Festival of Friction Folders!

D

dogstar

Joined
Jan 23, 2011
Messages
4,399
Let's see your friction folders, traditional or modern! If you pick up a new one, please remember to share it here!

I have the Svord Peasant and Mini Peasant, Opinel No. 7, and MAM drop point. All except the MAM have been modified.
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I really appreciate their simplicity. All of these are great knives. They all have steel that sharpens up easily with basic sharpeners. The MAM is the lightest and most compact, yet has the largest blade (along with the Peasant). It is a joy to carry in the pocket. If I had to pick only one, it would be the Peasant. It is bulky, but not too bulky, and I would use it in any situation because of its strength.
 
DMG said:
What exactly makes a knife a friction folder?
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AFAIK, no lock, no springs. The only thing holding the knife open or closed is friction. Sometimes there is an extended tang so the palm of the hand stops the blade from closing. The Opinel has a collar lock, so is technically not a friction folder, but some folks don't ever bother with the lock.

EDIT: In the case of the Peasant knives, the friction is between the blade or tang and the handle scales. The pivot can be quite loose. In the case of the Opinel/MAM, friction occurs at the pivot, where the wood/blade are squeezed by the pivot pin.
 
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dogstar said:
AFAIK, no lock, no springs. The only thing holding the knife open or closed is friction. Sometimes there is an extended tang so the palm of the hand stops the blade from closing. The Opinel has a collar lock, so is technically not a friction folder, but some folks don't ever bother with the lock.
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Well said.

Zieg
 
dogstar said:
The Opinel has a collar lock, so is technically not a friction folder, but some folks don't ever bother with the lock.
Click to expand...
Only the post 1955 N°6 and larger have the collar/ring lock. N°5 and smaller don't have it. Pre 1955 Opinel (their first 60 years of production) regardless of size don't have the collar/ring lock.
I'm one of those who don't bother with it. As long as I'm not doing something stupit/moronic, such as stabbing something, or trying to cut/slice with the blade spine, the blade can't close on my fingers. The normal cutting/slicing action forces the blade open, not closed. 😁

A lot of those who don't bother with the locking collar/ring remove it. It's easy enough to intentionally pop it off ...
I haven't bothered popping it off my N°6 or N°8. I don't use it, but it doesn't get in the way and isn't hurting anything. If I "lived" where blade locks are a "no-no", I'd pop the locking collar/ring off.
The MAM knives are available in a push to release liner lock version. I bought the regular no lock versions for the two I have. I don't use the lock on my Opinels, and none of my slipjoints have a locking blade. (the back spring's only job is to prevent the blade from partially opening in the pocket, or falling up to half closed when open. It isn't to "lock" the blade open.)

My small collection of Friction Folders:
MAM "Medium" "Clip Point" (looks like a Spear Point to me, but whutda I know? They call it a "clip point" ... seeing as how they made it, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. 😇)
MAM "Large" Sheepfoot. (same length open and closed as the "medium" "clip point" 🙄)
Opinel Olive Wood handle with stainless blade N°6. (I don't have my standard Beech handle with Carbone blade N°8 with me)
Bergamasco (Italian) I don't know the model number or name.
Gold Dollar1996 Straight Razor.
View attachment 1998485
 
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afishhunter said:
Only the post 1955 N°6 and larger have the collar/ring lock. N°5 and smaller don't have it. Pre 1955 Opinel (their first 60 years of production) regardless of size don't have the collar/ring lock.
I'm one of those who don't bother with it. As long as I'm not doing something stupit/moronic, such as stabbing something, or trying to cut/slice with the blade spine, the blade can't close on my fingers. The normal cutting/slicing action forces the blade open, not closed. 😁
A lot of those who don't bother with the locking collar/ring remove it. It's easy enough to intentionally pop it off ...
I haven't bothered popping it off my N°6 or N°8. I don't use it, but it doesn't get in the way and isn't hurting anything. If I "lived" where blade locks are a "no-no", I'd pop the locking collar/ring off.
The MAM knives are available in a push to release liner lock version. I bought the regular no lock versions for the two I have. I don't use the lock on my Opinels, and none of my slipjoints have a locking blade. (the back spring's only job is to prevent the blade from partially opening in the pocket, or falling up to half closed when open. It isn't to "lock" the blade open.)

My small collection of Friction Folders:
MAM "Medium" "Clip Point" (looks like a Spear Point to me, but whutda I know? They call it a "clip point" ... seeing as how they made it, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. 😇)
MAM "Large" Sheepfoot. (same length open and closed as the "medium" "clip point" 🙄)
Opinel Olive Wood handle with stainless blade N°6. (I don't have my standard Beech handle with Carbone blade N°8 with me)
Bergamasco (Italian) I don't know the model number or name.
Gold Dollar1996 Straight Razor.
View attachment 1998485
Click to expand...
I like my MAM spear point so much, I see a sheepsfoot blade in my future. Although I have so many knives now, it's hard to justify getting more. I know, I am talking nonsense because I'm posting this at BF.
 
dogstar said:
I like my MAM spear point so much, I see a sheepsfoot blade in my future. Although I have so many knives now, it's hard to justify getting more. I know, I am talking nonsense because I'm posting this at BF.
Click to expand...
I know what you mean.
I only have 17 or 18 stockman's, 8 Barlow, 8 Canoe, and 3 large Sunfish (among others). Why do I want more of those patterns?!?🤔
 
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