Folder Question

[Doubletrouble]

What is a detent for? is it necessary? I'm working on my first folder design and have looked at dozens of folders and some have detents some don't. What are about bearings?

 

[Overmountain]

I assume you mean a detent ball. A detent is just a term for any hole or notch that a catch mechanism interacts with to lock something loosely in a certain position. A detent ball holds the blade closed in a knife that doesn't use any spring tension for operation.

Bearings can be used in the pivot mechanism of some knives to give a smoother and possibly quicker opening and closing.

Cheers!
-Eric

 

[silverforgestudio]

If you can get a copy of Bob Terazoula's book on tacticals He is pretty much laid out the use, function and basis for detents and liner-locks in a concise and clear format. The detent is a part of the consideration of the initial design of the knife pivot and how it will respond/function. Eric is spot on about the bearings- in a lot of knives the "bearing" is nothing more than a softer metal bushing and a nylatron/Teflon washer.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

A detent is a device to "detain" something a folder blade it detains the blade from accidentally opening. It is used on liner lock an frame locks because they have no back spring, which does that task on slippies and lockbacks.

Bearings are nice, but are best saved for when your skills ( and tools) are more advanced. A good quality pivot and bushing and a properly drilled and reamed pivot hole in the blade will work very well.

 

[Don Hanson III]

Guess you're not making a slipjoint?

 

[Karl B. Andersen]

Or a lock back.

Guess you're not making a slipjoint?