Percheron folder #2 - Work in Progress - Lots of pictures

Ruben Calo · Dec 15, 2007

This is one of the projects I'm currently working on. Since I'll be finishing it soon, here are some process pictures, I hope you enjoy them!

It's made based on the last folder on the following page, but with a 4" blade.
http://www.calocustomknives.com.ar/docs/galleryfolders.htm

Profiled blade and drawn liners.

Cut and drilled liners.

Shaped and drilled backspacer.

Nickel silver add-on for the backspacer presented in place.

Ground blade and pivoting parts.

Stacked up.

In place.

Close up.

Filing an end of a nickel silver rod to make it flat.

Heating it to make it bendable.

Ruben Calo · Dec 15, 2007

Red hot.

Bending it in a circular shape to make a lanyard ring.

Last step. Note the jewerler style plyers.

Since it was too big for the intended purposes, I had to cut a piece off.

Borax to weld it close.

Welding it.

Closed ring. The shiny material es the added nickel silver for the welding process.

Ruben Calo · Dec 15, 2007

Of course, once the ring is finally welded, you realize that you forgot to put the other piece inside so you gotta saw it open again...

Perfect now.

Welding it close again.

Presented in place.

Drilled and heat annodized titanium bolsters.

Milling the inner side to accomodate the pivot's butt and head ends.

Tada!

Assembled bare folder. Opened.

Ruben Calo · Dec 15, 2007

Closed.

Bolster presented in place.

In hand.

That's it for now, thanks for looking!

More pics as I keep working on it.

Ruben

Next Percheron folder will be in D2!

rebeltf · Dec 15, 2007

Wow Ruben.

Thanks a ton for the pics/progress , very interesting.

I look forward to seeing it completed.

Any idea on what you will use for scales ?

Shawn fu · Dec 16, 2007

Great progress pictures,Ruben-I can't wait to see the finished product.Thanks for sharing.

Ruben Calo · Dec 16, 2007

My customer requested stag, just like on the first one

Ruben

J.Marsillo · Dec 16, 2007

Very cool,Thanks for sharing Ruben.
One day I'll try a folder and threads like this will make it a breeze.

ilbruche · Dec 16, 2007

Awesome work Ruben. Impressive as always! :thumbup:

kkim0229 · Dec 16, 2007

Great attention to the details! I really like the lanyard ring, as much as the hassle it caused you!

SteelSlaver · Dec 16, 2007

Thanks for the pictures. Really nice work and I am sure it will finish up well. Was wanting to see how people use a bearing. Could you post the bearing number you used? thanks. Jim

Ruben Calo · Dec 17, 2007

For those wondering about the bearing, it's got a 6mm inner diameter, 12mm external diameter, and a 4mm thickness. I don't know the number for it, as I threw the little box away.

Since I don't make exact knife models, the measures for the bearing change with the folder.

The first thing to consider when I'm buying these is that the inner diameter has to be 6mm, as that's the diameter of the pivoting pins I had custom made. Then comes the blade thickness, 4mm in this case.

And finally, the outter diameter has to allow me to have steel all around the bearing. If you check out picture #8, you'll see that a bearing with an outter diameter of, let's say, 20mm, wouldn't work here, as there's not enough metal for it.

I've started to use this system some time ago, and it smooths the action of the folder (the rotation is all bearing instead of blade/pivoting pin or a pivoting pin system) and I found out that it kind of stabilizes the blade, making it harder to develop lateral play. The bigger the outter bearing diameter, the best. Again, you're limited to the geometry of that part of the blade.

Now, more pics!

Everything finished but the blade and stag scales.

Refractory clay for the differential HT. (Yeah, its a tuna can

)

"Canned" blade with the refractory clay in place.

In the oven.

Out of the oven, still with the residue from the clay.

Soon to be handles.

Cut in half.

Other side.

That's it for now, thanks again for looking!

Ruben

Allen Newberry · Dec 17, 2007

Is that a cap lifter on the blade?

Allen

rebeltf · Dec 17, 2007

Sigh. This is like watching a very good TV series and wanting the next episode to take place ! lol

Once more, thanks for sharing those pictures , that is a great service to this forum.
The process is fascinating.

Allen Newberry · Dec 17, 2007

I'm guessing that it isn't a cap lifter as it seems a bit shallow especially on your previous model.

Allen

Ruben Calo · Dec 18, 2007

No, no cap lifter

Almost finished, scales presented in place, only missing one last sanding/fitting session.

Ruben

popedandy · Dec 18, 2007

That's a real beauty, Ruben!

tito · Dec 18, 2007

Ruben Calo said:
Of course, once the ring is finally welded, you realize that you forgot to put the other piece inside so you gotta saw it open again...

Thank God I'm not the only one....

fishface5 · Dec 19, 2007

"you realize that you forgot to put the other piece inside so you gotta saw it open again..."

yeah, I don't make knives but I've sure been there!

fascinating step-by-step, really great to see how it's all done, thanks! And the knife looks great!

SteelSlaver · Dec 19, 2007

Thanks again for the step by step photos and the information will make some of my future folders that much better Jim