What do Makers Use for cutting Frame locks?

1

19tank81

Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
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Hey guys, if someone can give me a link to a site or any info on the tool that i'm looking for, i'd appreciate it. I'm interested in making my own frame lock folders as a hobby to start on, and i do not know what to use to get those precise cuts in the frame lock portion that makes the actual lock bar. I've looked at various cut wheels for a Dremel but this would come out very shoddy looking. Is it a water jet? Laser cutter? I would like to use this tool to blank out blades and such aswell as handle slabs.

Thanks guys.;)
 
Milling machine for the long and short cut using cut off discs from McMaster Carr .

For the lock shape I used to cut them out with my band saw but its much easier and more precise as well as a better way to reduce wasted material to have your designs cut out by a water jet or laser service.

I usually did my first one as described byfirst drilling my pivot hole then drawing the shape I want on my sheet of titanium tracing the card stock I had by pinning it with an actual pivot barrel.Then I would cut that drawing shape out on the band saw as close as possible to the lines finishing up to shape it and refine it more on the belt grinder using some mustard yellow 50 grit 3m ceramic belts. Once to the shape I wanted was done I would then mark and drill all my holes and thread any that needed threaded. Then I would draw my lock shape both long and short cuts and mark where the detent ball will be and go ahead and drill that out. Usually I'd drill a hole in the back of the line toward the tail of the folder and sometimes I'd do another smaller diameter one up by the pivot. After that was done then I'd set it up in the mill and clamp the lock to my table vise lining up my disc to make the short cut milling a cut to the hole drilled. Once that was done I'd pop the lock out and reset it for the long cut. Then I'd mill that out from hole to hole and clean up any remaining areas with a thin kerf cut off disc in my dremmel.

Now the easiest thing to do once you have one done the way you want it is to ship that off to the service you use and have it cut out from a full sheet or a half sheet or whatever will cover all you need. Just make sure you have all your ducks in a row before you get them cut out because any flaws will be copied just like the first one.

STR
 
Thanks guys. BTW i love the frame lock conversions you did STR, awesome. I want to make knives similair to Strider, where one side is titanium and the other side G-10. I'd rather have everything blanked out to cut down on the process. Lol i live in an apartment so it's not like i can drill and saw all day, people will complain.

With your help guys i've researched Waterjet in my area and there are a couple spots just miles away that do this service. I am gonna call them though to see what procedure they do it in, i was thinking of supplying specs/exact drawings to them so they can cut out the materials.

I got so many designs in my head that i want to make, it's driving me crazy lol.

PS.. All i'd really want to do is get into heat treating which i've researched and there are nice ovens for this to treat blades. The blade grinding will be done with some kind of belt sander also. Again thanks guys.
 
I'd suggest a test piece before you jump in with both feet and have a lot made. Ask them about that and get one cut out the way you draw it with the holes spotted. You'll still have to drill out to proper sizing and all but they'll be where you want them. Once you get that test piece back and look it over if its a go then have the rest cut out. If not make the corrections before proceeding with the rest of your blanks. This will save you both time and money in the long run and possibly save you from wasting material.

STR
 
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