Making a folder - Titanium Question

E

europeanoutdoorsman

Joined
Feb 25, 2011
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Hello,
I am making a folder and I am interested in titanium as the locking piece of a liner lock.

However, I am concerned that titanium's low hardness will also mean that the lock face will wear quickly when it touches a steel (knife tang) with a relatively high hardness.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks
 
Many, many knives have used titanium liner/framelocks for decades.
Proper lock fit is important.
If you search Google and this forum you will find a huge amount of conversation on this exact topic.
 
Nullity said:
Many, many knives have used titanium liner/framelocks for decades.
Proper lock fit is important.
If you search Google and this forum you will find a huge amount of conversation on this exact topic.
Click to expand...

Lock fit is one thing, I am concerned about steel and titanium actually wearing against each other. Probably, since steel is harder, it will wear less. Lock geometry is important, but, I am wondering if my worries are unnecessary or if there is something to be concerned about as far as wear goes, not lock fit.
 
If you're that worried about the to you could carbidize it where it makes contact with the blade.
 
My EDC, ZT 561 uses the ti lock bar vs steel blade interface and I've seen no issues & no worries in 3/4 year of daily usage. However, ZT appears to be embracing adage of steel to the lock bar face making the interface steel on steel in newer model ZTs. Necessary? Overkill? Salve for the concerned? Or typical over achievement by the skilled craftsmen @ ZT (my money on this explanation).
 
There won't be a problem even after years of use, unless the lock is all the way across to begin with. For a regular liner lock I recommend .050 - .060 thickness. Frank
 
In terms of wear resistance-abrasion resistance ti keeps up with steel quite decently. The most likely tipe of damage is due to compression or shock imo abusing the lock.
Either steel or ti, there is always wear involved betwean 2 metal surfaces. And usualy the high hardness high carbide content of the blade steel wins in the long run...

Yes, carbidizing will help with abrasive wear but not with wear due to compresion or shock(like if you like spine wacking you're knives or beating the carp out ot them with a stick while trying to cut down a tree or something...angry because it's not a hatchet:)))

Fine sanding the lock face on the blade and a slight polish might help with the abrasive weare also.

Or you can try a design with a cutout in the ti and a replaceable liner lock or a steel insert...there are ways....

Keep in mind as mentioned before a well designed lock and knife is more important then the materials used.
 
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