Does any one any slip joint knowledge?

Caleb M.

Caleb M.

Joined
Dec 22, 2012
Messages
157
Let me start out by saying this is my first post, and I've visited this site for about two years. I'm 13 and I've made a few fixed blade knives and wanted a bigger challenge, making a slip joint knife. I can't find much on the internet so I came her with a question. If the handle of my slippy were 3.75" long, how long should the blade blank be? Even better could someone tell me the internal measurements of a Case Sod Buster? Thanks for the help.:cool:
 
Caleb,

I admire your aspirations!
While not able to help you with exact measurements for the Sodbusters I can offer a few insights.

In the world of slipjoints there are no hard and fast rules that let you know what the blade length to frame length will be. Both shape of the frame and blade, be it a Wharncliffe blade, clip or spear will all determine the length in a given frame.

My best advice is to study many of the knives here in this forum, especially the thread "old knives" here in this sub-forum, its one of the stickies. Pay attention to the way the old cutlery factories made knives and you will start to get a sense of proportion. If the adults in your life are willing, have them take you to knife shows, shops, nothing beats seeing the real thing close up.

If your able to get your hands on just one book that will help you out a lot I would recommend "Making multi-blade folding knives" authored by Eugene Shadley, Terry Davis with forward by Tony Bose. I know the book is out of print and expensive but perhaps your local library may have access to a copy.

Good luck in your endeavors and hope to see your work someday soon!
 
Last edited:
ken erickson said:
Caleb,

I admire your aspirations!
While not able to help you with exact measurements for the Sodbusters I can offer a few insights.

In the world of slipjoints there are no hard and fast rules that let you know what the blade length to frame length will be. Both shape of the frame and blade, be it a Wharncliffe blade, clip or spear will all determine the length in a given frame.

My best advice is to study many of the knives here in this forum, especially "old knives". Pay attention to the way the old cutlery factories made knives and you will start to get a sense of proportion. If the adults in your life are willing, have them take you to knife shows, shops, nothing beats seeing the real thing close up.

If your able to get your hands on just one book that will help you out a lot I would recommend "Making multi-blade folding knives" authored by Eugene Shadley, Terry Davis with forward by Tony Bose. I know the book is out of print and expensive but perhaps your local library may have access to a copy.

Good luck in your endeavors and hope to see your work someday soon!
Click to expand...

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
 
In folders, (or at least single-bladed folders like the Sodbuster,) the blade length is usually about an inch less than the handle. So, a Sodbuster with a 3.75" long handle would have a 2.75" long blade, if the blade was measured from the end of the handle to the tip, from the outside of the knife. You're actually making the knife, so you'd have to add the length of a pivot hole, inside the handle, onto that 2.75". So... I'd say the blade blank would be 3.25" OAL? Maybe? (I'm sorry I can't help you more, but I'm not a knife maker. Nor do I own a Sodbuster :rolleyes:)
But, y'know, you can get a Case sodbuster with a 3 5/8" handle, (only 1/8" away from the handle length that you plan on doing,) for around $25. If you bought one yourself, and disassembled it, it would probably help you a lot when you tried to make your own.
Another option could be to email Case and simply ask them about the length of the blade blank of their Small sodbuster. They may not answer, but it can't hurt.
A third option would be to ask the guys in Shop Talk. It's mostly about fixed blades over there, but I know at least a few bladesmiths here make traditional folders, and out of those, at least one or two have made a sodbuster before. I'm sure that they could help.
 
I don't have any technical information to add. However, I would like to commend you for your interest and for taking up such a challenge. I'm certain you will learn a lot from the experience, and I would love to see pics of the progress when you start.
 
Hey Caleb. Glad to see you here and I love to see young people get involved with making anything especially a knife. Be sure to post a picture or three when you get done. I am not a knife maker although I have made a few, the only advice I have to give is go slow. You can always take off a little more metal but you can't put any back on. Good luck and hope to see you back again soon.
 
Glad to see all the youth aren't lost to the tacticool age we live in. :)

Instead of disassembling a perfectly good knife. I would suggest getting a kit for $25. This way you can make a pattern out of all the parts. Put the kit together to get familiar with how things fit together. Then you can use your pattern to make other patterns to suit your tastes and desires. Then start making them from scratch using your custom patterns.

http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/index.php?cPath=119_141_843

Also, try googling "how to make slipjoint", it came back with what seemed like a lot of good WIP and tutorials. One of them might have some of the answers you're looking for, and maybe a few you didn't know you were looking for.
 
Some people have had success with "How to Make The Basic Scagel Slip Joint Folder" by Jerry Van Eizenga, published by The American Bladesmith Society, Inc.. It's a small book about how to make a simple slipjoint similar to a sodbuster. The knife is fairly inexpensive.
 
Caleb,
You've received a very kind note from one of the eminent knife makers of our time. Ken, thanks for your response.
I'd echo Dan57's idea: get a knife of the style you like, don't spend a lot on it (try a Rough Rider, for example), and take it apart. Then, you can see exactly how all the parts must fit together and function.
Good luck!
Alex
 
You might also look at some of the wooden kits that are out there. I haven't put them together yet but "JJ's Knife Kit" comes in at least a trapper model and a single blade, non-locking folding knife. I think it looks like a scaled down Buck 110 without the lock. I also have A "Case Knife Kit" for their canoe pattern. I presume Case distributed it as it has their logo on the front of the tin. These kits might be a less expensive way to see some of the mechanics of how a knife works. Rough Rider also makes some kits of their knives you can put together too. Mine is for a 3-blade stockman pattern. I think they also make a two-blade trapper and a single-blade version.

You might also try tracing out patterns on some form of heavy paper. Might not work too many times depending on what you use for fasteners but you could at least see where things lie and how they fit before you start trying to make stuff out of metal.
 
I also like the idea others mentioned regarding taking apart an existing knife. Buy some junkers and just practice taking them apart, cleaning things up, then trying reassembly. I don't make knives, but I like to mod them. When I started, I was terrified of taking pocketknives apart. I've gotten better at it, but still get intimidated at times. It's a thrill to see what you can make with your own hands.

Try modding a few by replacing handle materials, reprofiling or swapping out blades, etc. You'll see very quickly how things fit and what works.

Good luck, and don't forget to post pics of your work. We like pictures...
 
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