How To Question about pins in slip joint folders

J

Joey sams

Joined
Dec 2, 2025
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I am new to making knives. Like very new; I have only made a few blades and back springs. I have put together one knife but I peened it too tight and it barely opens. That’s not the point of this thread; just trying to explain how new I am.

I have a question about the pins. I am using 3/32 inch brass rod as my pin stock. I have been drilling 3/32 inch holes and chucking the brass rod in a drill and sanding it till it slips in the holes. I have tried a 7/64 drill bit but it seems like too much play in the holes with 3/32 inch pin. I wanted to get some of you more seasoned folks opinion on this before I make more scrap metal and fire kindling. Should I stick with the 3/32 holes and just sand the pin stock some. Or will it be ok to use the 7/64 drill bits?

Thank you
 
I am not a knife maker, but it seems brass rod would wear quickly in steel blades!!??
 
Peregrin Peregrin this might be better in the Shop Talk forum. To Joey sams: I seem to recall that people use a number drill bit when they drill the holes for slipjoints, maybe a 42? The experts over in the Shop Talk forum will know.
 
Tyson A Wright said:
Peregrin Peregrin this might be better in the Shop Talk forum. To Joey sams: I seem to recall that people use a number drill bit when they drill the holes for slipjoints, maybe a 42? The experts over in the Shop Talk forum will know.
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Thanks for the heads up. Moving to shop talk.....
 
I drill with a #42, then ream to 3/32 on all 3/32 sized holes except for the pivot on the blade. That I drill with #42, ream with 3/32, then ream with .097" after heat treat. The pin stock I use fits in the resulting 3/32 holes without issue. It may be tight, but I can get it in without anything more than mild encouragement with pliers. I have thought about reaming everything to 0.097", but I have not tried before.
 
Well I am not what I would call an expert but I have made some decent slip joints. I make my own bronze bushings out of 3/16" bronze rod with a 3/32" hole drilled down the middle. Sand the bushings to a few thousandths thicker than your blade stock. Then when you peen your 3/32" pins the liners can't pinch the blade. This method takes a lot of the angst out of peening the pins for me. Please note: I do have a lathe.
 
For accurate holes you want three things:
1) A good set of #-sized drill bits ( or buy the numbers you will use in multi-packs)
2) Reamers in the sizes you need. They are sold by number and ten-thousandth measurement. Carbide reamers are better, but for a hobbyist, regular reamers will work fine.
3) Precision pin stock. The hobby store and online generic rod varies a lot.
 
Steve Beckwith said:
Well I am not what I would call an expert but I have made some decent slip joints. I make my own bronze bushings out of 3/16" bronze rod with a 3/32" hole drilled down the middle. Sand the bushings to a few thousandths thicker than your blade stock. Then when you peen your 3/32" pins the liners can't pinch the blade. This method takes a lot of the angst out of peening the pins for me. Please note: I do have a lathe.
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Thank you Steve! that is a great idea.
 
Sean Yaw said:
I drill with a #42, then ream to 3/32 on all 3/32 sized holes except for the pivot on the blade. That I drill with #42, ream with 3/32, then ream with .097" after heat treat. The pin stock I use fits in the resulting 3/32 holes without issue. It may be tight, but I can get it in without anything more than mild encouragement with pliers. I have thought about reaming everything to 0.097", but I have not tried before.
Click to expand...
you have some really nice looking knives on your Instagram!
 
I drill with 3/32 drill bit then have a very slightly oversized reamer that i use (not sure what size, but it's just barely bigger than the drill bit, like .002-.003 bigger). Have been doing it that way since i started and never had any issues! I don't use bushings, just stainless pins
 
Drill with a 3/32 bit then you can use a 2.4 mm reamer on all the holes during assembly then reamer the blade with a #41 reamer to pin the knife together .
The #41 gives enough room on the blade for the pin to expand into when peening.
 
been drilling #42 then reaming pivot on blade with 2.4mm to give some room for pin to expand. other holes #42 drill then tapered pin reamer from the scale side just enough, if needed so pins slide freely but don't have play
 
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