how to add jimping to a flipper tap

rogerxd45

rogerxd45

Joined
Mar 12, 2009
Messages
271
i had to modify the flipper tap on my ZT 0804cf in order to get the knife to work how i wanted it. when i would go to close the knife the flipper tap would hit my thumb before the blade made it past the detent. I would then have to push the blade over the detent which made closing the knife more difficult and would most likely over time cause wear on either the detent or the blade which might cause problems with the functioning of the knife down the road. what i did to solve this is grind the part of the flipper that would come into contact with my thumb when i closed the knife. This worked perfectly. now the blade is passed the detent when the flipper tap hits my thumb. however i now have a new problem.

when i ground the face of the tap down i ground off the jimping which helps provide a good grip on the tap when opening the knife. now every once and a while my finger will slip off the smooth face of the flipper tap before i can open the knife. so i need to do something to provide better traction on the flipper tap. I am pretty sure even as little one jimping grove would be enough but i would like to have atleast 3.

this blade is made of cts-204p which is very hard, i had problems grinding in a sharpening notch on the blade. my files would barely remove any material and would just "skip" across the blade so i think i will have problems getting the jimping started with a file. i dont think i will be able to keep the file in the one place that is needed to start the cut in the jimping

any ideas would be greatly appreciated, also i would be willing to pay someone to do this for me but i have not clue where to start looking to find someone who could do this

thanks
-Roger
 
I would use diamond needle files. Do a search on Amazon for "FIL-974.00", that is the item number for a very small set of diamond files. They come in a variety of "shapes", so if you wanted squared jimping you can use the square file, or the edge of the flat file, or if you wanted "round" jimping (as though each jimp looked like a half circle) you could use the round file.

I have two of those sets (one as an extra), and I use them regularly on hardened steel. I bought the extra set because I wanted to make sure I always had a set, they're that good.

Best to go slow with a detailed job like creating jimping. Using a file lets you take your sweet time stroke by stroke. Less chance of screwing up that way. Unlike using a Dremel, one little slip and you've got a job that looks like crap. Taking metal off a blade is easy, but you can't put it back on.

And one of the nice things about diamond files is that you can use them in both directions. Unlike a standard file which only cuts on the push, a diamond file can be pushed and pulled back and forth across metal.
 
yea thats the best ive come up with as well. I think if i take the blade out and clamp it in a vice with just the tab sticking out i can have the cutting wheel use the vice as a guide. ill have the wheel touching the vice which should make cutting a straight line much easier. then i can just re position the knife so the tap is sticking further out to cut the next grove and just repeat this until i have as many groves as i want.

however if anyone has a better idea or an improvment on my idea i would like to hear it.
 
I used a dremel on my aluminum handled 0770 as long as you take your time and mind your feed speed you should be fine.
 
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