Liquid Metal is here! well at least some prototypes

Well, actually it is a Benchmade Leopard with a newly installed LM1 blade. But its good enough to get an idea.;)

The above mentioned post was made by Bob DiNunzio. Bob was one of the reps that attended the open testing day a few weeks ago. He is on the Sports/Leisure Product Development Team for LMT. While he is pretty new to the world of cutlery, he is jumping in with both feet. He has even shown interest in learning knifemaking. During my last meeting at LMT he had a stack of the latest knife mags and they already showed signs of being well worn.:D As far as I know this is the first post by a LMT rep.

OK, so here is a photo of the LMT folder. Being used as a EDC folder it has a much finer edge than the fixed blades. I will be carrying this one for a while and we shall see how it performs. BTW, the thumb studs will be installed the first of next week.
 

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Sounds like this stuff would make a great straight razor - non-rusting (I'm always getting rust spots on my solingen), self-sharpening (well, to a degree - sounds like the edge realigns). Easy mirror-finish push cut edges + no corrosion = perfect straight-razor edges.

Maybe (for those that don't like a straight razor), we could start to see non-disposable safety razors.
 
This sounds like the wave of the future but how long will it take for the price to drop in order for it to be affordable? Can it survive the testing criteria that some use to determine if it is a good steel for knifemaking?

A friend of mine in the machine tool industry has heard of this for coating machine tools and on bits for oil drilling. If what you say is true and it production cost are reasonable then bring it on.
 
I've watched a little of this thread for some time... and now we can all see it on the cover of the latest Blade mag!
Mr Clark... that is one sweet looking piece... and I just may have to rouse the finances and talk to you very soon...:D
I'd really like to see an integral piece exactly like the cover one... I think that would be the Cat's Pajamas in a good using knife that has anything to do with food preperation!
Outstanding work, Sir!
 
Folks, I don't want to be a wet blanket, but I do want everyone that is considering working with this material to be fully aware of the hazards associated with it so that they can make informed decisions about if and how they do want to work with it.

Preventing Adverse Health Effects From Exposure to Beryllium on the Job. (http://osha.gov/dts/hib/hib_data/hib19990902.html) is OSHA's bulletin on working with beryllium. It gives guidance on working with Be and Be alloys safely.

(www.worksafebc.com/publications/health_and_safety_information/ bulletins/worksafe/assets/pdf/ws0206.pdf) is the Canadian equivalent.

The Department of Energy and the manufacturers of Be Bronze tools have worked with Be and Be alloys safely, but they have learned the hard way. Please take the time to inform yourself about how you can avoid making the mistakes they did.
 
Hi, just you’re basic knife enthusiast here, and I just read this entire thread with rapt attention. This material sounds utterly fascinating. The plastic/glass metal has been a staple of heavy duty science fiction for decades, and now it’s real. In it’s infancy perhaps, but real none the less.
Now, at the risk of sounding foolish considering the ultra-high power individuals already involved in this discussion, I would like put forth an idea for consideration or debunking, whichever is appropriate. Everything that I’ve read so far would seem to point towards the use of this material as a spectacular choice for folder components. Liner, lock bars, and the like. Given it’s durability, wear resistance, and ability to create an ultra fine surface finish which would have low friction it sounds like a natural.
 
Joeshredd: Thanks for the kind words. I did not know I was getting the cover until about a week ago. The LMT guys were able to get an advance copy of the cover for me. The guys at Expo were saying something about a towel party considering that my very first article was also the cover;).

The introduction of the knives at Expo was a BIG hit. Bob and Jerry were on hand for Friday and Saturday to answer the technical questions in detail. I ended up gettin an award for Best Technical Innovation. Its been pretty crazy over here. Been getting calls from all sorts of newspapers around the country. I have even been contacted by a South Korean magazine called "Platoon" for a article and photo shoot. It is true that you have to be careful what you wish for.:D.

Just picked up a mill on Monday so folders and balisongs are not too far off. Right now I am focused on getting all my regular orders filled so I can get into the LM1 full time.
 
Ron, It was nice to see you again, you're a hoot, and KnifeExpo is a cool venue! (We talked a bit with Tom O, and we should have some display tables for next year).

