Stupid questions about making a friction folder.

Osbourn

Osbourn

Joined
Jun 27, 1999
Messages
804
In playing with ball bearings, it occurred to me that the size I've been working with would be perfect for folders. Unfortunately, I lack the facilities for folders, unless they're very simple. Friction folders look very simple to me, but I've never handled one, and I'm not sure if there's anything I'm missing about them.
They look like they lock in place using the tang extension being held down by the hand, is this right, or is there any kind of spring involved?
What is the "Friction" in question that they get their name from?
Are they like folding straight razors?
How long should the tang extension be?
And finally, when do they date back to?
Any help here would be appreciated.

------------------
Oz

Now, what other news did I have? Oh yes, IT'S A GIRL!!!
See her and my latest blades @
http://www.freespeech.org/oz/
 
Welcome back Oz and congratulations on the new addition to your family! Seems like I saw an article somewhere recently on friction folders, I'll see if I can dig it up. Several recent posts are on friction folders, if you can find the time search them out!-Guy T.

------------------
Results! Why, man,
I have gotten a lot of results.
I know several thousand
things that won't work.

Thomas A. Edison
 
Friction folders are most likely the oldest folder design in history, for obvious reasons. The "friction" in friction folder comes from the friction provided by the scales puching against the tang. The pivot pin is tighetened moreso than on your average folder, since this is the main source of friction holding the blade open. The tang extension only serves as a decorative part, as well as allowing you to put your tmumb over it for added security.
You do not need to design the extension into the knife, as evidenced by Sean Perkins line of friction folders: http://www.perkinsknives.com
I will be workingon one very shortly. Should be fun!

------------------
My Knife & Sheath Pages:
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/frames.html
Palmer College of Chiropractic
Sheath Makers Referral Directory
agocs_s@dd.palmer.edu
Madpoet (Mel Sorg, Jr.) Tribute page:
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Lab/1298/madpoet/main.html
 
That site was helpful, thanks. But Mr. Perkins lists the tang extension as necessary, he just makes them small. I think I'm going to leave mine 1 1/2" long or so to give me a place for filework. I have a nice piece of antler that may work for a handle. Wayne Goddard had a seven-part article in Blade about making them, but I'm missing the parts I have questions about, and I really want to avoid having mine look like his, as nice as his was in the article.

------------------
Oz

Now, what other news did I have? Oh yes, IT'S A GIRL!!!
See her and my latest blades @
http://www.freespeech.org/oz/
 
As usual, I kind of started this project bass-ackwards, and did the blade first. I had a general idea in mind, and followed it, it turned out well, I think. The only problem is that I painted myself into a corner by having to find a handle to match, rather than making the blade to fit the handle. I won't be able to finish it until I get some dry ice and acetone for the cryo treating for the 52100, though, so this one may take awhile.

------------------
Oz

Now, what other news did I have? Oh yes, IT'S A GIRL!!!
See her and my latest blades @
http://www.freespeech.org/oz/
 
Chiro ,your mat. is on it's way ,i allway's make the handle first on everything I make ,that way I can controll the blade shape and function of the knife by designing it off the handle

------------------
TbarK Custom Knives
http://vip.hpnc.com/~tbark Therefore I erge you brother's in view of God's Mercy to offer your body's as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship Romans 12-1
 
Hey Osburn,
I'm a hobbiest knife maker. My successful projects have all come from trial and error. My background is ornamental blacksmith and welder.
My best friction folder is made with a blade of laminated 6x19 proof cable and an old plow disk in 16 layers, reticulated pattern, zone hardened, severe clip, about 3" long and maybe 1-1/8" wide. The tang is about 2" long with a twisted shank and a forked heart finnial. The handle is deer antler base with the eye hook left on. I started with the blade billet first as this is the easiest to ruin. Once the billet was done and I had an idea of the size of the blade, I started grabbing the antler in various locations until I found a spot that felt right and was the right size. The work on the handle and blade progressed together letting the workability of one overcome the limitations of the other. The pivot pin was made from a large nail. I put thin leather washers between the antler and the blade tang. I inlaid diamond shaped copper escutcheans at the pivot to protect the antler while peening the pivot pin to create or refresh the friction. The antler is inletted to grab the blade when folded without contact to the cutting edge and also on the back to allow the tang extension to marry to the antler when open. It carries well in the pocket with that tine hooked outside the pocket and the long tang tucked under my belt. It took me 36 hours over the space of a couple months to complete but as I said, I'm a hobbiest and enjoy the journey more than the destination.
The edge itself is a bit too hard. It's dificult to sharpen and tends to break off after use. Repeated sharpening will fix this as I will eventually get to the material that is optimum. The spine is quite soft. I did some file work with old files after hardening.
As to the history, I heard that this design was developed by old time surgeons that needed to protect the keen edge of a scalpel in the pocket but needed a sturdier knife than the standard folder of the day. But this may be a story.
The design is much more secure than it looks.
Rick
 
Thanks for the wealth of good tips, Cutler! I thought about the leather spacers, but I wasn't sure. The washers to protect the antler from the peening is a GREAT idea, and I can use something like silver or bronze to make it prettier.
<img src=http://www.freespeech.org/oz/knifeegg.jpg>
The far left is the blade that's waiting to be heat treated.(I'm gonna cryo this one if it kills me) I've got the stag for the handle picked out, a nice curve piece to accomodate the wide blade and deep choil. This pic also shows the evolution of a ball bearing being hatched into a blade, and shows why it takes 2-4 hours to forge one 3" blade.
(sigh)
As you said, it's the journey.

------------------
Oz

Now, what other news did I have? Oh yes, IT'S A GIRL!!!
See her and my latest blades @ http://www.freespeech.org/oz/

[This message has been edited by Osbourn (edited 03-21-2000).]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top