Cutting Small Screws

Jim Adams Customs

Jim Adams Customs

Well-Known Member
I have started to make folders. It there an easy way to cut the small SS screws? What is the best blade for cutting Titanium. Is CPM 154 really that hard in it annealed state?

Thank you
Jim
 
Jim Adams Customs said:
I have started to make folders. It there an easy way to cut the small SS screws? What is the best blade for cutting Titanium. Is CPM 154 really that hard in it annealed state?

Thank you
Jim
Click to expand...

Jim,

When you say cut the screws, do you mean trim the length? If so, I grind them off. I'll mount my handle material on my liners with the screws sticking through, then run the inside of the liners over my belts and grind the screws down flush. If I have to shorten one that's not on a liner I'll try to hold it with some needle nose pliars or I'll stick my driver (I use Torx) and carefully grind it.

I use my band saw and a bi-metal blade. Get a good one. Don't feed too fast or you'll rip teeth off, but don't go too slow either or you'll just work harden the titanium and dull the teeth. (Yeah, it's a pain!) I haven't done it, but some friction cut their TI (steels too). You need a high speed band saw. Be extra careful as you'll cut your fingers off before your brain tells you it's hurting!

Most of the stainless steels are somewhat hard in the annealed state. Not like a fully hardened blade, but not particularly soft either. I use that bi-metal blade to cut it.

Since you are new and if you don't have an experienced folder maker nearby to show you things, you might look at the Bob T. book on tactical folders if you are making liner locks. Personally I don't think his geometry is all that great and he has such an emphasis on jigs and fixtures that that part can get in your way (unless you want to go into mass production), but it's a place to start. Lots of room for improvement, in my opinion. If you are making lock backs, there was an excellent book printed around 20 years ago and authored by F. Centofante, R. Lake, and one other maker. The Lake section is very detailed, and Ron's geometry is excellent.

David
 
David and Jim,
An easy way to shorten a screw that is not on a liner, say you have to replace one you dropped, is to tap a piece of scrap. Then screw your handle material and the new screw to the piece of scrap and then grind it down. Then you don't have to re-polish or engine turn the inside of your liners.

Depending on how long the screw is when I start, I nip off as much as I can with cutting pliers.
 
Thank you David and Chuck. I have read Bob's Book Front to back a few times. But my knife design uses threaded spacers and stop pins. Chuck I was talking to David at GLWJ he mentioned using scrap to make a fixture and ground down the screws. Seems like you two are right on. When you pull the screw back out it will pull the thread back. That is what had me concerned on these small screws.
 
Chuck Gedraitis Knives said:
David and Jim,
An easy way to shorten a screw that is not on a liner, say you have to replace one you dropped, is to tap a piece of scrap. Then screw your handle material and the new screw to the piece of scrap and then grind it down. Then you don't have to re-polish or engine turn the inside of your liners.

Depending on how long the screw is when I start, I nip off as much as I can with cutting pliers.
Click to expand...

+1 here!!

I have a 2" long piece of scrap ti that has a 2-56 hole on one end and a 1-72 on the other. I have it anodized blue so that I don't accidentally throw it away. I just thread through the amount I want to get rid of then hit it on a 400 grit belt until I see a pretty white spark from the Ti.
The screw comes out pretty square and no burr after it is threaded back out of the ti.
 
Jim I use mostly cpm 154 on my skinners and yup its tuff to say the least. I dont like it for that reason but love it for all the right ones such as edge retention better than anything ive done or sharpened to date. kellyw
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top