Bob and Jerry of Liquid Metal were really gracious with their time, energy, and willingness to answer our questions, while promoting the product.

Edna is pretty excited about working with them, and you, on her upcoming article for KnifeForums publications, and while Blade magazine, via Joe Kertzman, beat us to the punch with their excellent write-up in the May issue, as a collector of R.W. Clark knives, I have a feeling that her article may have a little more soul... ;)

(As a friend, I just want to extend a great big thank you for agreeing to make her a LM version to match her prototype model 10, it's going to mean quite a bit her, and we really appreciate it...the 'old and the new' if you will...many thanks buddy!)

Agreeing with hso here, and some of us at work have been kicking the Beryllium issue around, just be careful...ingestion is bad, vapors are worse. (this coming from a guy that works around Lead, Cesium-37, and Cobalt-60 on a daily basis...lol)

Congrats on the award BTW, your table was rocking for sure, but I didn't realize you picked up an award as well, Score!

If we can get up to your place one of these weekends soon, that would be great. Get Trace up there too, I love his work, and I promise to be nice... ;)

Rock on bro, you're hot as hell right now for sure! :D

Mel
 
Hey Ron,

It was real nice to meet you in person at Knife Expo! I'm glad to hear that LM is getting the press it deserves. Your current lineup looks awful tempting, but I'm gonna hold out for an LM Santoku (my vision of the all-in-one kitchen knife: dices like a champ but blasts through bones w/o damage :D ). Is it true that you'll be working with LM1 full time soon? How is that BM Leopard holding up? Keep up the good work!
 
While I've been waiting for Mr. Clark to send me a Model 10, I've been having more random thoughts about LiquidMetal and castability.

Mick Strider made a knife that I think is very attractive as well as being mechanically more complex than typical blades:

strider1b.jpg


The blade is titanium with a press fit stellite edge. The image is from Classic Guns and Knives:

Mick Strider Contest Bowie for sale on Classic Guns and Knives

Michael Walker's zipper blades were apparently made in a similar fashion:

MW1543-EL.jpg


This image is from the Catherine Miller Collection.

The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like these composite blades would give a knife capabilities that would be impossible to achieve with monolithic materials.

The problem, to quote Mick Strider, is "...that it requires incredible attn to tolerances. It would be WAAAAAAAAAAAAY to expensive to do regularly."

Given the challenges of machining titanium, the castability of LM1 would at least give you the light-weight, high yield strength part without a bunch of pain. You'd still have to machine the edge to fit, but that's got to be easier than the titanium.

I don't know what the coefficient of expansion is for LM1 in comparison to potential edge materials, nor do I know how important that would be in terms of maintaining the "bond" between the two materials.

I have visions of a 4" wide LM1 broadsword with a Cowry-X press fit edge at RC67.

Ron, how did Mr. Kang's katana turn out?
 
I assume it is a pain to forge or grind a blade to have more than two faces and one or two edges.

Given the castability of LiquidMetal, it should be just as easy to have triangular blades with three faces and three edges as it is to have two (like the WWII bayonets).

Why not have five or six thinly hollow ground blades, and then put little tiny 3D gut-hook or serration style surface features on the blades?

I'm not sure what you would use it for other than making a really big mess out of whatever you stabbed it into, but I guess that was the point of the triangular bladed bayonets in the first place.

And it would certainly be something you would never be able to make using traditional knife making methods.
 
Well, my system has been shut down all day. This is the first chance I have had to get online.

Seems that someone out there REALLY does not want LM1 on the market!

When I finally got on-line I found that my system has been hacked. Funny that the only files missing were the one containing all my info on LM1 orders. And I mean they are gone! The folder is completely empty. This cound not have happened by mistake. This was a calculated attack. :mad:

So, if you had a LM1 blade on pre-order please contact me. I made hard copies of some of my orders, but most were only kept in that folder. Feel free to call 909-279-4394.

Thanks
 
WOW That was a LONG good read. So how did that sword turn out??? Also, any other news is appricated. :)
 
The last post was in early April. What's happened since then?

Mr. Clark, did you find out who hacked your PC?

Great thread, except for the 2 trolls.

Thanks,

Albin
 
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