New flipper model

Thanks!







Worlds worst jig and not something I'd do again or at least do a better version of. I need a rotary table.
 

Counter boring the bearing pocket. So much better with an end mill.




As you can see I went in the wrong side. I meant to have the screw heads on the lockside scale but, oh well.
 
http://s1373.photobucket.com/user/vargaknives/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-10/0F78C617-6EB7-45FE-B749-59AC2F4EE24E_zpsv5iyarys.jpg.html]
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Ok, so here's where things got ugly. For some reason I hadn't worked the detent track into the grand scheme. I dropped the detent hole through the scale (#55) as usual without giving it a second thought. When I fit the blade in I realized that the ball wouldn't be riding on the tang but right in the arc I cut out! Big oopsy and at first I thought I would scrap the whole damn thing or at least the blade. After taking a breath I thought I could plug the hole and drill a new one that would keep the track outside the arc.

It worked but not without some major consequences:
1) I was planning to anodize the scales but the plug I made is steel and would then be too apparent.
2) The detent hole in the tang is now visible when in the opened position.
3) The distance in which the detent ball meets the tang when closing is too great. Ideally I like to get the ball onto the tang while in the natural act of closing the knife so as not to force the tang to overcome the spring pressure and height of the ball. I always cut a ramp in the lockface anyway but hope it is almost unnecessary when closing normally. In this knife it is now 100% necessary and overcoming the spring/ball is difficult. Also, the ramp I needed to cut is very close to the outside of the lockface.

Any one of these would make the knife unsellable but all three just mean I will have another knife to beat on.

The plug can easily be hidden in the finish later on.

 
I forgot to show cutting out of the spring. I don't have any pictures but a short video of a first tentative approach. I usually cut the relief on the top metal wheen of my grinder and this is the first one done on the mill. I think it came out very well.
 
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Continued learning experiences are just part of the trying to advance our work. Good for you for trying to save others from making the same mistakes.
Frank
 
Yah, Frank. The biggest and part of learning how to make a knife is learning how to fix mistakes. And the mistakes you fix by figuring it out on your own are the best.
 
Varga, what made you decide on the stop pin location?
Just asking because I'm having difficulty deciding on a stop pin location on my first attempt at a flipper.
 
Thanks for the comments guys!

Assuming you're asking about an internal stop pin (because that's what this one is) then obviously I made a poor decisision in that regard. Not on the pin itself but rather on the track which in turns defines the pin placement. My thinking was to leave as much meat as possible on the tang so that it's not a weak point. Originally I had thought that strength was the priority but really it should have been the detent track. Of course the arc cut out also needs to be outside the washer/bearing pocket and also not interfere with the lockface. So I guess that leaves four points of consideration: thickness of the remaining steel, outside the washer/bearing, interference with the detent track and interference with the lockface.

Once you have an idea of how far from the center of the pivot you need to go to just clear your washer/bearing then it's just trial and error on some paper templates. It's actually real easy to see once you have a drawing but very hard for me to describe and honestly, I'm not the best person to ask because this was my first attempt at an internal. Just so you know though, once I had the general idea I did do the stop pin first and then created the arc around that trying not to cut out the exact open and closed positions until much later with a dremel. I did eventually go too far in the closed position and the blade hit the standoffs. I just went to a bigger stop pin and all was well (from a .125 to a .136, #29 drill bit cut down).

As people say going with an internal stop pin opens up the design options immensely. Within certain limits it can almost be an afterthought whereas when I design an external stop pin the knife has to be practically built around it for everything to stay hidden.

Sorry if my thoughts were unclear. It's been a long day.
 
Varga Knives said:
Thanks for the comments guys!

Assuming you're asking about an internal stop pin (because that's what this one is) then obviously I made a poor decisision in that regard. Not on the pin itself but rather on the track which in turns defines the pin placement. My thinking was to leave as much meat as possible on the tang so that it's not a weak point. Originally I had thought that strength was the priority but really it should have been the detent track. Of course the arc cut out also needs to be outside the washer/bearing pocket and also not interfere with the lockface. So I guess that leaves four points of consideration: thickness of the remaining steel, outside the washer/bearing, interference with the detent track and interference with the lockface.

Once you have an idea of how far from the center of the pivot you need to go to just clear your washer/bearing then it's just trial and error on some paper templates. It's actually real easy to see once you have a drawing but very hard for me to describe and honestly, I'm not the best person to ask because this was my first attempt at an internal. Just so you know though, once I had the general idea I did do the stop pin first and then created the arc around that trying not to cut out the exact open and closed positions until much later with a dremel. I did eventually go too far in the closed position and the blade hit the standoffs. I just went to a bigger stop pin and all was well (from a .125 to a .136, #29 drill bit cut down).

As people say going with an internal stop pin opens up the design options immensely. Within certain limits it can almost be an afterthought whereas when I design an external stop pin the knife has to be practically built around it for everything to stay hidden.

Sorry if my thoughts were unclear. It's been a long day.
Click to expand...

Thanks, made alot of sense. I made a cutout of plexiglass, but am trying to do an equilateral triangle as best I can. I understand what you are saying about finishing the arc stops last as well. Thanks for the reply and I can't wait to see more!
 
If you can't customize a screw to fit your needs you can't make a knife. If you can make a screw from scratch then, well, I'm jealous.

Going to hide the clip screws.


Eta: I'll post more later when I have better reception.
 
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I just realized I didn't take any pictures making the clip. Oops. I started it on the port-a-band then profiled. I work the relief on the upper wheel of my KMG the finish on the mill. For me this gives a smooth curve that won't cut up your pants on one side and the right angle on the other side allows more room for the pocket seam.


BTW- My new favorite is M3x.5 screws. They are strong, good thread count and east to tap. The heads can be taken down to the same size as a 2-56 without any problems and uses a larger torx bit.
Short video of it assembled.
 
Still more work to do on the blade finish but the handle is done!




I thought the orange peel might cover up the detent hole plug but only didn't. Since this one is for me I might leave but...
 
Thanks Rupestris!

A couple of things are nagging at me this morning. The orange peel didn't hide the plug in the first detent hole so I was thinking of doing something like this, but maybe with a curve:

Also, maybe an acid stonewash of the bevel and bronze ano on the orange peel.
Whatcha think?
 
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