Liquid Metal is here! well at least some prototypes

WTF I can respect that. Maybe I should say the same as my post is also about as useful as a flying pig.
 
Great work R.W., outstanding thread!

Can't make the 25th, heading North, but will see you at 'Expo...I'll make sure Edna brings that proto #10 of yours that she just picked up.

On the odd chance that we don't make the show, put our name on that 'pre-order' list...

Trace with a camera 'and' beer? *shutters* Now there's a scary thought! That guy gets around though don't he...lol

Great thread so far, very interesting topic, with some great questions, comments, and information.

Thanks for sharing,

Mel
 
Excuse my confusion, but does LM bond with other metals? Can you take a blade and put it in a mold and coat it with LM, and if you could would there be any benefit?

Thanks, this sounds real interesting but I remain:confused: :confused:
 
Well folks, I have had way too many emails offering way too many opinions on this thread to be able to keep anyone happy. (What's new).

I am going to go with the thoughts of some of our other level headed mods and move this thread to Knife reviews and testing. (Maybe I should have done that in the first place, I do not know.)
 
Good grief. One of the most informative threads I've run across in a long time, and it gets dumped on because of commercialism perceptions. This reminds me of the zero tolerance policy for some schools for knives. Maybe a little reasonable man approach would be beneficial. Instead of me now having to range all over a bboard that has turned into a hassle to navigate (separate issue) to try to find out how to pre-order a knife (if I wanted to).

:rolleyes:
 
rockspyder
maybe you need to step back and walk a mile or two in my shoes.
It is really that big of a deal that the thread was moved.
Nothing was dumped (other than the commercial.

BTW when knives and prices are posted that is not a perception it is reality and a fact.

It is still here and you can still read it. I do not understand what your problem is with the action I took. Please explain. :rolleyes:

I have had folks tell me to move it here, to shop talk, to gallery, to lock it etc. etc. Join the crowd rockspyder :rolleyes:
 
Originally posted by R.W.Clark
{edited to remove any ambiguity in Gus's mind as to what I'm protesting}
Edited Commercial content from post (gus)
Click to expand...

That (in bold) is my problem. From what I see, R.W. had some information in there for how to pre-order. Now I will be the first to admit that THAT is commercial content. However, R.W. didn't come into the forum (MY perception) to sell the knives. It was to talk about a new material. A long, informative thread ensued, where everything I know about LM1 is in one place. Including how to pre-order one. Yeah, maybe an infraction, but at least it kept it all in one place. But now I see the nice all-inclusive information package fractured, with pre-order information off in one direction (maybe? don't know, haven't searched, but I'm assuming it is in a "For Sale" area), and then the main thread is moved over the "Knife Reviews and Testing" after 5 pages of info?

I guess information would eventually be fractured out all over the bboard, but something about this just rubbed me the wrong way. Oh well, it's your house, and I'm not even paying to be here. So be it. I've said more than enough, I'm sure. Just wanted to protest.

{edited to add - after 5 pages of good info, the thread gets tossed around like Fido's feces because R.W. mistakenly adds info on prices. Yeah, the rules in the forum are clear. But IMHO, this is like any other "zero tolerance" policy, which I don't like either. At least you didn't ban R.W. Clark. Aw hell, it's more trouble to argue over than it is worth! :rolleyes:}
 
Rockspyder.
The part I edited you can not see (duh) it had a list of knives that were available and their prices. The portion you quoted was not touched by me. Got anything intelligent to add? :rolleyes:
Just what are you "protesting".
 
Here is what I edited out of the thread word for word.

How's this for perception. Maybe you would like to try this for a while and deal with all the pettiness (including yours).

"There are only three models availible at this time. They will be the Model 1, Model 6 and the Model 10. Please see my website for photos of these models. They will be offered with or without bolsters, and with either a satin finished blade or a bead blasted blade. Prices will start at $225 for the M1, $275 for M6 and $325 for an M10."

Now explain to me about my "perception" of the above.

Ron has been around long enough to know this kind of post (above quote)in Custom does nothing but cause trouble. I wrote him a respectful note saying I took it out. He can post the letter if he wishes. I welcomed his thoughts on what he was working on earlier in this thread. Why is this any of your business at all?

I have had it with your B.S. you could have handled this in email.
Pretty soon you will have a chance to try Moderating, I hope you can do better than I did and I hope you do not have to deal with smart-asses second guessing you all the time.

P.S. Do you relize you could email Ron and ask him about buying one of his knives. (I hate to be so obvious, but obviously drawing that conclusion is a beyond your thoughts regarding this situation.)
 
Gus, you are doing this all wrong. Here is what ya need to do.

