Progress report on BF 2012 knife!

waynorth

waynorth

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Nov 19, 2005
Messages
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This set of pics will either give you sweet dreams or nightmares, depending on your technical leanings!:D
Either way, it shows you a small part of the work that goes into your Forum knife, and all GEC knives for that matter.
It's a wonder these guys can make a buck! (Pun intended):D:D
The pics start from tool steel blocks, fresh from heat treating, and ends with machined dies that punch out the scales for our new pattern!
I will leave technical questions to those smarter than me, so, please contribute if you are qualified. I do know the machining is by EDM! And that water flows downhill!:rolleyes:
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BF07.jpg
 
Awesome!! I just got back from vacation and I couldn't think of something better to come back to!

I have one question though, why do they do heat treating before they cut the die, wouldn't it be easier to heat treat it after it has been cut so that it is easier to cut out?
 
confucius37 said:
Awesome!! I just got back from vacation and I couldn't think of something better to come back to!

I have one question though, why do they do heat treating before they cut the die, wouldn't it be easier to heat treat it after it has been cut so that it is easier to cut out?
Click to expand...

My understanding is that heat treating causes some distortion in the steel. Insofar as the distortion has already occurred prior to being cut with a laser, the end product is much more "consistent" throughout. In other words, the laser eliminates most shape distortion caused by the HT. Also, cutting with a laser creates more stresses on steel than cutting say... by waterjet. Generally speaking, the thinner the steel, the more impacted it will be by laser cutting. I ***think*** that because the steel has been hardened, it is less susceptible to laser processing distortion than its softer "un-heat-treated" counterpart.

BTW, I am NOT an engineer, but I do play one on TV! :D
 
on_the_edge said:
My understanding is that heat treating causes some distortion in the steel. Insofar as the distortion has already occurred prior to being cut with a laser, the end product is much more "consistent" throughout. In other words, the laser eliminates most shape distortion caused by the HT. Also, cutting with a laser creates more stresses on steel than cutting say... by waterjet. Generally speaking, the thinner the steel, the more impacted it will be by laser cutting. I ***think*** that because the steel has been hardened, it is less susceptible to laser processing distortion than its softer "un-heat-treated" counterpart.

BTW, I am NOT an engineer, but I do play one on TV! :D
Click to expand...

This would be my assumption as well, whenever I cut steel 1/16' or smaller with a plasma cutter it seems to warp a tad if not heat treated prior.
 
Thank you so much for posting this. It is a thread that I have dreamed of.
 
protourist said:
Thank you so much for posting this. It is a thread that I have dreamed of.
Click to expand...

Well, at least it doesn't sound like you had nightmares!!:)

It also sounds like a few of you understand the process! Let's hear some more info please!!

I am assuming they mount the male piece over the female piece, and "punch through" the scale material.
 
EDM machine uses a wire with elect. current running through it to make more
precise cuts. It does better than a laser.. My best friend owns a machine shop and those things are
expensive.... Makes it easier to make dies and punches. I guess...:confused:


Jason
 
Awesome picts, and not to hijack charlies thread but final art went to sue @GEC sounds like the 2012 is firing on all cylinders :D
Regards
Gene
 
Sweet to see pics Charlie. It was a long road this time but it appears to have been worth it. :thumbup:
 
Deleted because apparently this was taken the wrong way......
 
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Thanks for the update, Charlie!

That handle profile looks very nicely proportioned. I'll bet they eventually flip it over and make a killer Swayback Jack out of it.
 
Getting really excited about this one! as a machinist seeing this sort of thing makes me grin...making a die that will eventually be used to create some beautiful knives we can all enjoy.
 
What is so cool about this, is even if you don't get in on the run, GEC will now have the dies to release regular runs in the future.

I was not in a position to order one (much to my sorrow), and hope in the future to get this pattern (perhaps in burnt stag etc).
 
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