A while back we posted and asked for ideas on new designs.
One of the posts asked for a BLANK FOLDER KIT!

DO you, the kit builder want to design your own shapes?
If a kit came with a square handle, and a square blade (ground) would this be worth having?

This kit would allow you to shape the kit to your liking.

Do you the kit builder feel that a level 4 kit of this type is a good design to have?

Please post your opinion.

For me, the liner lock, detent ball, stop pin and pivot arrangment is terribly intimidating to start from scratch.
Especially with limited resources and machinery.

I think what you are proposing would certainly allow us to truly create a custom folder without the timely learning curve or expense of trial and error. I like the thought of creating a custom with almost garranteed success of good performance and high quality.

Please keep us posted!

Sincerely,
Rob

Yes.
The comment about the liner lock and ball was well put.
If you could offer a flexible platform to work with and possibly a choice of blades I would be interested.

I think a list of tools should be included in the skill level designations so one could have a better idea of what there in for and plan if they want to proceed.

I'm just getting started into the knife making. I have the grizzly grinder, drill press ect.. I also have the smithy drill-mill - lathe ect..

I just finished a DDRII w/ carbon fiber scales and love it. I enjoyed finishing the kit. I will do it again but I don't feel like I made it. I have a couple that I made and it is a great feeling.

I would love to see a kit that would give me more ownership in the construction and design that would help me get one step closer to a true hand made.

Hummmmm.................

I really hadn't thought about a kit in this form. The handle I can grasp, but the blank blade (ground) I'm foggy on. You're saying, as Rob stated, basic lockup design is in handle and butt end of blade (heat treated) Then we would reshape the blade carefully to not loose temper, then sharpen as necessary?

Sounds cool! Sketches?

Definately the next level for kit makers !

Bob Sigmon

Yes Bob
The blade can be ground in a blank shape (rectangle).
Then it can carefully reshaped to your design.
Most blades can be ground after heat treat with care.

Would you prefer that the liner handle screw position holes and backspacers (standoffs) placement holes be drilled by the maker ?

Thoughts?

Yes, I think that the only holes should be for the pivot and stop pin. Part of the next level should be learning to drill and tap holes in the proper position. This would also make for the most flexiblilty in shape.

Besides being fantastic knives, these kits are a teaching aid for we new guys. If we don't get more to do, we ain't learning.

Bob Sigmon

Bob nice to see you up so early!
We are kicking this idea around.
Please keep the suggestions coming!

I for one wouldn't mind at all taking a crack at a "clean slate". I'm ready for it. I've commented in the past that one of the most satisfying things I've done to date with these kits was to significantly re-work the blades of my last two EV's. Gave me a considerably greater sense of ownership.

The emphasis up "til now has been on the handles. Time to turn us loose on the blades as well.

I just finished my most ambitious knife to date...BY FAR! (you'll see it soon). But it's all in the handle. Would love to have had the ability to get as creative with the blade as well.

You got my vote for a "blank knife". (Specs stay the same I assume?)

Dennis

Ok, here's my spin....

'Sharpened blank rectangle blade' ??? And I can make this look good? C'mon! How can I carve out anything on the sharpened side but a wharncliff style, without changing the bevel. I'm certain someone can shape one to look OK, but not me with my 6" or 1" belt sander! (coming). The Dremel guys will be bummin! Who's ready to drill the thumbstud holes, huh?

Now my vote goes for a rectangular handle to create my canvas, and a selection of maybe one or two style blades to match. Already ground and simply needing finishing. Sure the spine can be altered, but only if needed.

The important stuff is the pivot and lockup pin and grind on the lockbar area, as Bob mentioned.

No tapped holes? Well...... maybe for some. But it might also be an area you could provide predrilled/tapped holes, and if not well suited to a design, then the maker could do a set on their own. For the masses, the holes are already there. The backbar holes are the only ones that may change substantially. All else would be inline with the blade centerline anyway. So I say include them. Maybe even an arrangement of backbar holes for a number of shapes. Hmmmm.....

You know I'm just thinkin' out loud here, and whatever you come up with will be on my bench getting a workover. But this is my input.

Coop

Coop Great input thanks... keep it comming!

Coop,

I don't believe for a minute that a blank blade would end up looking anything but great on one of your knives.

Bob Sigmon

As I'm in the process of replacing a DDR1 and DDR2 kit with SS damascus blades ground from bar stock, I really like the idea. The hardest part for me has been to get the locking geometry correct, and blank kits, as described, would make that step more manageable.
Grinding blades to shape has been easy, and, after destroying several 440C practice blanks, I found that grinding the bevels and edge worked much better on small folder blades after heat treating - just proceed slowly, without gloves, and watch the heat.

I'd like to see a blank kit with a planned finished length of 3" to 3 1/2", with the following:
- liners prepared for the locking mechanism, pivot and stop pin holes drilled, heat treated, and ball detent installed. In order to provide maximum finished design flexibility, I'd prefer omission of scale and standoff holes.
- blades prepared for the locking assembly, provided in a basic rectangular shape, but not ground to any edge. The blade could be provided heat treated, and made available with an optional holder for careful grinding to its finished shape and edge. Low cost, practice blanks might be helpful for this step, in addition to provision of damascus and more exotic steel options, at relatively low cost.
A kit of this design is a logical and very nice next step in the progression to developing and refining folder making skills.

i think it is a good and logical next step too. although i would like to see the "blank" stock be available in two or more ways. the totally blank rectangle of appropriate size, the partially profiled balnk (i mean holes punched,correct length, the end next to the pivot finished out- but not the balde profile end) and that would just about cover several levels of skill. well anyway thats my .02
p.s. keep up the good work - your stuff is great darrell

I think this would be a good idea for some makers.
I myself have been putting together kit's (folders and straight) for two years now. I have replaced handles on the kitchen knives. I just recently finished the ddr I folder for myself. It truned out well until the stabalized maple burl seperate from the frame. Anyway..
I would not like to be able to shape my own handle and blade. I think it would be great. The next step after that is making it ourselves from scratch.
I think that I am going to be doing a lot of stock removal for a while and this would help me out in the folder side.

YES! now.. we are limited as to what we can do with what is
there, and the current shape that comes in the kit limits us
in working with just what is there..no more.. a blank would
give us the opportunity to do what we could not do before..
because there was no metal where we wanted metal..
it's a outstanding idea.

I know this is an old thread, but I was actually looking for something along this line at Blade 2007. a basic rectangle blade and frame, with pre-fabbed liner lock system. I would include 3 spacers with screws, 1 thumb stud set. Then have an optional tapping set so we could get all the right parts to learn the tapping in one place. Just teh opinion of someone starting in on that level of knife making.