Rounding Tang on Lockbacks Causes Blade Play?

AFAustin

AFAustin

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I often round sharp tangs on my folders to make them more comfortable in hand and pocket. GEC's tangs are usually very sharp and so are prime candidates.

Doing this on slipjoints has never caused any blade play, but doing it on GEC's lockbacks does seem to cause or increase blade play. What are the mechanics of this? Can I get away with slightly smoothing lockback tangs or should I just avoid it altogether with them?

Thanks in advance.

Andrew
 
Still hoping for some guidance on this from someone who understands knife constructions a lot better than I do!

Thanks,

Andrew
 
Andrew, merely radiusing a bolster on a lockback or slipjoint should not cause the blade to loosen in any form. Perhaps if your doing this with a file and dropping them on concrete during the process. But using sandpaper on a block of wood, no way. I've radiused some Buck folders using a belt sander. Just lightly contouring the edges/ corners and their locks remained sound. DM
 
The tang is on the blade. The front & rear bolster is on the exterior frame of the folder. I'm thinking this is what your meaning. DM
 
David, thanks for your post. I do mean the tang, though, not the bolsters. Many GECs have very sharp tangs which, when the blade is closed and they are exposed, are uncomfortable. Here's a thread with some good discussion of the issue: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1053704-Your-thoughts-on-sharp-tang-corners

But, again, my original question stands: why does rounding the tangs cause or increase (vertical) blade play on a lockback but not on a slip joint?

Thanks,

Andrew
 
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The tang on those knives must protrude some so there is a need/ desire for this rounding. Still, I don't know how blade wobble would occur from slightly rounding this area. DM
 
Only if the lock mated with the sharp corner, usually shouldn't be the case, it should mate surface to surface. I'd suggest looking up Steve (STR) blog. He shows how to fix it woth peening the lockbar.
 
Yes. On a lock back this can happen. The answer is that you are removing a tiny bit of the part of the blade in contact with the face of the lock bar.

Those two surfaces mate up, and you are removing a slight amount of the metal on the spine/tang of the blade, right where it contacts the face/contact point.


I do this on my production slip joints too. Those GEC tangs/spine junction can be pokey!
 
Thanks, gents, for the info. (and I'll also try to find STR's lockbar peening method).

Andrew
 
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