First, put the edited part back in, then wait 10 minutes and edit it back out. Next move it to general, then reviews and 20 minutes later to shop talk then gallery. After that you can lock it. Tomorrow you can unlock it.

See, that way everybody gets what they want :D

Aint ya glad that im here to help? :p
 
Gus, please see my edit above, which I was typing at the same time you were replying, I guess.

I'll never make it as a moderator, because it is obvious that I would be unable to follow the rules. I would have never taken that out. If he or anyone came on here and started a new thread posting pictures of knives (LM1 or otherwise) that were available, I would boot the thread, or whatever. But in this instance, the ... nevermind. I just realized that I'm don't have a problem with the edit, I have a problem with the boot, which was apparently the ultimate result of the edit. Aw hell, nevermind. I'm nit-picking I guess.

However, just to please Richard and I, could you follow Richards suggestion? :footinmou
 
I think if you had had the number of emails I had that you would have taken it out :D.

I think this is a good place for the discussion of the new material that Ron is using. I also think that the exchange forum is an ideal place to sell knives to a serious audience. I also think that when you see or hear about something you like that it is a good idea to get in direct contact with the person whose work you are interested in rather than wait around for sales information to show up in a discussion forum and get upset when it is removed.
 
i like new things ... i am curious about how this pans out

health issues might play a roll in this one...doubt i'd want to sharpen it in the house and certainly not use around foodstuffs

ron ...has the company looked into possible health effects of grinding or sharpening this stuff? i would suspect it would have a lengthy msds....


as far as commercialism....and with all respect to gus and blues....i'm for a bit of it...it's what (used) to keep the custom forum interesting!!!!!!
 
OK...

In a wildly optimistic attempt to help get this thread back on track...

R.W.,

Earlier you posted "The protos are the only ones that will be ground. In the future 99.9% will be cast and ready to go out of the mold..." I assume that since you were provided with "large stack of LM1 plate material" the molds to create the blades have not yet been approved or developed and "stock removal" will be done the get blade blanks out of the plates?

Also may I assume from the description of the material that in order to get "LM1 Plate Material" they "cast" the plates from existing plate molds and not "forge" the plates?

Are there still plans to develop molds to allow for Near-net Shape Fabrication of blades?

You had indicated that the casting equipment would be rather cost prohibitive for most makers and that LMT wanted "to sell a semi finished product". Will they be "casting" semi-finished blade blanks for makers in the future? Or is this still a subject that is "up in the air"?

Are you planning to test this Near-net Shape Fabrication of blades by having LMT cast some test blades?

Thanks
 
well everyone else picked on you for something, but so far no on'es been the latin police (it's a hard job but someone has to do it):

"Thanks to everyone who welcomed me to this fora."

Fora being the plural of forum, your sentence should either read:

"Thanks to everyone who welcomed me to these fora." OR
"Thanks to everyone who welcomed me to this forum."


ok ok I'll shut up now... ;)
 
Man I hate going to school in tx, knew i was going to miss out on something cool, now everyone's going over to play with the knife and I miss the show. Ohh well I guess i'll have to go check it out when I get back for summer. now that sounds like fun:) but looks good keep it coming
 
When it became clear that this material was a winner, and it was decided to go public, I knew there was going to be those who felt threatened by LMT and would respond by attacking me or the material. I was prepared for these attacks.

It has become clear that there are one or two makers who (under aliases) have made the defeat of LM1 and myself there sole goal in life. When their first attacks on LM1 where for the most part blown off, they resorted to personal attacks.

Unfortuantly, due to a mistake on my part, I allowed it to happen. Having been asked at least a hundred times yesterday about pricing, I listed it here without thinking. I know better than to do that. It was my mistake. Gus had every right to edit that part of my post. I am just thankful that the thread did not get locked down. As for moving the thread, while I do not agree with it, it is within his rights and power to do so. I ask that everyone accept Gus's decision and that we move on and get back to the matters at hand. The more this whole mess is brought back up the more Tim succeeds with his goal of hurting LM1.

health issues might play a roll in this one...doubt i'd want to sharpen it in the house and certainly not use around foodstuffs
Click to expand...

Sharpening LM1 is perfectly safe. With ceramics you are not producing any dust to be breathed in. With diamonds and whetstones the cutting fluid will contain the micro particles so that will also not be a health hazard. As for use in food prep, that is completely safe. In fact I am making a set of kitchen knives for the scientist that invented LM1. No danger what so ever.

ron ...has the company looked into possible health effects of grinding or sharpening this stuff? i would suspect it would have a lengthy msds....
Click to expand...

Most diffenatly and they are actively working on a way to remove the Beryllium from the material. The MSDS is quite extensive but mostly deals with the inhailation of Beryllium particles.

