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Liner Lock question.
- Thread starter flame boy
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 19, 1999
- Messages
- 3,560
Most of us use titanium for our locks because it requires no heat treating and seldom suffers from metal fatigue.
Some stainless steels like 304 or 316 require no heat treating for use as a spring but can suffer from metal fatigue.
George
Some stainless steels like 304 or 316 require no heat treating for use as a spring but can suffer from metal fatigue.
George
- Joined
- Jul 23, 1999
- Messages
- 1,409
I would assume that your talking about the liners for a folder? In some instances 410 stainless is used, but for the most part Makers are using Titanium for the liners in their liner lock folders. Because of the temps and precision required to accurately heat treat stainless steels, although some may claim differently, I feel its a necessity to use a heat treat oven to properly heat treat stainless.
Of course other possibilities exist, especially if your intent is to use the stainless for liners rather than blades, as liners need only be "springy" and not fully hardened to function properly.
Of course other possibilities exist, especially if your intent is to use the stainless for liners rather than blades, as liners need only be "springy" and not fully hardened to function properly.
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2001
- Messages
- 787
Titanium isn't particularly hard; anything that will cut stainless will cut titanium. A metal cutting bandsaw is best, but you can cut it by hand as well.
Grinding should be done at slow speed if possible. At higher belt speeds, ti sparks white hot!
Grinding should be done at slow speed if possible. At higher belt speeds, ti sparks white hot!
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2006
- Messages
- 2,264
I have a slightly different take than others on this subject.
While I use Ti for liners/frame parts, I'm not convinced it's the best possible material for liners on a linerlock. It's nice that it's a natural spring, it's very strong for it's weight, but as mentioned above, it is soft. It is much less dense than steel, and much more malleable. I've never been too keen on the fact that the engagement portion of a liner is soft, malleable Ti interacting with a hardened steel blade lockface. That seems sub-optimum to me.
Some guys flame the end of the lockbar which will create a very hard surface on the Ti. Still, If the lock was the only consideration I would think 17-4 or 17-8 SS would be great for liners. It's precipitation hardening, encountering no dimensional changes in HT. Has great wear characteristics despite it's mediocre max hardness of about 47 RC, IIRC.
One of the greatest reasons to use Ti is that it is expected on better-quality knives. A stainless liner is what you find on the cheapest of cheap knives. Ti is a very "cool" material, is much more expensive, and its use is pretty much expected on better knives.
While I use Ti for liners/frame parts, I'm not convinced it's the best possible material for liners on a linerlock. It's nice that it's a natural spring, it's very strong for it's weight, but as mentioned above, it is soft. It is much less dense than steel, and much more malleable. I've never been too keen on the fact that the engagement portion of a liner is soft, malleable Ti interacting with a hardened steel blade lockface. That seems sub-optimum to me.
Some guys flame the end of the lockbar which will create a very hard surface on the Ti. Still, If the lock was the only consideration I would think 17-4 or 17-8 SS would be great for liners. It's precipitation hardening, encountering no dimensional changes in HT. Has great wear characteristics despite it's mediocre max hardness of about 47 RC, IIRC.
One of the greatest reasons to use Ti is that it is expected on better-quality knives. A stainless liner is what you find on the cheapest of cheap knives. Ti is a very "cool" material, is much more expensive, and its use is pretty much expected on better knives.