Dejavoo frame lock project

STR

STR

Knifemaker/Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Aug 27, 2004
Messages
12,955
Ok well it didn't take long for word to get out about these being possible. I got this one just a few minutes ago from Stan and I have another just like it on the way that I was contacted about yesterday that a customer is going to have drop shipped to me to convert before he even sees it so it looks like I have two of these full size lock sides to make for a Dejavoo using this one as my template.

This full sized Dejavoo surprised me at how big it is. Here it is beside my Large Sebenza and as you can see its quite a large knife.

Anyway, stay tuned. I'll have another one under my belt by weeks end if I have my way and maybe even a great start on the second one not even here yet. That is unless the wife side tracks me on my way but I will post at least some pics of the progress.

Thanks for stopping by.
STR
 
Looks like another nice one coming up, Steve! I am surprised they are still tip down on the conversion as I eventually will have one made tip up.
 
I can do it either way. I knew I was going to be selling that one and just kept it the same except for the lock side. If it were for me it would have to be tip up carry or I simply can't use it comfortably.

STR
 
STR,

Got your email and responded as to preference of carry mode. Glad u received the package well. Can't wait to get this one back. Nice pics as usual, keep em up. Thanks.
 
Ok better post this quick I guess. Never know if the site will wig out on us again. :D

Anyway, two locks to cut out done so far. All the holes are drilled but still need to thread the clip holes. I'll pick up on it later there and cut them out on the band saw and mill coming up.

STR
 
My shop has been at a slight stand still since Sunday afternoon with a slight electrical problem I've been having but I think my local electrical engineer friend got it licked today. Apparently I had two A/Cs hooked up to the same fuse and when it kicked off everytime my compressor kicked on I started getting in over my head a bit. I did not realize that my wife and I shared the same circuit when I thought each was on a dedicated outlet out there for our separate shops but apparently that is not the case. It looked like I was going to have to replace the old fuse box with the new breaker style one to change that at first because that was the first recommendation, which is something I would like to do anyway but not right now.

Anyway, plan B worked better and for less $ and once I got it running again to where I could run my equipment without going through fuses like candy I did manage to get something done today. Its funny how you get spoiled. I used to work all the time with no A/C but as they say, its so hard to wind your clock back. Now I understand that old saying. So, hopefully this will move along now that I have some cool air back in the shop to keep me comfortable.

This is obviously still very rough with some humps from a dull blade that I will have to change here shortly but it managed for this one.

Thanks for watching.

STR
 
Still real rough but steps in the right direction. Lock bar is cut out, detent hole drilled. Next step is cutting the lock relief. Then its off to some hard a$$ grinding and refining to get it all to shape. Bevel the edges, check it for fit and if all goes well it will then be bead blasted.

Moving slow but we are moving. :D

STR
 
Sounds cool- I'm carrying a dejavoo right now... may be interested in an upgrade.
 
These seem to me to be the perfect candidate for the frame lock conversion.
One of the things I am always concerned about when I do this for folks on the Emersons and Spyderco knives and then even on my Kershaw Blur frame lock conversion which to date is the only Kershaw I've converted, is that these knives come from the factory with that little half flat side on the pivot barrels. Perhaps you have noticed it and the hole that is also made that way so the barrel can't spin to allow the screw to loosen and lead to blade play.

I've never been able to quite figure out how my Emerson knives manage to loosen anyway, but that is another story. My fear was at first that these would become problematic for the users since on the Emerson, and the Spyderco, and the Kershaw conversions I've done the non spin side of the pivot was always built into the lock side. Obviously I can't duplicate that so I have to remove that feature and its just round holes on both sides now when I convert them if that is the case where the flat side relies on the lock side to stay put.

On this BenchMade Mini and regular Dejavoo this feature is on the non lock side so the users still have that feature keeping the pivot in place. It works out well once I cut out the lock and replace the liner lock set up that way.

I guess take a number if you want one done also. I'll be happy to get to it. I have another coming up right behind this one if the knife ever gets here. And other jobs behind that I have not posted about yet but I'll get it in the order I recieve it.

STR
 
You know, on the problem of the pivot barrel moving, I put JB weld on the part that has the quarter moon to prevent the barrel from turning and hand filed it to fit the barrel and so far has worked. May not be too strong but it has held as I doubt if the pressure is strong enough to dislodge it and JB weld is strong. Just my 2 cents!!
 
I may have to try that on an Emerson if they spin on me. So far none have been problematic enough to prevent loctite from working but in that event I'll tuck that idea away as a just in case.

Thanks Dan

STR
 
Wow, Sorry to hear about the electrical problem Steve. I do hope its been resolved. Yes, I'm sure u wouldn't leave all those gnarly points on the ti. ;)

I don't have your expertise, but, Id concur that this knife is a great framelock candidate. First thing I noticed was how simple the slits/cut for the lock is.

If it comes out like your cqc8, I can't wait to see it. I guess its a lil delayed due to the electrical problem.

Oh, forgot to ask, what do u think about the stop pin? Seems like a solid pin, not a two piece like on some of the SOGs. Does it require a new one everytime u framelock something?
 
No, in fact I rarely change the stop pins out unless I'm really beefing it up or I need to go to the next step up in size to tighten up a lock up. This one seems plenty strong and in fact is made in such a way that it is a must to reuse it. I know I told you probably a couple of weeks and it may be that long for total time. I get a lot of jobs from several companies that I simply have to get done and I try to jungle jobs that are smaller between the bigger ones because as a general rule of thumb I typically make it a point to get the smaller jobs in and out for folks since most of them are used to that if they are repeat customers and also because many of the knives I see routinely are their EDC knives they don't want to be without for long. Unless those smaller jobs are something completely new I rarely post them anymore because it is just redundant to post the same pivot repair or the same pocket clip over and over again after some are already up to see.

I'll get your knife knocked out though. Its really not delayed at all so no worries.

STR
 
Thanks, thats very good to know it'll be the same time frame.
Outta curiousity, "made in a sucha way?", why is the stop pin a "must" re-use? Hope its not a pain to replace if need be or something really different.
I do take into account that the stop pin is a crucial part of the liner lockup and not just the lockbar itself. Just would like to know. Thanks.
 
Its probably made in house by BM. The ends that stick in the handles are 1/8" exactly but the center is something else bigger around. It might be 3/16 but its not under that. It may be bigger around than 3/16. The thing is though, you can't bump up in size really because then the stop would be so close to the edge that it would make it far too thin for my liking. The tolerances leave no room for going bigger on this folder.

The only way to do that would be to rebuild both sides making it wider all the way down, changing the spacer, and how the blade looks opened among other smaller things. In other words it better be right or there is no going up to make up for a missed cut out or screw up. Once I grind it all where it needs to be and bevel the edges the existing pin is right there on the very edge of the bevel and while I may be able to fit a bigger pin in I'd not want to take it up any bigger than a 5/32 hole in the scales of this knife at the stop but that won't do any good since the stop for the blade in there is already slightly larger to where its almost flush with the handle when the thing is all together. Hope that makes sense.
STR
 
STR,

Makes absolute sense. Your explanations and answers are quite detailed, but, always very understandable. I do know what u mean about increasing the diameter of the existing liner hole to accept a larger diameter stop pin. There just wouldn't be much "meat" or steel backing left for support and probably would crack somewhere down the line.

Was re-reading Bob T's " Tactical Folding Knife" manual and had an explanation for same as well in his liner lock chapter. I guess its because he manufactures his own stop pins on a mini lathe and had experienced the same results before.
 
First test fit to see how it all goes together is up. I am happy with it so far.

STR
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top