My idea for a 3 piece titanium or steel handle barrel knife

[fsir]

I like multi-piece knives and am always looking for a strong but compact multi-piece. I like round handle knives like Opinel too. But I'm kind of not happy with the handle materials (wood and plastic polymers) they use. I don't want a multi-piece knife whose handle can conceivably break off from the blade in my hand.

So I drew up my idea of a perfect multi-piece knife with a titanium or steel handle.

Let me me know what you think people. :thumb up:

 

[benchwarmer380]

Any folding knife's handle/blade can conceivably break.

Not sure if those are to scale, but it looks like it would be quite wide and uncomfortable in the pocket.

How would it lock up?
How do you open it? (stud, hole, flipper, nail nick?)
Is it on bearings or washers?
What do you intend to keep in the storage compartment?

 

[fsir]

Any folding knife's handle/blade can conceivably break.

Not sure if those are to scale, but it looks like it would be quite wide and uncomfortable in the pocket.

How would it lock up?
How do you open it? (stud, hole, flipper, nail nick?)
Is it on bearings or washers?
What do you intend to keep in the storage compartment?

Well, it wouldn't be made to be a perfect pocket knife. The handle I guess would be slightly larger than the handle for the Opinel outdoor no. 8. I haven't really applied any measurements to it all. Size is open to you guys.

It locks up as described in the picture. The blade is firmly attached with strong pins to a thick metal disc that slips into the handle. The blade sticks out a slit at one end of the titanium tube. A steel inner tube fits tightly in behind and on top of the blade block, pushing it firmly down. A cap goes on top to hold everything in place.

You open it via the cap. To switch to "flipped in" you open the cap, slip out the steel inner tube, dump out the blade with blade block, turn it around, put it back in the handle, put the steel inner tube in behind it and screw the cap back on. Done. Now the blade is inside the tube and concealed from the elements, as the blade block, now turned around, covers up the open slit at the other end of the handle..

I don't know about bearings or washers ….whatever works…I don't see any need for them..since it doesn't "open" as a traditional folder since it's not really a folder…certainly a rubber washers at the cap...

You can keep whatever you want in the storage, fishing line, hooks, small fire steel, matches, whatever...

 

[fsir]

btw, the handle doesn't have to be made of titanium. You could use stainless steel. It would still be a strong handle for a knife.

 

[fsir]

It's very similar to this knife in concept except the blade slips into and is secured inside the hollow handle instead of screwed to the handle.

 

[EricV]

Almost sounds like an old "barrel knife". Id suggest making one out of wood, or aluminium first, and adding the pins to your drawing as those are an important aspect thats missing.

 

[fsir]

Almost sounds like an old "barrel knife". Id suggest making one out of wood, or aluminium first, and adding the pins to your drawing as those are an important aspect thats missing.

Just looked up "barrel knife". Sharp observation. I guess it is an updated spin on a barrel knife. Someone on another forum also suggested 7075 aluminum for the handle.

that's pretty funny, though. I've never heard of barrel knives and just independently innovated one. Only in mine the blade doesn't swivel so there's less moving parts.

I've also updated the photo to show the pins.

Do you (or anyone) know of any knife makers who would make this knife if I gave them full rights without any conditions?

btw, the blade style in the drawing comes from only my limited drawing ability. It can be almost any blade style that will fit into the handle.

 

[EricV]

I suspect it would be trickier than average to build on a large scale with a fairly large amount of waste material, even barrel knives weren't made by too many companies or for very long, probably for a good reason.

 

[marcinek]

Only in mine the blade doesn't swivel so there's less moving parts.

Its nothing but unattached moving parts. Thumbs up for creativity, but you are re-inventing the wheel by making it half a dozen times more complicated.

 

[marcinek]

... dump out the blade with blade block, ...

...point end first into the palm of your hand...

 

[killgar]

Speaking for myself, I wouldn't want a knife that I had to assemble and disassemble every time I wanted to use it. A three piece knife sounds like a pain in the butt with no apparent advantages over current modern folders.

