Liners or Tang??

[metacarpels]

when a liner wears in and begins to move further across the blade tang, is it the liner or the tang itself that is actually wearing down to allow it to move?

 

[chief dignitary]

I dunno.

If I had to guess, I'd say they both wear. The liner more than the tang though, especially in the case of a hardeded steel tang and a relatively soft (Ti for instance) liner. Let's hear from an expert.

-IPR

 

[Joe Talmadge]

Think of it this way. The tang is probably 59-61 Rc if it's ATS-34, maybe 56-58 Rc if it's 8A. Titanium liners will be more like in the 30s, and steel liners in the 40s or low 50s. You'd guess that the softer titanium and steel liners would wear much more than the very hard tang, and in my experience that's exactly what happens.

 

[metacarpels]

If titanium is softer than the steel itself, why is it a choice liner material? guess im not well versed on titanium and its specs

 

[Hoodoo]

According to Sal Glesser of Sypderco, most of the wear problem associated with linerlocks is in the stop pin.

http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum20/HTML/001478.html

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Hoodoo

I get some pleasure from finding a relentlessly peaceful use for a combative looking knife.
JKM

 

[Burke]

I know I've read that titanium is good because it has the property of "galling" to other metals. Which basically means it sticks, instead of sliding to the side under pressure.

 

[Joe Talmadge]

Titanium is also lighter than steel, so it can shave a couple ounces off the weight. Titanium, even being light, is strong enough to add some rigidity to the frame (though not as much as steel would).

Joe

 

[Andrew McLurkin]

One reason titanium is used for liners is because it can be made into a spring without heat treatment. Just bend and it retains spring tension. Other reasons are that it is stong, light weight, and turns nice colors when anodized.