up view here.

STR

 

[k20c]

On the blade on the right, is it an optical illusion that where the cutting edge of the blade transitions into the broad portion at the base, it looks off-center to the left? Hard to explain, but the left blade looks perfectly symmetrical in its orientation.

 

[STR]

I think both look off by a bit there due to the tension from the lock because if you note this was before I took the pivot barrel out and cut it to the proper length. I believe you can just make out the pivot barrel sticking out the end a mite. What I'm saying is I didn't have any tension on the pivot in these shots so the lock kind of tweaked the blades a bit to one side. This will look different in the shots when everything is tightened down I think but we'll check all that once I get them further along.

Also, keep in mind that neither of these even has a cutting edge yet. You could barely cut butter with them at this point. Sharpening is one of the final steps. Both edges are thick at this point. Its safer that way.

STR

 

[STR]

Keep in mind the edge is thick on this yet. I will sharpen both tomorrow. This one is all but finished with some minor tweaks maybe coming up.

I don't know what I think of Chip's color choices (olive green and tan clip) but my wife sure loved it! Said it looks "military".

Anyway, its moving along. K20 your folder is right behind this one but I'm pooped!

Calling it a day at this point. Been up since 5 am.

STR

 

[STR]

Here is the other one where I left off.

STR

 

[STR]

Ok Gary. This is where I am today. Alls looking great. I even managed to stick a colored glass in the thumb stud as you had asked me about. I had to use a different stud to do this and I only had one left which until today I did not even know I had when I found it quite by accident. I am kicking myself a bit for the pic of the carbon fiber side with the blade open. Can't believe I cut it off but it shows up later in other shots to see the blade.

Go figure I had that lone stud in a drawer in the house. Anyway, I'm playing with this one now to make sure all is well. Both knives are sharpened up. Chip's is ready to ship when I hear back from him. Yours I'm going to play with a bit yet to be sure but based on what I see here now I doubt its going to be long. Its quite nice. Took a good shaving edge and now I just need to see it in different lighting, cut with it some and be sure its up to snuff and ready to go home to you.

I'll be in touch.
Thanks again for your patience with this. That goes for both you and your brother.:thumbup:

STR

 

[k20c]

Steve - From what I can see in the pics, those are cooler than all get-out!! Can't wait to get mine. The CF looks even better than I expected. I had concerns about Chip's color choice, too, but it turned out looking really good. I agree with your wife, it gives it a real military vibe. I don't know about you, but this has been a lot of fun for me. The wait, which wasn't that bad, just makes it sweeter. Thanks!

 

[STR]

Oh yeah. Both these folders measure about 4.25" closed. Just a hair shy of 3" blade lengths and Chip's weighs in at 3.5 oz, yours at 3.3 oz.

Not sure why yours is lighter but that is the case according to my digital postal scale.

STR

 

[k20c]

PS - Yeah, I'm a sucker for the bling, so thanks for the glass insert in the thumbstud! Makes it that much more unique!