Recommendation? Folding Knife CAD Program

H

Harley Boatman

Joined
Jun 21, 2020
Messages
98
Hello everyone!

A couple questions-

What software do you guys use to layout your folder designs?
How do you go about designing / planning your folders?
Anything I should keep in mind while planning it out?
 
I use fusion 360. Sounds like you can get away with the free version.

As far as designing and planning, that’s going to take some research. Bob Terzoula’s book is a good start.
 
Fusion would be good if you need 3D, and you can get the free version and don't mind working & storing files online all the time.

For 2D work I like NanoCAD better - it's totally free and runs on your computer with all your files stored on your own computer. Sad to say it's a windoz only and doesn't seem to run under Wine very good.
 
the softest ware I use for designing folders is an eraser.
if you choose to go the paper route, (not to be confused with delivering newspapers) you do need to make models- it usually takes 3 or 4 drawings to get the blade to its final shape and to figure out where the pivot needs to be along with the stop pin. I use a light table a lot. Lots of back and forth between handle and blade- when you change one thing, you usually have to change other things along with it
 
I use inkscape. It's a vector drawing program, not really what you would think of as CAD, but it does everything I need it to and I am familiar with it. And it is a native linux program. I have not made any folding knives yet, but I have been drawing some slipjoints and inkscape works well for that.
 
Would you guys say that doing it by hand first, and then fine-tuning it on a CAD software to make sure stop pins and such line up would be a good idea?

I do like the cork board idea 1 12345678910
 
Harley Boatman said:
Would you guys say that doing it by hand first, and then fine-tuning it on a CAD software to make sure stop pins and such line up would be a good idea?

I do like the cork board idea 1 12345678910
Click to expand...
As said, it's easy to get too involved into the CAD and miss the natural lines.

Hand sketching is freeform, you get your ideas, the shapes in your head down quickly, plus it's very fast to modify.
Then you can make photo copies, paste to other material and do physical mock ups.

It's way faster than things like 3D printing for getting the big picture quickly.
 
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Lorien said:
the softest ware I use for designing folders is an eraser.
if you choose to go the paper route, (not to be confused with delivering newspapers) you do need to make models- it usually takes 3 or 4 drawings to get the blade to its final shape and to figure out where the pivot needs to be along with the stop pin. I use a light table a lot. Lots of back and forth between handle and blade- when you change one thing, you usually have to change other things along with it
Click to expand...
light table is an interesting idea.
 
I glue graph paper on to empty cerial box to make it a bit stiffer and use a thin nail as a pivot.
This way you can start with a blade and configur a handle around it or the other way around.

When you're happy with the design photocopy it and glue it on something like thin G10 to get a template
 
Template material, cereal box cardboard, g10, Kydex, Luan plywood, sheet steel.

I tried aluminum and plexiglass.
They seem like they wouuld work, but they didn't grind well. They melted and smeared.
 
12345678910 said:
light table is an interesting idea.
Click to expand...
they're super easy and cheap to make, and mine elevated the precision of my work immediately. I don't think I'd be able to do what I do without one.
 
Hubert S. said:
I use inkscape. It's a vector drawing program, not really what you would think of as CAD, but it does everything I need it to and I am familiar with it. And it is a native linux program. I have not made any folding knives yet, but I have been drawing some slipjoints and inkscape works well for that.
Click to expand...
I use inkscape for designing my fixed blades as well, I especially appreciate that it is native Linux as I'm a Linux Systems Administrator for a living.
 
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