Earlier you posted "The protos are the only ones that will be ground. In the future 99.9% will be cast and ready to go out of the mold..." I assume that since you were provided with "large stack of LM1 plate material" the molds to create the blades have not yet been approved or developed and "stock removal" will be done the get blade blanks out of the plates?
Click to expand...

The molds have been developed as far as the technology is concerned. Meaning that it is possible. For now it is a matter of when not if on the molds. This is a big company and with all big companies these things take time. Even if the molds were made today it would still be a long time before a machine became availible for use. You have to remember that this company is recieving requests from every industry you could imagine. They are working on everything from Abram Tank rounds to tree trimming blades. They are building factories and buying gear at a rate that is shocking to say the least. But that is how high the demand is for this product. Until they are able to get the molds into production I will be working with plate material.

.
Are there still plans to develop molds to allow for Near-net Shape Fabrication of blades?
Click to expand...

Yes, the plans are in place, but they are rather vague at this point in time. The idea needs to be worked out in great detail before we begin casting. It could take several years at this point before LMT is ready to begin mass production. Until that time, hydro cutting and stock removal is the only way to get the knives into the hands of the public.

[QUOTE}You had indicated that the casting equipment would be rather cost prohibitive for most makers and that LMT wanted "to sell a semi finished product". Will they be "casting" semi-finished blade blanks for makers in the future? Or is this still a subject that is "up in the air"? [/QUOTE]

That is still up in the air. There are alot of ideas being floated around on this subject. To make any comments on this matter would be premature at best.

Are you planning to test this Near-net Shape Fabrication of blades by having LMT cast some test blades?
Click to expand...

You had better believe it.

Also may I assume from the description of the material that in order to get "LM1 Plate Material" they "cast" the plates from existing plate molds and not "forge" the plates?
Click to expand...

You are correct. The plates that I am using are left over from another job that they did. They had a 1/8" plate mold made for that job. Unfortunatly that is the only plate mold that they have. So for now I am limited to 1/8" stock. That is why you have not seen any field or military grade prototypes. While LM1 is tough stuff, for hard use knives I would want thicker blades. Once we are in mold production stages expect to see some heavy duty field pieces hitting the market.

Just think of how or world changed with the invention of iron and then steel. Then think of how plastics have changed our world (you can't buy many things today that are not made with plastic. Well LM1 is the next revolution in materials. This is not my opinion, but is the opinion of the intire industrial and scientific comunities. LMT and CalTech are getting buried in awards for achievement. How many companies have Popular Science and Popular Mechanics beating down their door asking for anything made of LM1 for them to do articles on.

The LM1 bash is currently up to about 8 people not counting myself. keep them coming, the more the marrier.

My typeing was just interuped by a call from LMT. Looks like I am going to be making a LM1 Katana for John Kang, LMTs President. That should be interesting!
 
RW, no one is going to cast a blade that even begins to compare to Tim's work. I don't think Tim Herman feels threatened about anyone casting blades. It's nothing new, David Boye has been doing it for years. I really don't think he was trying to hurt your LMT project or your involvement with it.
As far as Gus moving the thread to the Reviews and Testing forum, I agree 100%. That's where it should have been posted to start with. This is a new technology and you are offering it for review and the material is being tested by yourself and others. This is the proper forum for the thread.
I wish you well with this project RW!
Keep us up to date on your progress!
 
My typeing was just interuped by a call from LMT. Looks like I am going to be making a LM1 Katana for John Kang, LMTs President. That should be interesting!
Click to expand...

Now Ron, you had better let me see that before you give it away. :cool:

Okay, now my turn for a tech question. How well will or does LM1 etch with the Personalizer?

-Jason
 
Okay, now my turn for a tech question. How well will or does LM1 etch with the Personalizer?
Click to expand...

LM1 etches just fine. The only differance is that it does not come out quite as dark. If you look at the two LM1 MAUs on my very first post you can see that they have been etched with my logo. There was quite a bit of talk about whether to etch the logos or to lazer engrave the logos. After alot of discusion it was decided that for cost reasons that it was best to etch for now. Once the blades are being cast we will most likely switch to lazer engraving. Also all future LM1 blades will also be etched with Liquid Metals Corporate logo. The whole reason that LMT has let me go into production was because they want name reconition. So it is required that the blades be marked with the entire name and not just the LM1 logo.

The katana will be interesting. They are bringing what they termed as "a long bar" of LM1 to me in the morning. I am really hoping that it will be thicker than 1/8". If it is only 1/8" it will not make much of a sword. But the katana will only be used for magazine shoots and it will be kept in a showcase in the Korea Office Reception area so it does not need to be fully functional. I doubt that even in a thicker bar that it will be functional as a sword. It just does not seem to have the characteristics to make a good sword out of.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top