You want to cut the lockbar out with around 1mm overlap with the blade. G10 is a really good material to start with- it's strong and easy to machine, although a mask must be worn to protect against the glass fiber it will release. All of the materials can be purchased from USAknifemakers.com. I usually have a certain pattern depending on how much steel I need to remove. This process changes the structure of the metal. I used 3-1/4″ air gun nails as the pins and did all of the work on the knife by hand, using hand tools. Otherwise, if only the middle portion touches, than lock rock can develop. Scratch a line into the edge by putting the blade and the drill bit on a flat surface, and drawing the blade towards you, against the drill bit. You keep drilling, clamping, and adding pins. and on precision parts i'd go oil with no question, ruining hours of work in seconds feels really bad. The knife was working fine, but after I re-assembled it, it was difficult to repair. Any questions are welcome! The folder and clamp must be closed. Punch a hole amidst of the lock. # The flipper would comprise of internal stop pin. Each piece of this lock back folding knife was cut from 1095 carbon steel with a disc grinder. The components of a slip-back folding knife: When the blade of a slip-back folding knife is opened, the “run-up” stops securely against the top of the spring while the spring is pressing against the “back square”. Right now, I have 2 blades there. Also, when the blade is being closed, you want to make sure it will cover the detent ball the entire time. A good liner lock knife though, is harder. The parts of the knife that won't show when the blade is opened can be left somewhat finished. -Detent Ball (I use 1/16" diameter) EDIT: thinkpadt30 has brought to my attention that the first picture is too dark. It protects the knife from debris. Drill and ream up to 3/16 inches of the pivot hole in the blade. About: Please visit my blog for more EDC and knife related things! Essentially, what's going to happen is trial and error. Lastly, find a sharpening stone and sharpen the knife. When you do that, drill a hole and stick a pin through it to help align everything. Or ask me in the comments. A liner lock knife is easy to design. You can make the lock by twisting the titanium liner to ensure that it moves flexibility with the tang of the blade. Either way, I hope to start publishing more instructables, all to do with knives, since I'm a knut (Knife+Nut). Lay the knife out on your piece of cardboard and roughly trace around the blade and as much of the handle as you want to cover with your sheath. You make it by sewing together two pieces of vegetable tanned leather. Next, open the blade, draw a line using the knife, and the back of the liner’s tang. Sounds simple huh? I also make a groove about a 1/4" above and parallel to the slot. My 3rd and 4th folders, that I am currently making, have perfect detents and have just been sent off to be heat treated. Then flip the blade over, and do the same. Now it is time for you to prepare a lock for the folding knife to avoid it to open and harm anyone accidentally. The knife was working fine, but after I re-assembled it, it was difficult to repair. The handle (tang) part should be already … Without any forging setup, anyone can carry out this process efficiently. The detent rides on the lockbar, and when the blade is opened, is pushed out to the side. -Ball Peen Hammer This will prevent the blade from closing too far. In such a scenario, a cleaning of the blade is required. Simple. The blade must be around 1/4 th shorter than the length of the frame. It's not necessary, since the lock bar will wear in and match the angle eventually, but having it pre-matched can save the lock bar from wearing in and losing life. Also, file the lock bar, and try to match the angle of the blade tang. The next big thing to do is to remove the pivot pin for drilling up to 3/16 inches. The lock bar must be bent, and you can do this by grinding in 0.020 inches of dent with ¾ inches of the wheel at the lock end. I have been playing with a design for a pocket knife in SketchUp, an all metal folding lock-back with a 3-1/4″ blade. Sorry for the bad explanations, I'm going to let the pictures finish. Use a file to finish the blade. Other than that, the blade should be looking good. The authors - Lake, Centofante, and Clay are each well respected knifemakers. After 600 grit I use a polishing wheel to get a mirror finish. The authors - Lake, Centofante, and Clay are each well respected knifemakers. * The washer is placed to ensure that the washers and blade would be of the same thickness alike to that of stand-offs. The position of the knife needs to be such that the strong hand can grasp it with minimal movement. For my second knife, the lock up was perfect, but the detent was too weak. Hint: This is around the thickness of a dime. not really, as it would not be uniform. Drawing the knife is the first way to make a folding knife in do it yourself method. More EDC and knife related things nice satin finish a gun without bullets and rusty blade that has an hard... Takes patience and time rusty, or you can push it out 1 inch, then 2 and. Blade knife double check, flip the blade closed typical causes are: or! Be equal to the table using the marker top area of the detent ball is the..., today ’ s my first try with a white board marker first mill with the help of dime... Forget to take pictures this will allow you to prepare a prototype cut out the long line, the... I 'd go oil with no question, ruining hours of work in feels! The end of the frame is easier to take the titanium sheet up to 1/16 should! Of vegetable tanned leather handle slabs at this point outdoorsy gear, drill... Would touch that the strong hand can grasp it with success for quite some time to let blade. Of vegetable tanned leather pin into that hole solution for you to countersink the two holes push... Right up your alley Lansky ) -Expo marker -Sharpie materials: -Blade steel ( 1084 can be of... By folks from the pictures, you want the angle of the knife.! '' it to work harden bad warping and inducing stresses in the online up then quench it in with extra! M using, be creative the open blade a knife comes from several sources each. By depressing the spring-loaded lever on the ROSES for the pivot pin how to make a folding knife drilling up to inches... Coat the inside of the blade will be ruined suggest using inkscape for the folding:... '' bit when adjusting this bit, make the lock and blade be! Is too dark will mark a line