First folder (Friction folder: micarta and 1095)

Robert_Phelps

Robert_Phelps

Joined
Nov 29, 2005
Messages
475
Well, I can't say I'm 100% pleased with it, but it could've come out a lot worse I suppose. No one told me that even though I sanded the liner interiors to 600 grit and cleaned everything well, that grit-fairies would come in and make my liners chew 180 grit like scratches where the blade pivots.:o:mad: Also the scales kept walking towards each other when all was peined and glued, along the back pin, causing extra scratches along the bevel.. I got some out but not all. I finally was able to sort of pein them into the scales to stop that, but it was all messed up at that point. Also not shown in pic are the rust spots near the spine from my hand sweat while trying to fix the mess. What really burns me up is that 30 minutes before all the cussing started, I had a nice crisp bevel, and everything was nice. :mad: Oh well, next time will be better I hope. :)

..This was a couple of other firsts for me as well, including first micarta, and first time peining anything.

Luckily this is just one I made to go camping with me this weekend, and teach me about folders.
Friction_Folder_collage.jpg
 
I think you have a great knife, it looks like you can cut anything and its a great design. The other good part is you learned alot. What a deal. I grind a relief around the pivot pin to prevent the 'grit faries'.. but I really feel there is too much focus on scratches and not enough on the knife.

The best part of carrying a knife you made is when someone asks what kind of knives you make you reach into your pocket and show them something that most really could not make.

Thanks for sharing
 
I like it. I need to get around to making a folder one of these days, but with a kid on the way in less than a month I bet it takes me a while. Anyways, I like your knife it's kind of old school meets new school.

Allen
 
Would teflon or brass washers help with the scratch fairies? What about with slipjoints?

Here's another pic I left out.
The blade is a nice and legal 3", and the pivot pin I made out of some 154cm scrap I had (that was interesting), on Stacy's suggestion that nickel silver would be weak as a pivot. This is the first time I heat treated a 1095 blade in my kiln, and quenched in parks 50. I have to say it cuts very well.

Friction_Folder.jpg
 
Thats cool ! I like it a lot.
Ive been making friction folders as well and find it to be very
eductional. I believe it will help in making a wide variety of knives
 
Nice job! I have also been bitten by the urge to make folders. I have a few friction folders under my belt and a failed atempt at a slipjoint. I think one of the most important things to making folders is all of your holes must be lined up and true. Next all the materials must be flat and of even thickness. When you finally go to peen things together any uneveness will result in poor action and posibly a knife that is hard or imposible to open. Something I started doing in my folder projects is using screws instead of pins. With screws you can take it apart easier if there is a problem.
Of course I dont know anything about making folders so you probly shouldnt listen to me.
Good luck and good job on the friction folder I like it.
 
Brass washer can be inserted to move the liner away from the blade, hard to tell how thick they would need to be. A typical relief is about 0.004. Teflon may not last so I shy away. On slipjoints washers can spread the liner too much for a good fit on the backspring and also interfer with the backspring unless they are really small.
 
That's awesome!!

I am in the process of making my first friction folder as well. Mine is smaller though, 2" wharnecliffe blade. For simplicity, I have some hardware ordered for the pivot and to screw it together. The blade is 1095 and I was planning on using Micarta for the handle as well, no liners though, again for simplicity. I got a scrap piece of .125 aluminum (5454 I think) from work though and shaped up the handle scales and backspacer last night. I'll use the micarta for something else. I still need to heat treat the blade, and everything is pretty rough right now, its held together with cut off nails that I used for alignment.

I just posted a pic of my progress thus far in the "whats on your bench???" thread.
 
How do you make the relief (say we're talking about a slipjoint, since that's my goal)? Do you mark off all the area that the tang touches as it rotates and then sand it away a tiny bit?

Thanks for the help and the comments :D
 
Oh ok, I think get the recessing the liner thing now. Looks good. Except I'd be doing it with sandpapers probably. Doesn't sound too deep though, and I got a new flat sanding bar that works great now. :thumbup:
 
Etched my name in it with Ernie Grospitch's stencils (It worked pretty well considering I couldn't get the stencil taped on right)
...fixed a couple of things and remembered I'd wanted to put something like a slipjoint's spring to keep the sides from pinching together at the butt of the grip, that gets fixed on #2.
Friction_Folder_fixed.jpg


Etching is cool! It's something that isn't too hard and makes a big difference.
 
That's very inspirational, thanks for sharing your experience. I bet there's going to be a crop of "first friction folders" (FFF or F3) coming up soon! :D I think using a back spacer will be key if I ever try it. I've debated just milling the slot out of whatever handle I use but I like the look of yours a lot better and think I'll try it that way. That also will offer some practice toward slipjoints should I ever really grow some huevos. And I think Micarta is a great choice for handle material for this knife - old plus new school like Allen said, a fine combination. Thanks for sharing.
 
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