A lesson in folder making.

Calvin Robinson

Calvin Robinson

Moderator Christian Forum
Friday morning I walked in to my shop,all I had to do this day was finish this folder from the 400 grit disk grinder finish to 800 grit hand finish then,buff,clean up,sharpen.
As I walked up to my work bench where this unfinished folder was laying,something on the floor caught my eye. To my horror I spied this bronze washer laying there,it's supposed to be inside the knife!
So I had to knock the pivot pin out,put the stray washer in its place then insert a new pin,peen and grind flush. The problem was,I couldn't see the pivot pin! I had hidden it so well I couldn't find it. A drop of ferric chloride quickly revealed the pin so I could center punch it,drill about half way through with a .059 drill bit and then drive the pin out. I made a G-10 wedge to spread the knive open just enough to insert the combination of blade and two washers in place. Saliva proved perfect to stick the perfectly flat washers to the perfectly flat blade tang. A long taper on one end of my new pin aligned everything perfectly as I pushed it through the holes in my bolster.
I thought I had already made every mistake there was to be made in folder making but I made a new one. I will now be more careful when assembling for the last time before peening and will check one last time before peening and then check again!
As you can see,everything worked out well in the end,thank God!
 

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Calvin, I feel your pain. I've done the same thing so now I have a parts tray for each folder. I check it befor any final peening for "spare" parts left over. It's not fool proof but it helps me keep track of the pesky little parts.

oh, great looking folder

Erik
 
Calvin - From what I could see Sat looking at the folder, the final result was perfection! GREAT work. Thanks for the tip about using ferric chloride to make the pin show up.

Ken H>
 
cnccutter said:
Calvin, I feel your pain. I've done the same thing so now I have a parts tray for each folder. I check it befor any final peening for "spare" parts left over. It's not fool proof but it helps me keep track of the pesky little parts.

oh, great looking folder

Erik
Click to expand...

Erik,
I use a parts tray for each knife as well,I was making two of these at the same time and had to be very careful not to get the parts mixed up. I knew there were no parts left in the tray,I put this washer in its place when I assymbled the knife but it apparently fell out as I was putting the second half together with the first half with all these parts stacked in place.
 
KenH said:
Calvin - From what I could see Sat looking at the folder, the final result was perfection! GREAT work. Thanks for the tip about using ferric chloride to make the pin show up.

Ken H>
Click to expand...
Ken,
I got that tip about the acid a few years ago from Gayle Bradley. It just takes a drop and then like magic the pin appeares.
The most dangerous part of doing this kind of surgery on your pivot pin is getting into the edge of your pivot hole,if you waller it out then your in real trouble.
 
Man, it requires skill to make a perfect slipjoint, but to salvage one like you had done requires superpowers!!!!!
 
I know how you feel.....about like me when I realize I counterbored on the wrong side of a Ti framelock scale! And the problem is that I've done it more then once! :)
 
Looks like the patient recovered just fine from his surgery. Turned out real nice. I'm glad I'm not the only one who makes mistakes.
 
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