I've never machined titanium, but I've often heard that it's difficult.

If you like round handles on folders, I would imagine that a custom metal handle could be made for an Opinel. And I'm sure that two half-round handle scales could be made for several other production folders. And then there's always a full custom.

I can't recall ever seeing anyone on this forum say that they had the blade of a folder break off from the handle while using it as it was intended to be used. I think that such an occurrence would be very unlikely if a person were using a folding knife like it was designed and intended to be used- as a cutting tool.

And I disagree with the notion that products (knives) are built to break. Used as a cutting tool, a well-made quality folding knife could last a lifetime, or longer.

Of course, if you feel that your design would best suit your needs, then more power to you. Whatever works best for you.

 

[fsir]

Its nothing but unattached moving parts. Thumbs up for creativity, but you are re-inventing the wheel by making it half a dozen times more complicated.

It's not as complicated as it appears. It's actually less when you compare it to traditional folding and multi-piece knives. Let me outline some of the advantages:

One of the advantages to be gained is no single pin swivel design. My proposed design is double pin (see drawing above) with no moving interlocking swivel parts. A design with less necessity for delicate parts.

Of course, the other advantage is the blade is fully enclosed from the elements when inside the handle and the hollow handle can serve as small storage for additional supplies, like matches, cotton, etc.

Additionally, as long as the handle doesn't break, I don't see yet how this kind of "lock" can fail. Just look at how it's set up. The blade is held to the disc block with two strong pins (not one) and is not designed to swivel. Then the disc is held down against the bottom inside of the knife handle by a hollow steel cylinder that fits tightly in the handle behind it and is secured by the stainless steel or reinforced aluminum screw cap. The blade would probably break in half before the "lock" failed with that kind of configuration of parts. With a swivel design, there's always a chance the blade can swing back and cut you. Just as with a fixed blade, there is no chance, no chance, of swing back with the design I am proposing. Zero.

Lastly, I like round handle folding knives like opinel. I also like to carry a folding knife to spare my fixed knife for when I really need it. The Opinel Outdoor No. 8 is a robust knife but I'll never be 100% confident with that polymer handle. And plus it's probably not even an environmentally friendly plastic. I realize multi-piece knives are not meant to perform like fixed blade knives but what if you lose your fixed blade in an emergency and all you have is your multi-piece knife? I want the most robust multi-piece knife low to mid or even high pricing will allow. And it doesn't have to be a titanium handle. It's not like a strong handle can't be made out of cheaper steels.

 

[marcinek]

...I don't see yet how this kind of "lock" can fail. Just look at how it's set up. The blade is held to the disc block with two strong pins (not one) ...

That, like anything else, can fail.

 

[shinyedges]

Sounds like a virtual fixed blade to me

 

[marcinek]

Sounds like a virtual fixed blade to me

Or a Folding Fixed Knife.

Parts fail. People just want to believe that their parts are somehow unbound to this law...but they aren't.

Its a cool idea. But its no more fail safe than any other folder.

 

[bflying]

Sounds like a virtual fixed blade to me

Crap, you beat me to it.

Or you could call it a Break-Down Fixed Blade. Not sure I know anyone that would want a fixed blade that "breaks down". But a folder it is not.

 

[fsir]

That, like anything else, can fail.

I'm not suggesting multi-piece knives can't fail. Wtf?

Are you suggesting we not make any folding or multi-piece knives because they can fail?

 

[fsir]

Or a Folding Fixed Knife.

Parts fail. People just want to believe that their parts are somehow unbound to this law...but they aren't.

.

Yes, I know I'm like so in denial of the immutable laws of physics because I want to make a 3 piece knife. How could I not see that? It's a wonder why people make anything.

 

[marcinek]

I'm not suggesting multi-piece knives can't fail. Wtf?

Where would I get such a crazy idea!

I don't see yet how this kind of "lock" can fail.

 

[brancron]

Your diagram is difficult to understand, especially the last few steps regarding the steel inner tube and its interaction with the "blade block". I don't know what's going on with the inner tube at the end.