Eddie Baca Folder

VCM3

Dealer / Materials Provider
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Oct 26, 2005
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16,763
This is a small liner lock my buddy purchased at Blade last June.Somehow,with the way things are going,I wound up to be the owner of it.I wanted to show off Eddie's work to you all here in this forum.It is 3-3/8" closed.It has MOP scales,that are gold lip,but turn to white,perfectly matched on both sides all screws titanium.The liners are anodized titanium,the edges are sculpted and they are a two tone finish.
The bolsters are timascus.The backspacer is SS Damascus & is sculpted in the blade trough on the inside.The blade is a hollow ground warny,S30V SS,thin,scalpel sharp,with a high polish
The pivot system in this knife is designed by kifemaker Jerry McClure,and here is what he says about it,copied from his website :

My idea for the ruby pivot for my folding knives came about in 1998 when I was looking inside a 21 jewel watch. Knowing that watches of this type last a life time, I began to question if this concept could be used in making knives. I thought about using the rubies as a bearing surface for a folding knife. Curious, I talked to a watch maker about my idea. He agreed that the rubies should work just as well in a knife as they do in watches, and without any wear.

I immediately started my prototype by milling cavities into titanium liners and cementing 2.oo mm rubies into the holes, using 8 in each liner for my bearing surface. I then hand-lapped the rubies down until there was a .006 in protruding. I assembled the prototype with 3 micron diamond lapping compound for the final fit. After opening and closing the model over 500 times, I disassembled it to see how my lap pattern looked. After a minor cleaning, it looked immaculate! I reassembled it again and I opening and closed it so see how it felt. It worked like a dream! Smooth like peaches and cream!

I only had one problem: it squeaked as it opened. A touch of knife lube swiftly and easily solved that problem. After some redesign, I came to my present design. Five 3 mm diameter rubies in each liner set in a semicircle. This makes a very large diameter bearing surface area.

The very first knife I made with this system I still use, to this day. It has been 9 years and other than an annual lube job, it still works like a dream and maintains the smoothest operation. I never clean it or take it apart. I use it daily at my job as a mechanic for the National Guard. I use this pivot system exclusively in all of my folders. The wear resistance of the ruby surface dramatically outlasts the conventional bronze and Teflon washers and does not hold in grit.

Eddie Baca says on all his upscale folders,from here out,he will be using this system. This knife is dead on PERFECT in every aspect.
The pictures I have are just so so,but you can get an idea of this knife
Hope you like it
Thanks,
-Vince

Pics coming.....
 
These two pics show the pearl better,but I never yet could gt this right
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These are more up close & personal,by LarryM,just try to picture some sweet a$$ MOP,on this :D
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That is nice & real practical handle shape:thumbup:
Cheers
Mitch
 
Very nice knife. Your pictures look just fine Vince...no worries.
 
Mark,The next time I speak with Rick Menefee,I'll ask him if he speaks with Jerry to see if he has pics of the opened up knife Rick told me he knows both Jerry & Eddie Baca
-Vince
 
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