- Joined
- Aug 20, 2005
- Messages
- 1,067
Hey guys, before I type anything else, yes I've mentioned wanting to make a balisong before. I've been going to gunsmithing school 
D ) and now I have potential access (have to be on schedule, machines free, etc.) to some really precision tools as well as an oxy-acetylene setup. Now that I've got access to the tools and some basic blueprint drawing skills I think it's time to move to the next step. I'm working on deciding the materials I want to use. I want the blade to be carbon steel. I've been looking at the usual blade steels, 1095, 5160, O1, A2, D2, etc. I've been wondering what would be a good steel that heat treated properly will take the abuse a balisong usually receives during flipping. I can do the hardening and quench with the torch setup and I was thinking of buying a cheap thrift store toaster oven for tempering. While I don't have access to Rockwell testers, I've seen info that shows how to get different RCs by tempering at different temps. What RC range will give a balance between a good usable blade and the toughness it needs to take being flipped? I'd like to do titanium handles, but ti is expensive and I'd rather just use steel for my first one just in case I mess up I'm not out so much in materials. I've read 303 SS is good for bali handles but what other options are there. I think it'd be neat to blue the handles but they have to be carbon steel to blue in the setup we have at the school. Should the handles be HTed? To what RC? Should the pins be HTs? What RC? What would I have to do to the handles to use adjustable pivots like those on the Typhoon? Counterbore part of the pivot holes?Any other advice for the aspiring balisong maker? As to my skill level, I've been getting a lot of practice filing and grinding, I've also done some welding (oxqy-acetylene), polishing and finishing, etc. I will admit I have a long way to go but I'm not in too big a hurry to finish this by next week or anything. I also have some scrap 4"X8" sheets of 1018 cold drawn to practice filing and shaping my blades and handles before moving to real expensive materials for the final product. I'm coming to the experts. What do you guys have to say about my ideas? Thanks already for all the great info in the forum.
D ) and now I have potential access (have to be on schedule, machines free, etc.) to some really precision tools as well as an oxy-acetylene setup. Now that I've got access to the tools and some basic blueprint drawing skills I think it's time to move to the next step. I'm working on deciding the materials I want to use. I want the blade to be carbon steel. I've been looking at the usual blade steels, 1095, 5160, O1, A2, D2, etc. I've been wondering what would be a good steel that heat treated properly will take the abuse a balisong usually receives during flipping. I can do the hardening and quench with the torch setup and I was thinking of buying a cheap thrift store toaster oven for tempering. While I don't have access to Rockwell testers, I've seen info that shows how to get different RCs by tempering at different temps. What RC range will give a balance between a good usable blade and the toughness it needs to take being flipped? I'd like to do titanium handles, but ti is expensive and I'd rather just use steel for my first one just in case I mess up I'm not out so much in materials. I've read 303 SS is good for bali handles but what other options are there. I think it'd be neat to blue the handles but they have to be carbon steel to blue in the setup we have at the school. Should the handles be HTed? To what RC? Should the pins be HTs? What RC? What would I have to do to the handles to use adjustable pivots like those on the Typhoon? Counterbore part of the pivot holes?Any other advice for the aspiring balisong maker? As to my skill level, I've been getting a lot of practice filing and grinding, I've also done some welding (oxqy-acetylene), polishing and finishing, etc. I will admit I have a long way to go but I'm not in too big a hurry to finish this by next week or anything. I also have some scrap 4"X8" sheets of 1018 cold drawn to practice filing and shaping my blades and handles before moving to real expensive materials for the final product. I'm coming to the experts. What do you guys have to say about my ideas? Thanks already for all the great info in the forum.
. If it turns out they're too brittle, I can use them for other stuff. As for the blade, I think I'm going to use O1 and try to temper to 59-61 (350-400 deg. F). I'll use the OA torch set up at school. Handles will probably be just plain 303 slabs or I might make some holes or cutouts in them. I'll fit it for a standard T-latch. May put a pocket clip on it or get a sheath made.