Slip joint question

J

JHAller

Joined
Feb 25, 2016
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17
I am making a slip joint pocket knife using 1080 for both the blade and spring. My question is this: When heat treating the blade, do I heat treat the entire blade, tang and all? Or only the cutting edge? My concern is the area of the tang that rubs on the spring during opening and closing. Obviously, the spring would be hardened, which seems like it would wear on the softer tang.

Thanks in advance.

Josh
 
HT it all.

To get variable hardnesses, draw any desired spot down with a small torch flame.

The best way to get smooth action is to highly polish the two mating surfaces.
 
Awesome. Thanks. Also, I am planning on tempering the blade at 420 degrees (two hours, twice) and the back spring at 475 (two hours, twice).
 
475 for the spring will be too brittle,needs to be tempered about 650-700 for an Rc of 45-46.
 
If you don't have a kiln to do this then polish the spring and draw back to a blue color and quench in water.
 
SBuzek said:
475 for the spring will be too brittle,needs to be tempered about 650-700 for an Rc of 45-46.
Click to expand...

OK. Thanks. I am not sure where I got the 475 number. I will have to try it with the torch, because I don't have a kiln.
 
Watch for color closely and just as soon as it start to blue,quench.
 
Thanks to this forum, I made a single blade pocket knife that I am pretty happy with. I will figure out how to post a picture of it when I get on my home computer.

Now, for my next knife, I want to include a second blade. Actually, not technically a blade, but a bottle opener/screw driver. I considered making them pivot at opposite ends, using one spring, and close into the same space, keeping the knife narrower like a single blade. But can't figure out to keep them from hitting each other when they are both closed. Any suggestions?

I think it will be easier to make them both pivot from the same end and each have their own spring and have them separated with a third liner. This seems simpler to me, as it is basically two separate and independent mechanisms. Even though the width will be wider. So that is the plan for now. How should I heat treat the bottle opener/screwdriver? Same as my blades? Or more like a back spring? It could conceivably see some light prying. I am still using 1080/1084.

Thanks in advance.

Thanks in advance.
 
Well, the most usual approach for slip joints with two front blades is to grind the blades in off sets. For the double bladed liner locks I make I stay side by side.
Frank
 
Go with the spring temper on the screwdriver blade. Once you get the fit up it helps to use CA glue to glue the tangs together. This also works for the front end of
the springs. Working both pieces of steel at the same time seems to work better. Heat to take them back apart.
Ken.
 
Also you will find a lot of tutorials and informations in the "traditional folders and fixed blades" subforum.
Welcome!
 
Thanks for all the advice. I bought a surface grinder to thin my stock down from .110" to probably .090" or less. I have to get it up and running before I can really start on this knife. Hopefully soon.
 
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