Preview of my frst folder

B

bullet101

Joined
Dec 1, 2003
Messages
267
When I took my old project from the shelf two days ago, I realized that this knife, my very first folder, started out in my head more than three years ago, when I just got 16.

About two years ago the Kydex prototype was finished and I started to work on the actual knife.

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But since everything seemed to go wrong the knife remained in a very crude and unfinished state for the last 1 1/2 years.

I had to make two blades, the original amboina scales showed a nice gap to the bolsters because of a little "thinking mistake" during fitting, I hardened the blade only to realize right after the quench, that I forgot the detent hole, I lost the first pivot during a Loctite accident .........

So there were several occasions where I was close to scrap the whole thing.

As you can see the knife is still far away from being finished but now I'm making good progress. Before I go off to the university it has to be finished, as I need a proper knife to keep me good company for the next three years to come :D.

I hope you like it as much as I do, I'm especially fond of the green canvas scales. They seem to grow on me everytime I look at them.

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Looking forward to your comments.

Best regards,
Marcus
 
Wow that's a really great looking knife! Where can I get one?? hahah. But seriously, It's hard to believe that you made that yourself; it looks very well done and above production quality of most knife makers. Great pictures by the way.

~Elidon
 
Nice job.I especially like the texture sculpting of the bolster.
If you want a few suggestions -
You might want to add a grind line and extend the ricasso back under the bolster so the notch between the edge and bolster doesn't show.It will be stronger that way.If you think the ricasso area is strong enough,and the "V" notch was part of the design,that's OK,but I personally would still add a grind line.
As to fitting the bolster to the scale - Once the liners have been shaped and finished,fit the bolsters completely,but don't finish the top sides.When the knife is done all but the scales,including tapping the scale mounting holes, take it all apart and re-mount the bolsters to each liner.Just finish the scales on the end where it meets the bolster to a flush fit,leave the rest oversize (including extra thichness).Place the oversize scale on the liner and while holding/clamping it in place (tight up against the bolster) mark the screw holes with a Sharpie.Drill the screw holes in the scale and put in long screws (don't drill the recessed holes yet).If all fits perfectly,then recess the holes to the depth required,trim off the excess from the inside of the liner,grind the scale to the liner edge,and shape the scale and bolster to a smooth fit ( do both liner/scale/bolster assemblies ).If the scale won't fit up to the bolster quite right,ream the holes in the scales a tad in the needed direction until it will screw on with long screws.Once all is fitting properly,mark around the screw heads with a sharpie and drill the recess as marked. This will allow you to push the scale up tight to the bolster when reassembling the knife for the final assembly.By fitting and pre-finishing each scale/bolster as a unit it is far easier than trying to fit them on an assembled knife.(some makers just drill the screw hole in the scale a bit oversize to start with. This way they get a little wiggle room in the fit to the bolster,and mark around the head to drill the recess)
Stacy
 
awsome folder. Do you think it's big enough?:eek: Just a little more work on fitting the scales and you've got one heck of a knife. Love the texture on the bolster, and that's an awsome design too. I like the green canvas mycarta also.

Anouther way to finish the scales is to take them off, paint the ends with dye chem, reinstall and scrib the level of the bolster. Take them off and carefully sand a bevel down to the scribed line. Install the scales and check them. You may have to take them off several times. When I do a folder I usualy end of replacing most of the screws because I take it apart, put it together, take it apart, put it together add infinity.
 
Overall I like the knife. I think it would look better with a lower grind line. Along with needing to fit the scales to the bolsters better, the scales also need to be finished better on their edges.
 
Thanks a lot guys :thumbup: .

These are some pretty good tips Stacy and Will, I have to keep them in mind for my next ones.

@Keith: That's exactly what I think :D. As I said the, knife is by no means finished. There still is a lot of work to do for me, besides the things you mentioned.

Best regards,
Marcus
 
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