Input needed: folder design

Chiro75

Chiro75

Joined
Feb 4, 1999
Messages
5,786
Here's a snoozer, but anyway... The pic shows the folder in motion. I need to trim the corner of the blade tang a bit so it clears the stop pin okay, and another problem is that the bottom picture shows the detent ball dropping off the tang, which would cause the lock to drag on the blade for the last bit of movement until it locks up. So, is this a decent start, anything else I'm missing? Any ideas for the detent to work better?
chirofolder.gif
 
Looks good so far. The only way I have found to not have the detent ball drop off is to lengthen the tang of the knife. But that will lengthen the overall knife and throw off the proportions a bit. But gives a better feel to the knife.

Personally I would rotate the blade down more so that the knife in full open does not have the "broken back" look. On my knives the spine is usually between 3 and 6 degress from being parallel to the back spacer. I think it gives a better flow. So instead of going through 180° of rotation I only go through 176°.

The best thing to do is make the one you have designed and see how it works out. You will get more ideas as you are putting this one together.
 
When I lengthened the tang it seemed worse. I'll try again. I'm using Illustrator, which is cool because I can set the rotational pivot where I want it, and I can use that tool to "move" the blade through it's full rotation. As I started tweaking, though, it seemed to get worse and worse!
 
Chiro75,
I use a backbar rather than a stop pin. I have some observations/suggestions. The back of the blade angles down to the stop pin. If this were flush with the top you could raise the stop pin. This then gives room for clearance in closing but changes the profile in the closed position. To begin to return the closed appearance' narrow the tang end of the blade. Lengthen the lockbar, this will allow you to get the detent ball closer to the pivot, it will also allow more room for clearance when rotating the tang past the stop pin, and if the ball is closer to the pivot than the bottom of the tang your detent ball will not walk off the blade in rotating shut...Take Care...Ed
 
Thanks, Ed! This is complicated stuff. :grumpy: No wonder I've scrapped this project a few times already! I'm getting closer to a workable model, so we shall see!
 
Nothing wrong with the overall design, like was said I'd move the blade spine down. It makes for better looks and is easier to finish, just put the blade in and finish grind the back. Also I wouldn't worry to much about the detent ball not being on the blade tange at first, all the ones I've made(not that many to be sure) start off the tang and slip up on it, long as it doesn't fall off after it's on the tang it'll be fine.

Get the bugs worked out and you have a great working knife design, comfortable and with intergal finger protection. Dress it up in damascus and ivory and filework and you've got an art knife. I may have to steel some of your ideas on this one :p
 
Thanks! I don't see anything earth-shatteringly original about this one, so steal away! :D
 
Here's a second iteration of the knife, more along what I had in my head. Hopefully you can view attachments... if not I'll upload it and post properly. Now that I look at it it really looks like a cross between a Strider SnG and a REKAT Pioneer! The handle is straight Pioneer, but the double finger notched have Strider written all over it. This one seems to work (on computer) and I like it a lot looks-wise, so I think I'll roll with this one and if it works then make modifications to it so it isn't as similar to other things. What do you guys think about it, and do you think doing a Strider-style construction with a 0.09" Ti frame on one side (no scale) and a 1/8" thick G-10 scale (no liner) on the front side would be strong enough?
 

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Should be plenty strong, and very light. Just remember, no matter how strong a folder is it can never be as strong as a well made fixed blade. I've too much going on as it is right now or I'd steal that design too! :D
 
I'm one of those rare folks that thinks that knives are for cutting stuff, so the strength of a knife, beyond cutting stuff, is pretty much irrelevant to me. That doesn't mean I want to make wimpy stuff, just that if I do something with a knife that challenges the strength of its construction, I selected the wrong tool for the job!
 
Get Bob T's book about making tactical folders and you will have the solution to most of your problems right there! :D
 
Just use the force and build a prototype. after 5 or 6 folders you will figure out how to fix the problems and devolop different ones. just have fun :) :cool:
ps. hows my knife coming.
 
Your knife is coming slowly, Kim. I'm plugging away a little here and there but I had a few orders interrupt my progress. Doing filework is easy, making it look nice is the hard part, so I'm rounding it out and sanding it, then I need to redrill, I might re heat treat this one, too, then glue, blah blah. Sorry for the long wait!
 
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