Slip-joint Construction

Lycosa

Lycosa

Joined
Aug 24, 2007
Messages
43,271
Hi Gang- The rear spring and the tang on a slip-joint have to be perfectly square to look right.
Could these two points just be rounded instead? As long as the lockup is tight, I could go for this.
Also, are slip-joints, that can be disassembled, not worth making?
Thanks!
rolf
 
Rolf,
The area where the spring and blade meet need to be square otherwise I would guess that you might get some up and down rocking motion as they slipped against each other.

All my slip-joints are made with screw together construction. The advantage of this is I can adjust the spring tension if it is too much of a nail-breaker for a client.
 
Chuck, are you using 1/8" 2-56 pivots? How are you doing the back and butt pins? I think I have an idea, but I'm not sure.

Rolf, I got your email but hadn't had time to respond.

I think the way the runup and back square and end of the spring fit together would dictate that everything is left square. Rounded would put a lot of pressure on a very small area and would be a PITA to fit up properly, if you could even get it to work right.
 
Thank you, Chuck and Brian!
email coming. Chuck.
The slipjoint is just a fantastic folder design. I was just wondering if it could be improved upon but I think Chuck answered my question.
rolf
 
Brian,
I have a pin in the center like a traditional slip-joint and two screws in the back to hold the whole thing together. I also use a 1/8in pivot with .005 washers on each side.
 
Hi Rolf,
i didn't understand, what you mean with rounded? exactly what part of the tang and spring do you intend to round?
Chuck, i'm also interested in your screw together construction? Beautiful knife, what's inside that we don't see? ;) Are you using tapped rods as pins resting on the liners holes?
thanks

STefano
 
Stefano- Hello!
Where the tang meets the lock spring. But, these areas need to be square, I was told.
I wonder if a rounded lock spring could snap into a groove in the tang?
rolf
 
OK, a little like the lockbar on a backlock, but with a round tooth on the spring?
Yes it could be done, then you must take care also of the bottom of the tang for the closed position...but i think it is adding unnecessary complexity, if the spring is strong enough it is not necessary to add locking power, and it is quite a challenge just to have to fiddle with the spring positions in the traditional square mode ;)
I love slipjoints, i made my first, and it is very rewarding when you first hear them walk and talk between flush spring positions :)
 
For info, Spyderco do a couple of their slip joint models with that kind of spring fitting into a notch.

The Squeak and UKPK for a start,
 
The Enzo PK70 has an even better version than the UKPK, albeit a two handed opener. I have one of the kits which I have yet to assemble, full flat S30V slip joint, washers, steel liners, all screwed together, smoothe to open, not too much spring, but a lot harder to start closing than the Spyderco. They use a ramp like notch rather than a rounded one. Very nice.
 
Not my photo, but this shows the detail pretty well.

Enzo18.jpg


Found through Google, from this thread on a German forum, worth looking at for the rest of the pictures of the mechanism and finished knife.
http://www.tacticalforum.de/index.php?page=Thread&postID=391635

Enzo20.jpg


:cool:
Chris
 
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