Titanium for lock-back spring ?

[Alain M-D]

I ordered some 0,05" titanium to try to make my first folder.
I hesitate between a Liner-Lock or a Lock-back.

If I go for the lock-back, do I can use a small titanium piece to
make the spring ? (or two small pieces of titanium if 0,05"
are not thick enought) Titanium ar used for liner lock for its
sping quality ? Why not for a lock back spring ?

Tanks for your advice !

Alain M-D
http://www.amd.miville-deschenes.com

[Ray Rogers]

There have been other discussions in these forums about using titanium for a spring in a slip joint folder. I think the issues involved in doing that would probably be about the same as in a lock back folder.

The concensus is that it would probably work but there might be issues of galling and metal wearing between the titanium and the steel parts which could affetc how long a titanium spring would last. But, so far as I have seen, no one has actually tried it so we're all just guessing. Perhaps you'll try it and let us know how it goes .....

[Jeremy Krammes]

I'm almost positive Ron Nott uses TI for his lock back springs. He usually doesn't come to this forum, so maybe I'll let him know about it so he can comment.

Jeremy

[Alain M-D]

Ok ! Thanks for your answer !
I think I will try !

Alain M-D

[Paul3]

Yes, Please try. As Geno said "Someone has to be the pionere"

[aiiifish]

Ti works very well for lock-back spring. depending on the size of your lock back .05 should give you all the spring you need. I've been using it for that and for the leaf in my autos, seems to hold up well.

Ray I guess I'm gonna have to make a slip joint with a Ti arm just to see how well it will work. But I'm kind of with you, I think wear would be an issue, since it would be getting a different kind of stress than a liner lock would.

[Geno]

Don't mean to but in, but from a metallurgical stand point....
There are many types of spring steel but it all has one thing in common, it is heat treatable.
Ti is not really very heat treatable and would work harden in the flex area over time(compaired to a steel spring) causing a stress rupture in that bend zone.
Actually the flex area hardens and causes the flex spot to move down the spring.Then that spot hardens and moves it somewhere else, this continues while the spring gets harder to use(where steel springs slowly get softer) and snaps.
You can try it and it will work, but just know what to expect ahead of time, thanks for listening.
I would not use Ti for a spring or lock where a lockback is concerned.The joy of that knife would be short.

[Alain M-D]

Thanks Geno for your input !
But it is not completely clear for me...
That can seem stupid, but which is the difference between the spring
of a lockback and the linner of a linner lock? Does that mean that the linner
can also break with time?

Alain M-D
http://www.miville-deschenes.com

[Geno]

Good question.
Did not mean to alarm anyone about L/Locks.
The deflection of a spring has a lot to do with how long it lasts.
A lockback spring has to move further than L/Locks springs.
Geometry has a lot to do with it too.
A side lock has more mass at the bending point than a lockback spring. The lockback spring is thinner(in the bend area) and moves further, thus a bigger problem than L/ Locks.
416S/S would probably be best for liners, but Ti is hard enough to make a good L/lock that lasts.(416 is heat treatable)
Most makers that use Ti use it for the coloring effects you can create with anodizing.
This thread did not ask about L/Locks it was about lockback springs made from it. Sorry if I startled anyone.Ti is fine for liners.