- Joined
- Feb 28, 2009
- Messages
- 1,050
Over the course of the last year, I've gotten back into knives, customs in particular. In that time, I've put together a decent little collection from Fiddleback Forge including (in order of purchase) a BLJ, a prototype Hunter (w/ Talfuchre leather), a Bushcrafter (w/ Talfuchre leather), a Woodsman, a 3-finger Karda (w/ Rayban leather), a BLC and a Bushboot. Andy's craftsmanship inspired me to try making knives myself. I started out with a small fixed blade and got it almost to the point of heat treating. Then life got in the way and it sat in a drawer for the better part of a year. More recently, Bruce Bump's subforum over at Knife Dogs has peaked my interest in slip joint folders. I finished my MBA course work at the end of June, so now I have more time to actually work on and maybe even complete some projects.
Several weeks back, I designed a slip joint pattern and profiled it out of some oversized 3/32" CPM154. I've learned quite a bit about how not to design a slip joint in the process. The whole time, I couldn't help but think about how awesome it would be to design a slip joint based on Andy's Bushboot pattern. I mention this to Andy in another thread and he asked me to post my progress. Friday morning, we left our little girl with family and took off to the beach for a long weekend. My Bushboot came along for the ride and this afternoon I began sketching out the design. I have pictures of my sketch, but forgot to bring the cable to migrate them from the camera to the computer
For now, this post will serve as a placeholder until I can edit to add the pictures. I also have some pictures of my currently in-process slip joint as well as my fixed blade blank with file guide attached. In the interim, I'll describe the evolution of the Bushboot based design.
First, I traced the outline of the Bushboot. Next, I began adjusting here and there to make it fold. I don't have a ruler, but by eye, the blade is about 3/8" shorter in length and 1/8" shorter in height. The front of the handle matches the decrease in blade height, but tapers to near full height at the rear. The overall shape of the handle is distinctly Bushboot. The guard, which will actually be the blade kick in this application, is much less pronounced. This was required to ensure that the blade tucks into the handle sufficiently.
I've incorporated two things that diverge from the Fiddleback school of thought. The first, which might make Andy vomit, is the inclusion of a small choil. I understand Andy's distaste for them, but 99.9% of the slip joints I've seen have a small one at least. Maybe I should leave it off, but I honestly think slip joints look off without them. Hopefully Andy won't disown me or make me return any of my knives for including one
Second is the inclusion of metallic bolsters. Some of the KPHs have had them, but to my knowledge no other Fiddlebacks have. As with the choil, this is still up for debate, but as of now I plan to have them. The slip joint I'm finishing now will not have them, so I want to work with them on the next one. The options here are either integral bolsters (liners and bolsters machined as one piece from barstock) or soldering separate bolsters to the liners. If integral, they will be machined out of 416 SS. Otherwise, the liners will be 304 SS and the bolsters will be something else. One sweet option would be to con some 1/8" spalted O1 off of Andy if it could be soldered without compromising the spalting. Another option would be to make some non-metallic bolsters out of a contrasting handle material.
For the blade and spring, I'm planning to use oversized 3/32" CPM154 since that is what I have on-hand. In the future, I might make another, assuming this one works out decently, out of 1/8" O1 for a heavy user.
I'm trying to decide on a material for handle scales. I have some nicely figured Bubinga as well as some Mammoth Ivory, but will almost certainly save both until I can produce a package worthy of those materials. Right now, I'm leaning towards something from Shadetree Phenolics. I've never seen any of it first hand, but Andy has put out some amazing pieces incorporating Todd's stuff. This would also work nicely with the non-metallic bolster idea.
I plan to finish out the in-process slip joint in order to learn as many lessons as possible before moving on to this one. I might even try to do one more based on a classic pattern before starting this one. Given my track record, it will probably be some time before I start this one and even longer before I finish. That being said, I welcome any comments on the design, materials selection or anything else. I like to let ideas like this one sit for a while before I act on them. In essence, think out different scenarios, options and materials before cutting any steel.
Lastly, I think it goes without saying that if the design pans out, Andy would have free license to the patterns/templates, especially considering that it is at least 98% his design anyway.
Several weeks back, I designed a slip joint pattern and profiled it out of some oversized 3/32" CPM154. I've learned quite a bit about how not to design a slip joint in the process. The whole time, I couldn't help but think about how awesome it would be to design a slip joint based on Andy's Bushboot pattern. I mention this to Andy in another thread and he asked me to post my progress. Friday morning, we left our little girl with family and took off to the beach for a long weekend. My Bushboot came along for the ride and this afternoon I began sketching out the design. I have pictures of my sketch, but forgot to bring the cable to migrate them from the camera to the computer
For now, this post will serve as a placeholder until I can edit to add the pictures. I also have some pictures of my currently in-process slip joint as well as my fixed blade blank with file guide attached. In the interim, I'll describe the evolution of the Bushboot based design.First, I traced the outline of the Bushboot. Next, I began adjusting here and there to make it fold. I don't have a ruler, but by eye, the blade is about 3/8" shorter in length and 1/8" shorter in height. The front of the handle matches the decrease in blade height, but tapers to near full height at the rear. The overall shape of the handle is distinctly Bushboot. The guard, which will actually be the blade kick in this application, is much less pronounced. This was required to ensure that the blade tucks into the handle sufficiently.
I've incorporated two things that diverge from the Fiddleback school of thought. The first, which might make Andy vomit, is the inclusion of a small choil. I understand Andy's distaste for them, but 99.9% of the slip joints I've seen have a small one at least. Maybe I should leave it off, but I honestly think slip joints look off without them. Hopefully Andy won't disown me or make me return any of my knives for including one
Second is the inclusion of metallic bolsters. Some of the KPHs have had them, but to my knowledge no other Fiddlebacks have. As with the choil, this is still up for debate, but as of now I plan to have them. The slip joint I'm finishing now will not have them, so I want to work with them on the next one. The options here are either integral bolsters (liners and bolsters machined as one piece from barstock) or soldering separate bolsters to the liners. If integral, they will be machined out of 416 SS. Otherwise, the liners will be 304 SS and the bolsters will be something else. One sweet option would be to con some 1/8" spalted O1 off of Andy if it could be soldered without compromising the spalting. Another option would be to make some non-metallic bolsters out of a contrasting handle material.
For the blade and spring, I'm planning to use oversized 3/32" CPM154 since that is what I have on-hand. In the future, I might make another, assuming this one works out decently, out of 1/8" O1 for a heavy user.
I'm trying to decide on a material for handle scales. I have some nicely figured Bubinga as well as some Mammoth Ivory, but will almost certainly save both until I can produce a package worthy of those materials. Right now, I'm leaning towards something from Shadetree Phenolics. I've never seen any of it first hand, but Andy has put out some amazing pieces incorporating Todd's stuff. This would also work nicely with the non-metallic bolster idea.
I plan to finish out the in-process slip joint in order to learn as many lessons as possible before moving on to this one. I might even try to do one more based on a classic pattern before starting this one. Given my track record, it will probably be some time before I start this one and even longer before I finish. That being said, I welcome any comments on the design, materials selection or anything else. I like to let ideas like this one sit for a while before I act on them. In essence, think out different scenarios, options and materials before cutting any steel.
Lastly, I think it goes without saying that if the design pans out, Andy would have free license to the patterns/templates, especially considering that it is at least 98% his design anyway.
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I take it that means you didn't lose your breakfast over the choil
