- Joined
- Aug 27, 2004
- Messages
- 12,955
When I came up with this folder some time ago I decided after doing several runs of them in liner locks that I wanted to do some frame locks. I wanted to do some blades of my own in thicker stock than the original BUSSTR models using those thin blades from Ragweed Forge.
As it turns out both this blade and the SOD Buster blades I had cut out by my water jet service came with some thumb stud issues along with these blades shown here not being flat. So, I had to contact Dave at Great Lakes Waterjet to inform him of the off thumb studs on the Sod Buster blades which were too far forward and too far down and these blades which as you can see have thumb studs in the right place forward or back as far as positioning but in the wrong place by being way low for where I'd put them myself. So if you look at this wondering why I put the thumb stud where I did, think again. I didn't do it.
The water jet service did when he cut the blades out for me. Don't ask how. I mean don't get me wrong these blades are not unusable and its not off by much, just a little bit and enough to bug me. Then after this I ran into issues trying to put a folder together and the blade rubbed the one side liner because as I said, it wasn't flat. I tried another and another and after going through six blades all being off I contacted the heat treat service and had to send them back to have them flattened.
Brad over at Peters heat treat was great and got them right in and he was concerned on my behave but the 60 Rockwell hardness I had originally asked for on these blades was sacrificed just a bit and Brad had to inform me that we lost two points on the hardness re-heat treating them. So the Rockwell on these 12C27 blades is 58 Rockwell. I figured I needed to do some research and as it turns out a lot of guys run theirs at 58 and feel its tougher at that hardness.
Anyway, in the end I got this one done today to see how it works for me before I decide whether I will make up more. Let me know your thoughts if you have any input. This folder weighs in at 3.5 ounces, is 4 and 9/16" closed and sports a 3 and 1/4" blade length. As you can see this titanium is textured. I've used some of the really cool "Tac TI" offered by Tracy at USAknifemaker supply that he gets made for him by Great Lakes Waterjet. I really like the grip on these babies!
STR
As it turns out both this blade and the SOD Buster blades I had cut out by my water jet service came with some thumb stud issues along with these blades shown here not being flat. So, I had to contact Dave at Great Lakes Waterjet to inform him of the off thumb studs on the Sod Buster blades which were too far forward and too far down and these blades which as you can see have thumb studs in the right place forward or back as far as positioning but in the wrong place by being way low for where I'd put them myself. So if you look at this wondering why I put the thumb stud where I did, think again. I didn't do it.
The water jet service did when he cut the blades out for me. Don't ask how. I mean don't get me wrong these blades are not unusable and its not off by much, just a little bit and enough to bug me. Then after this I ran into issues trying to put a folder together and the blade rubbed the one side liner because as I said, it wasn't flat. I tried another and another and after going through six blades all being off I contacted the heat treat service and had to send them back to have them flattened.
Brad over at Peters heat treat was great and got them right in and he was concerned on my behave but the 60 Rockwell hardness I had originally asked for on these blades was sacrificed just a bit and Brad had to inform me that we lost two points on the hardness re-heat treating them. So the Rockwell on these 12C27 blades is 58 Rockwell. I figured I needed to do some research and as it turns out a lot of guys run theirs at 58 and feel its tougher at that hardness.
Anyway, in the end I got this one done today to see how it works for me before I decide whether I will make up more. Let me know your thoughts if you have any input. This folder weighs in at 3.5 ounces, is 4 and 9/16" closed and sports a 3 and 1/4" blade length. As you can see this titanium is textured. I've used some of the really cool "Tac TI" offered by Tracy at USAknifemaker supply that he gets made for him by Great Lakes Waterjet. I really like the grip on these babies!
STR
Attachments
Last edited:
