Folder materials

[forex]

Hi guys,

Im just doing up some folders and was wondering what you guys are using for materials in lock-backs. I am planning on using 154cm for the blade and spine parts, but i'm not sure what to use for the spring material. It will depend on whether the spring is one solid piece or a relief is cut for the spring and then slotted in. I would prefer to use stainless but any other corrosion resistant material would be okay.

Thanks.

 

[flatgrinder]

Heat treated 5160 would be my recommendation, but it may be difficult to find the size you need. I'm not aware of any stainless steel springs out there.

 

[forex]

Thanks dude, suggestion noted. So just harden it to full potential you reckon? If thats the case then maybe I could just use a single piece of 154cm thinly cut. Hmmmm....

 

[John R. Fraps]

I have used spring material from MSC on lockbacks and it worked fine as treated.

If an integral spacer/spring, consider the following, and hope someone else, who does lockbacks more than I have, has input.

On my slipjoints, the 154Cm or ATS34 or S30V blades are heat treated to a 59-61 Rc. The slipjoint springs of the same material as the blades are taken to a 50 Rc.

I have Paul Bos heat treat blades and springs. I asked Paul to take the springs to same 60+/- Rc as the blades one time, to minimize scoring and scarring of the spring. Paul said he had done that at the request of other makers in the past and that 60 Rc springs were just too "brittle" to hold up to long term flexing and tended to break eventually....much more so that a spring at a 50 Rc range. ....so he very strongly suggested not taking a spring too much above a 50 Rc.
Now I am admittedly talking about slipjoint springs and you asked about integral lockback spacer/springs or non integral lockback springs. So I am trying to be helpful but may be talking apples and oranges.
Looking for input for an experienced lockback maker, please.

Good Luck!

 

[forex]

Thank you John. I pulled apart a cheapy to see what they used. Right now I have a nail jammed in the mechanism for a spring- seems to work better than the original chinese piece of crap.