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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
long weekend+sparetime=made me a knife
- Thread starter rfrink
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2000
- Messages
- 5,179
Well Rob we all knew that you are a closet knifemaker. Now there's no going back. Dang! Wish I'd bought that KMG1 sooner! Now you'll be too busy making knives to make tools. 
That's beautiful, thanks for sharing,
Dave
That's beautiful, thanks for sharing,
Dave
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2000
- Messages
- 863
Wow! I sincerely thank you all for the wonderful compliments!
Tracy, yes...I did make a 3d cad model. This allowed me to see it before I built it. I was able to play with the design and clearances before I ever cut any metal. From the Cad model, it was easy to generate prints of each component...from there I simply had to make the parts to the print then assemble everything....well it sorta worked that way. I hate to say it...but that's about the only way I know how to work. I'm not very creative nor do I have the artistic craftmens touch to wing-it as I go along. The 3D cad model helps me work out the mistakes before I go into the shop.
I really, really, really like S7 tool steel! When I was designing cold forging tools for industry....S7 was always the tried and true tool steel when everything else failed. I don't know why it has'nt been used more in custom knives. It is easy to work with, easy to heat treat...and if you check in any tool steel reference book....IT IS THE TOUGHEST! I've wrecked forging dies and at Rc 54-56 hard, this stuff is still somewhat ductile.
I also favor carbon steel over stainless for cutting. Maybe it is just me or the crappy knives that I've had in the past.....but it seems that carbon steel holds a better edge...sharper and longer than stainless blades. I'm sure that I've over generalized here and that I'm probably wrong...but this was MY knife for Me...and made the way I wanted it.
The H13 pivot...is nothing special. I used H13 because that is what I had on hand. I had it in drill rod so I used it. It is also a very tough "shock tool steel" that has higher tempering temps..and is commonly used for warm and hot forming applications.
One more note... you guys that build folders are nuts! Everything is sooo tiny!
. The friggin' little 1-72 taps are so small that I can't even see the threads on them....and they are so small that they don't make a sound when they break! Doh! .....or trying to pick up that tiny detent ball to set it.....arrg!...I only need one detent but I bought 2 packs knowing that I lose a few before I finished. Ahhh, back in the shop today building KMG1's....where I tap 1/2-13 sized holes....now that's the life 
Thank you again guys for the kind words and generous comments!
sincerely,
Rob
Tracy, yes...I did make a 3d cad model. This allowed me to see it before I built it. I was able to play with the design and clearances before I ever cut any metal. From the Cad model, it was easy to generate prints of each component...from there I simply had to make the parts to the print then assemble everything....well it sorta worked that way. I hate to say it...but that's about the only way I know how to work. I'm not very creative nor do I have the artistic craftmens touch to wing-it as I go along. The 3D cad model helps me work out the mistakes before I go into the shop.
I really, really, really like S7 tool steel! When I was designing cold forging tools for industry....S7 was always the tried and true tool steel when everything else failed. I don't know why it has'nt been used more in custom knives. It is easy to work with, easy to heat treat...and if you check in any tool steel reference book....IT IS THE TOUGHEST! I've wrecked forging dies and at Rc 54-56 hard, this stuff is still somewhat ductile.
I also favor carbon steel over stainless for cutting. Maybe it is just me or the crappy knives that I've had in the past.....but it seems that carbon steel holds a better edge...sharper and longer than stainless blades. I'm sure that I've over generalized here and that I'm probably wrong...but this was MY knife for Me...and made the way I wanted it.
The H13 pivot...is nothing special. I used H13 because that is what I had on hand. I had it in drill rod so I used it. It is also a very tough "shock tool steel" that has higher tempering temps..and is commonly used for warm and hot forming applications.
One more note... you guys that build folders are nuts! Everything is sooo tiny!
. The friggin' little 1-72 taps are so small that I can't even see the threads on them....and they are so small that they don't make a sound when they break! Doh! .....or trying to pick up that tiny detent ball to set it.....arrg!...I only need one detent but I bought 2 packs knowing that I lose a few before I finished. Ahhh, back in the shop today building KMG1's....where I tap 1/2-13 sized holes....now that's the life Thank you again guys for the kind words and generous comments!
sincerely,
Rob
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2000
- Messages
- 266
Howdy There Rob...!
Great looking folder, I must admit that your knifemaking skills are as good as your machine making skills. Hope that you are going to the Southeastern show in Winston Salem this weekend, if soplaes bring the folder would like to see it first hand. Hope to see ya there....!
Later "Possum"
Great looking folder, I must admit that your knifemaking skills are as good as your machine making skills. Hope that you are going to the Southeastern show in Winston Salem this weekend, if soplaes bring the folder would like to see it first hand. Hope to see ya there....!
Later "Possum"