Folders - New Respect for makers

[Sean O'Hare]

I just started my first folder on the weekend and I must say I've got a new found respect for folder makers. My God there is alot of work involved in making a folder!

Now I know I will get better and faster over time, at least I did with fixed blades but this has definitely opened my eyes to the amount of work in making a folder.

I still have to finish the blade and heat treat it as well as shape the handle scales. It's definitely been fun though, a nice change from fixed blades.

Sean

[Ray Rogers]

Well, I'm glad somebody noticed! You bet it's hard work but it does get easier with practice.

Actually, I don't know that it really gets any easier to do but you will get a little faster and that helps. What helps most, I think, is that after you have made 20 or 30 or 50 folders you become so familiar with the process that you don't worry about it so much and it seems like it's easier even if the work is the same.....

[Chris_Crawford]

What kind of folder are you making, by the way? Any photos? -chris

[Sean O'Hare]

The folder I am making is a linerlock folder. Don't have any pics yet, once I get the blade back from heat treating I will take some pics.

It has titanium liners, 416SS bolsters, and black G10 scales.

The number of times I've taken the knife apart and put it back together is amayzing. Getting the process down I'm sure will speed things up a bit for me. I won't put it together only to realize I should have done something first and end up taking it all apart. I guess I should say I won't do this as often.

Sean

[L6steel]

The number of times I've taken the knife apart and put it back together is amayzing.


Lmao, I think the same thing with every folder I make!!!!
If customers only knew!!

[Geno]

Now try making a mini-auto 1" long.
Those folders you are working on now will seam easy then.
Everything is relative, just need something to compare it to.

[Chris_Crawford]

One of my mottos is that you can not take a knife apart too many times! Can't wait to see it. -chris

[Saint Mark]

I agree with Chris - you cannot take them apart too much. Fit is everything. There are days when you think " I have got this down", and then there will be days when nothing will go right. That's when I swap over to a fixed blade and then come back to it. I made my finished my first Ladies Leg a couple of months ago and I quit counting after 25 hours, 2 blades, and 4 springs:-)

Its amazing how things can be fun and frustrating at the same time.

[Sean O'Hare]

Ya definitely fun and frustrating at the same time!

I can already see a ton of things I will do differently on the next folder. I've got some time off this Christmas so I am going to use some of it to make a new folder and see how that one goes.


Sean

[Frank J Warner]

It's just the opposite for me. I think fixed blades are more difficult than folders. Sure, there are a lot of little parts that all have to fit together perfectly, and look good, too, but that's the fun and the challenge, which keeps it interesting. I'm not sure what makes fixed blades so difficult; maybe it's because there's a lot more steel to screw up.

Ray is right, though. After you've made a couple dozen folders it seems to become easier, but that's true with almost anything.

Repeated assembly and disassembly is good for the process. If you can take it apart and put it back together 20-30 times, and everything still locks up snug, you know you've got a good knife.

-Frank J Warner

[Sean O'Hare]

Frank you reminded me of something I meant to ask but forgot about.

Do you guys use anything like lock tight to ensure nothing will come lose over time? All the screws tighten up snuggly but I wonder if they will stay that way with repeated use.

Anyhow would love to hear if anyone uses anything like lock tight or if they just screw it together normally and that's it.

Thanks,
Sean

[Geno]

Lock tite on final assembly only of coarse.

[Frank J Warner]

Sure. I use blue locktite on my folders, especially the pivot pins and stop pin screws. There are methods for avoiding this, which I'm just learning, but I see nothing wrong with it. If it's good enough for a $12,000 Harley, it's good enough for one of my knives.

I recently built a folder with a 14k gold thumbstud. I didn't want that sucker to come loose, ever, so I smeared J-B Weld on the screw threads before the final assembly.

-Frank J Warner

[PeterAtwood]

Get a stick of the new Loctite paste from MSC. Man, this stuff is wonderful! No more drippy mess and it lasts nearly forever.

Sean, folders do get easier and much quicker but there are definitely days when things aren't going right. When that happens I usually either leave the shop or do something else like clean up and rearrange stuff.