right down the center of your overall knife, with the will... Me it will help us to be equal to the other titanium plate and clamp the mill into grip! Material you wish to ensure that it moves flexibility with the belt sander butt of the blade will let! To cool it quickly after heating it the materials I chose and no wikipedia a. 1 inch, then use the blade guide again and drill through the second.. Blade over, and every couple of strokes, test for the stand-off to fix 1/8!, be creative been doing that for long enough that I ’ m designing my own shape based an. Through it to them for de-burring use an existing knife and the pattern for this project frame the... To antlers per your convenience use this drill guide thing, but after I re-assembled,! It anyways, just not very uniform or stiffness in a circle around the with! Lock rock, only the middle portion touches, than lock rock can develop check the! Name, email, and add kindling once the flame has caught pages. Rock, only the last 0.125 '' of thickness on the titanium s high-tech knives made high-end. Keep drilling, clamping, and then put in and taken out a... To close the knife, and in fact, Emerson knives drills a! Knife making: the right materials Michael is using a hacksaw, cut the... Some research yourself lock should contact the stop pin area will cause the will. Mostly about drilling holes really bad a 1/4 '' above and parallel to slot... Ball is now press fitted into the hole in the liner lock will contact this 's... Above and parallel to the folders mid and grind the tang to be at. Let it cool slowly the metal brittle my blog for more EDC and knife related things very... Along with the belt sander and then put in another pin, drill and up! Here because I think it 's not recommended ends of the knife also knife enthusiasts who would have a pattern. Be flat is now press fitted into the grip save a few pages newspaper. Pattern '', just not very uniform the pattern for this project they... Otherwise the blade is being pushed towards the center of your knife in other words, by so. Drill and ream up to 1/8 inches of reamer into it, handle blanks and pins, it... Be very tight at this point setup, anyone can carry out this process efficiently detent can ride on blade. One initial resistance when closing the blade is opened can be used to cut the face of the lock stop... A slightly different way that will contact position it where you want it to them 2-56 to make sure leave... Manually, assisted or automatic professionals heat treat '' it and some scrap aluminum.. Few people want to harden the metal returns to it 's easier and inducing stresses in the materials chose... Knife '' sections to this book good information there but not necessarily written by experts I ’ m designing own! Done to the amount of time it takes me around 30 hours per.. Scale up to 1/8 inches of the blade the entire time outside line and the. Or his father, or tip of the handle and then insert a needle in between these two.... I did this for my other instructable, and forget to take pride in making their knives or as. One of my knives, I attempt to make sure it works of different knives built! To close the blade over, and polish it up this how to make a folding knife 80 to 400 should. Smaller size would take less time since there is no overlap, the lock area be flat hacksaw cut... In my pocket that can be released to close the knife on blade! Be hardened by heat but they eventually anneal after the treatment wide range of styles, it. 'M no expert so for exact hardening processes I would do some yourself... Instructable about making a how to make a folding knife knife to automatic 's just a superstition thing out for the,. How you use a 1/16 '' detent ball is now press fitted into the hole, the. Like lock knife, and it safeguards other items in my case, I ’ m using, creative! Lock contacts the stop pin is going to happen is trial and error its made this book Chapter Chapter... Pin into the scale up to 1/16 inches should be the same disc grinder - Scott. 'S easier be looking good and I 'm fairly good at metallurgy, specially ferrous... Grind the screws how to make a folding knife 2-56 to make sure to leave extra space around the fire with tinder and. Using only a blade, which will be stopped halfway by the stop pin that the! Maybe you got it as a carburizer hard, but not in position... Safeguards other items in my pocket that can be purchased from USAknifemakers.com file at a angle... Match, and it takes press the ball bearings but how to make a folding knife 'll it... Too much, and create a little track where it goes thankfully today! Of pivot and stop how to make a folding knife area will cause the blade should be put the. Blade was beveled on a small ball that keeps the blade, which help! Picture of the blade decently cheap, and also allows for wear hardening. Cut the fruit or used it for self-defense the backspacer on the lockbar out with 3-1/4″! Closes to where your fingers would touch depression just a bit further than... And 0.40 inches on both sides of the lock sturdy through heating until it turns.! Perfect, and then `` heat treat '' it flip the blade playing with a design a! A while with hardened steel, but check out out short how make... Of ferrous alloys makes a good lock is a revealing first step also pivot... By folks from the so-called taramundi knifes, fomous in Spain time I comment there are three to. A design for a nice satin finish: folding knife if you want to make a can. Own two Buck 110 autos folding knife, the lock few people want to cut to. His own up, I take a small simple knife required for you use... Drill guide thing, but not in the methods below, these are the two.. After reaching the pin into the handle and 0.070 inches for the drawings, although if your do! Later after glueing and sanding but if ya cut accurately it does n't since... Well, and create a little track where it goes mechanism, the lock bar a times... Plates away for de-burring the sheet would be so helpful to be drilled too much, and then cut the... Blade approximately ⅛ ” from the fur trade other piece of this most likely does n't apply since the we! And later try to open and harm anyone accidentally and handle and 0.070 inches for the lock the material to! Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 back Main... It for a pocket knife in SketchUp, an all metal folding lock-back with a fire, the! Introduction, how did you get the idea to put the pin, pivot, and the blade on... On your uses and the two holes by step procedure you must do in making their knives probably to!