- Joined
- Jan 5, 2020
- Messages
- 69
I have a few questions regarding building folders, specifically a linerlock. I have built a few now, and have gotten to the point where I am relatively satisfied with their design and action. I do, however, have a few guestions.
1. BEARINGS:
I have ordered bearings and the matching counterbore, mostly to try them out and see what the action is like, but also because I would like to make a proper flipper, and have heard bearings work decently on lower tolerances than washers. I was planning on counterboring both the blade and the liner - the bearings are 1.58mm thick, liners are 1.5mm titanium and the blade is 3mm. My plan was to counterbore the liners 0.5mm and the blade 0.58mm, to leave a gap of 0.5mm. Is there any risk of compromised strength due to this? Also, should a hardened washer be used between the bearing and titanium?
2. THUMB STUDS:
I mostly make my own thumb studs - I have not found a good source for them in Europe. I use 5mm round stainless, drill a 1.7mm hole (as close as I can get to center, sadly I do not have access to a lathe), tap it for M2, then thread in a screw, grind off the head and chuck it in a cordless drill. I then take this contraption to the grinder and profile the stud, and finish it with sandpaper, while still ounted in the cordless drill. This works, but it is very tedious, and it often takes a few attempts to get a decent result, as there is a lot that can go wrong.
Does anyone know of a better, simpler, or even just different way to make your own thumb studs? My method only works for single sided studs, and even then they have to be of a simple design to look respectable. Alternatively, I would be interested in buying them.
3. FLIPPERS:
My latest design was planned to be a flipper, but I decided on adding a thumb stud just in case it did not work out. The knife is on copper washers. It does flip open with just the flipper tab, but you have to wave it just a bit to make it fully lock. The action is otherwise smooth - it feels the same from opening to closing and does not bind anywhere, so I doubt that the issue is backspacer thickness. I suspect it might have to do with the detent - would making it stronger improve flipping performance? I have attached a few photos below, so you can see what I am on about.
4. CARBIDIZING:
Just how important is carbidizing in your experience/opinion? With my current design/geometry, I don't have issues with lock stick, but I am a bit worried about lock wear.
I have read about "cooking" the lock, but I have not tried it yet, as I don't sandblast or anodize liners and am worried about sanding away the temper colors. Could this be done before relieving the lock and installing the detent, or would that make the following operations more difficult?
5. CENTERING:
My last issue is centering - al of my linerliocks seem to center towards the non-locking liner when closed. The spring is not over-bent (just reaches the opposite liner without the blade installed), so I doubt that is pushing the blade over. I do not own or currently have acces to a surface grinder (I was planning on having the blades ground after heat treatment, but with the current situation that is not feasible), so sadly tolerance and flatness might be the issue. Could bearings improve/worsen centering on future knives (I gather you can tighten them a lot more and still get good action)?
Sorry for my long post - any comments and critiques on the knife are welcome
1. BEARINGS:
I have ordered bearings and the matching counterbore, mostly to try them out and see what the action is like, but also because I would like to make a proper flipper, and have heard bearings work decently on lower tolerances than washers. I was planning on counterboring both the blade and the liner - the bearings are 1.58mm thick, liners are 1.5mm titanium and the blade is 3mm. My plan was to counterbore the liners 0.5mm and the blade 0.58mm, to leave a gap of 0.5mm. Is there any risk of compromised strength due to this? Also, should a hardened washer be used between the bearing and titanium?
2. THUMB STUDS:
I mostly make my own thumb studs - I have not found a good source for them in Europe. I use 5mm round stainless, drill a 1.7mm hole (as close as I can get to center, sadly I do not have access to a lathe), tap it for M2, then thread in a screw, grind off the head and chuck it in a cordless drill. I then take this contraption to the grinder and profile the stud, and finish it with sandpaper, while still ounted in the cordless drill. This works, but it is very tedious, and it often takes a few attempts to get a decent result, as there is a lot that can go wrong.
Does anyone know of a better, simpler, or even just different way to make your own thumb studs? My method only works for single sided studs, and even then they have to be of a simple design to look respectable. Alternatively, I would be interested in buying them.
3. FLIPPERS:
My latest design was planned to be a flipper, but I decided on adding a thumb stud just in case it did not work out. The knife is on copper washers. It does flip open with just the flipper tab, but you have to wave it just a bit to make it fully lock. The action is otherwise smooth - it feels the same from opening to closing and does not bind anywhere, so I doubt that the issue is backspacer thickness. I suspect it might have to do with the detent - would making it stronger improve flipping performance? I have attached a few photos below, so you can see what I am on about.
4. CARBIDIZING:
Just how important is carbidizing in your experience/opinion? With my current design/geometry, I don't have issues with lock stick, but I am a bit worried about lock wear.
I have read about "cooking" the lock, but I have not tried it yet, as I don't sandblast or anodize liners and am worried about sanding away the temper colors. Could this be done before relieving the lock and installing the detent, or would that make the following operations more difficult?
5. CENTERING:
My last issue is centering - al of my linerliocks seem to center towards the non-locking liner when closed. The spring is not over-bent (just reaches the opposite liner without the blade installed), so I doubt that is pushing the blade over. I do not own or currently have acces to a surface grinder (I was planning on having the blades ground after heat treatment, but with the current situation that is not feasible), so sadly tolerance and flatness might be the issue. Could bearings improve/worsen centering on future knives (I gather you can tighten them a lot more and still get good action)?
Sorry for my long post - any comments and critiques on the knife are welcome
