Barlow locking liner project for anyone to join

[Jaegar]

Where does that Sowell live?
I see you went to my site Thanks.

One last question before I commit: How much do you estimate the cost of materials for this to be, if you don't do anything fancy on it? I know that's a hard question, since everyone can do it differently, but what would you guess at? Thanks
Thanks for this offer. It's going to be a great way to get into folders.
~Brian

[DaWulf]

Originally Posted by Don Robinson

Yes, Frank, we need to use this thread to show pictures of our WIP as we go along, to help all of us learn from one another and actually see different ways to accomplish the same objective.

Has anybody else gotten started? I know I've sent out a few designs, and some of you probably have yours on hand by now. Please show and tell about your supplies and sources, and show your WIP. If you need help with posting attachments, we'll help you.

I'll start pics once I decide on materials and round them all up.

Maybe a scale-release Barlow auto?!?! LOL

Now all I have to do is learn how to make an auto, then a scale-release auto. Maybe just a 'tactical barlow'. Maybe I'm just losing my mind here.

wulf

[Don Robinson]

Originally Posted by Jaegar

Where does that Sowell live?
I see you went to my site Thanks.

One last question before I commit: How much do you estimate the cost of materials for this to be, if you don't do anything fancy on it? I know that's a hard question, since everyone can do it differently, but what would you guess at? Thanks
Thanks for this offer. It's going to be a great way to get into folders.
~Brian

I don't remember where Billybob Sowell lives, but he is a retired railroad engine engineer, and was just awarded "Best Bowie" at a knife show. Ask your grandpa.

i've invited him to join this forum, so he may be watching.

Steel: minimum 8 or 10 dollars for 0-1.
Ti: min. $30 or so.
pivots: $1.75 each
screws: $3 or so.
washers and bushing: $5 or so.
scales: $0.0 up

The good part of the materials cost is that you'll have enough left over in most instances to make several knives.

A good way to get started selling what you make is to ask enough for a knife to cover the cost of materials and supplies to make two more.



I'll bet I get some very different ideas from others about the material costs.

[Jaegar]

OK,
You can count me in!
I'll pay-pal you.
Thanks for the help already...I'm sure I'll need a lot later too
fortunatly I have the steel (ATS 34) and what I think I'll use for scales (cocobola). The titanium will be the only big cost in it, but the sheets go a long way.
Thanks for this opportunity
~Brian

[Don Robinson]

You're in, Brian. Welcome. I got your Paypal order. We'll send the plans to you Monday.

Now go to church today.

[Don Robinson]

Brian, for your Ti liners, look for .045 to .060" thick pieces at Halpern Titanium, Alpha Supply, and on Ebay. It's usually offered on Ebay, and you never know what you may find there.

I use 3/32" Ti for bolsters, but you can use any metal you have on hand. Stainless, brass, german silver, etc. the Ti saves weight, though.

Others here can offer more sources.

[Don Robinson]

I'm about to wind up the order I've been working on, and if nothing gets in the way, I expect to have my barlow well along the way this week.

Anybody else besides Frank gotten started? If so, it's show and tell time.

[McAhron]

I have mine all drawn out and will have a semi-working model made out of kydex done tonight or tommorow.It will have a four inch ats-34 bade..063 Ti liners,3/16th pivot,a titanium bolster and either stabilized redwood or micarta scales

[Frank Niro]

Hi Don and All.
I will start adding to mine tomorrow and will probably post it tomorrow night. Sure wish I could send pictures as well as the way I do it. Frank

[Jaegar]

Originally Posted by Don Robinson

Now go to church today.

Amen!
I'll place my order tomorrow. Sorry I got in on this late, I was out of town...
Thanks for the thickness of the titanium, I was about to ask.
If you need to reach me, E-mail me at Ilovewhitetails@msn.com

~Brian

[Don Robinson]

Originally Posted by Frank Niro

Hi Don and All.
I will start adding to mine tomorrow and will probably post it tomorrow night. Sure wish I could send pictures as well as the way I do it. Frank

Frank, just send me all the knife parts and I'll post pictures, put it back together, place it in my pocket, and thank you very much!!

I hate to keep saying this, but I'll finish up the folder I've spent the last few days on today, and start my barlow this afternoon. Si Dios quiere.

[Don Robinson]

As promised, I finished the folder I was working on, and started my barlow for this thread. The knife I finished is at the top of the photo. I like to anodize the bolsters, but the buyer said he wanted the Ti plain.

1. I ground the 1/8"damascus down to 3/32" thick

2.Cut out two paper patterns for the blades from copies of the barlow design, glued the patterns to the blade stock back to back using rubber cement. I'll use one of the blades as a handle while I'm grinding the other blade.

3. Drilled and reamed two 3/16" holes for the pivot bushings using the patterns as locations.

4. Set my Wilton band saw on slow speed and sawed the rough outlines.

5. Hand ground the rough profile of the bottom and tops of the blades on my Burr King belt grinder.

Note that I have stock left over for two more blades later.

I usually make two blades of the same pattern at once to save mucho setup time. I nearly get one free by doing this. I'll set the second blade aside when I get the blades nearly finished and ready for heat treat. That's where I get "Available Knives" for sale on my web site.

If you're wondering why I didn't rough out the point profiles, you'll see why tomorrow.

I'm tired and tomorrow's another day. CU all later.



[IMG]barlow day 1[/IMG]

[Frank Niro]

Hey Don you never know what sort of trouble you could be asking for. Thanks for the offer though.
Well, to continue. I find a piece of the Damascus I want to use size it down to about .020 over the thickness I want to have finished, cut the blade profile a bit oversize, and heat treat this piece. I now size the piece down in thickness to what I want. I drill the pivot hole with a carbide spade bit, overlay my hard pattern and use a scribe to give me the actual outline of the blade. I contour grind this with a 60 grit blade. My next step is to mark in my edge cutting guide lines. The 60 grit scratch marks will allow these lines to show up well. Frank

[Don Robinson]

Folks, Frank and I have two very different approaches to starting a blade, as you can see by reading his and my last posts.

Frank heat treats his blade before finishing, and I finish my blades before heat treating, then just clean them up. very different, but both methods work, and we will wind up with the same result, except his will be prettier than mine.

I know some of the rest of you have received your barlow designs, and others have your own designs. What are you up to???

[Ray Rogers]

I also profile and heat treat my blades before grinding. I got in the habit of doing this to avoid warpage on large thin blades and now I carry the technique to all my blade, carbon, stainless, damascus, large and small.

The only difference between Frank's method and mine is that I drill the pivot hole before heat treating. This works well for me because a bronze bearing will eventually be pressed into the hole and that will correct any distortions in the pivot hole caused by the heat treating. That said, I think Frank and I are in the minority on this particular point as most makers do it like Don does, with the grinding and at least some finishing before heat treat...