Will this work?

M

matt123abc

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Apr 10, 2012
Messages
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So before I make my first folder I want to make something more in depth than a fixed blade, but less involved than a folder from scratch. I am thinking about buying a cold steel recon 1 (don't make this a hate thread) and making a replacement blade for it out of a decent quality stainless steel. So I am wondering if I make an exact copy of the factory blade, then send my blade off to be heat treated, will there be any problems with lock up once I get the blade I made back? Thanks.

Ps.
Please move this thread if I put this in the wrong place.
 
A friction folder from scratch is really not that that difficult to do.
The problem with making a replacement blade is nothing is ever exactly the same including the wear on parts.
You'll still have issues "fettling" the knife once it's back from HT
 
It can teach you quite a bit.
I have repaired knives all my life. Many years ago, I got into a disagreement with a well known knifemaker over folding knife construction. He said, "You have never even MADE a knife!" That struck me as odd. I had made every single part imaginable for every type knife, but I had never made all of them at once and assembled them into my own custom knife! So I did, and it went very smoothly because of my "parts work" earlier.
 
I made a friction folder the other day and really enjoyed it. It wasn't as hard as I imagined, but harder to make one really nice than I imagined. They are very simple knives. I suggest trying one.
 
I think the thickness of the original blade and the steel you'll be getting might be a problem.
You have to buy the same thickness of get it to be the same thickness.
Why not start off with a kit knife?
 
I recently made the Bulldog folder kit from USAKnifemaker, I'd recommend it. There are several WIPs on Knifedogs forum for instructions. It is just waterjet cut out parts that you have to finish, so its a little more in depth than some of the folder kits from Knifekits.

The first folder I made I used the how to on Ray Rogers' website to figure out a simple way to do the geometry of the pivot pin/lock/stop pin. The tutorial is great, my execution of the knife wasn't great, that why I went with the Bulldog kit. Since then I borrowed the geometry of the bulldog to make my own folder.

All that being said, I'm sure you could make a replacement blade for the recon 1. I'd just say get precision ground stock to the right thickness if you can. PG is nice because the blade has to be very flat to work right. I'd also leave a little extra metal on the lock surface for final fitting after heat treat. I guess you might be able to just assemble after heat treat if you send it off to someone who can give you a really clean blade back, I don't know, it probably depends. I do mine in my own furnace and they always need a little clean up.
 
Hengelo_77 said:
I think the thickness of the original blade and the steel you'll be getting might be a problem.
You have to buy the same thickness of get it to be the same thickness.
Why not start off with a kit knife?
Click to expand...

Because that's what everyone does:rolleyes:. And I decided to go for it, I ordered the recon 1 yesterday. I got a sweet deal on it. I still need to order the steel for it. This project should be a lot more entertaining then planned.
 
TILLER said:
I recently made the Bulldog folder kit from USAKnifemaker, I'd recommend it. There are several WIPs on Knifedogs forum for instructions. It is just waterjet cut out parts that you have to finish, so its a little more in depth than some of the folder kits from Knifekits.

The first folder I made I used the how to on Ray Rogers' website to figure out a simple way to do the geometry of the pivot pin/lock/stop pin. The tutorial is great, my execution of the knife wasn't great, that why I went with the Bulldog kit. Since then I borrowed the geometry of the bulldog to make my own folder.

All that being said, I'm sure you could make a replacement blade for the recon 1. I'd just say get precision ground stock to the right thickness if you can. PG is nice because the blade has to be very flat to work right. I'd also leave a little extra metal on the lock surface for final fitting after heat treat. I guess you might be able to just assemble after heat treat if you send it off to someone who can give you a really clean blade back, I don't know, it probably depends. I do mine in my own furnace and they always need a little clean up.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input everyone. Tiller, this might be a stupid question, but is the blade in the kit for the bulldog already heat treated? Thank you.
 
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