Shop updates and another new framelock flipper design I'm working on

[J S Machine]

I have been nonstop building a completely new shop since around May of last year. Since my family and I moved to our new home, I finally got the chance to build a dedicated knife shop. I was able to section of an area of the shop and make it a grinding room, and then utilize the rest of the floor space for other things. I have been slowly trying to make the transition from doing things at work to being completely self sufficient at home. I am a tool maker for a living, so I have heat treat ovens and surface grinders at work - those two things being the last of the machines I need to make the 100% transition to making at home.

Anyway, the tormach I acquired last year is in place and up and moving at last. I have been slowly working the bugs out of a new design. The goal with this machine is to make at least a couple of different designs of knives, where just about everything but the blade grinding and final finishing can be done. That would be approximately 85% of each knife I guess.

I'm really trying to work towards being able to actually take orders and sell knives, and that is something I have never done. Since I have been doing this - around 2007 - I have only sold two knives. I'm past the point of doing it for fun and I really enjoy doing them for charity (around ten of those so far), but I've got to start getting some return on my efforts. I'm hoping the tormach will enable this.

This is the first design I have actively worked on in the machine. It is called the "Maelstrom". I am working on the third prototype now, and I hope to have it ironed out within a month or so. I have made two sets of handle frames so far, this being the second set. The current blade in it in these pictures is just some cold rolled sheet stock where I am trying to perfect the blade shape. The handle shape is pretty much final, but I'm still working on redesigning the pocket clip. It needs to be further towards the handle end, and it will most likely utilize one of the standoff screws to hold it, which will eliminate the third screw it is being held by at the moment. I'm also going to try to make it universal, where it can be mounted tip up or tip down.

Materials are Ti for the handle frames and clip, and whatever blade steel is popular for the blade. The current stuff I have on hand is CTS XHP. Blade thickness is not correct at the moment. It will be around 5/32". When the design is perfected, then I can work on variations such as inlays and whatever else to make each one unique. I can't wait to get to that part.

A goal that I had set was to be up running and producing in the next few months, where I could at last be a vendor at Blade show in Atlanta. I've never been a vendor before or had any type of table at any show, so I am not sure I will get there, but that's the goal.

Please let me know your thoughts on the design. since it is still in the design phase, any changes are easy to make right now. I'd really like to have input.

:5:

 

[Self Made Knives]

Cool stuff! I love seeing these prototype projects come to life. I've only made a couple of folders, so.... but, if I were you, I'd pay a lot of attention to the pocket clip. That always seems to be an item that makes a big impression on me. They've got to look good, work great, and be tough enough you don't bend them accidently.

I think if you're going with a 1 screw mount, you will have to mill a pocket in the scale and a key on the clip for it not to rotate. I would even put the screw in from the back, make it hidden. I wouldn't try to make the pocket clip reversible, it will just make the knife ugly with extra holes. I say, design it how you like it and if someone wants it the other way, have a separate model or an extra charge. Which also brings up lefties. With the Tormach and a little work, you could offer it either way.

If it's not top secret, do you have any renderings of what the final scales will look like?

Edit: Just checked out your Facebook page, Wow! Awesome stuff.

 

[J S Machine]

The clip base is actually sitting in a pocket right now, that's how I am able to hold it with one screw. I thought about doing a hidden mount, where the screw comes in from the back side, but the new idea I have kind of creates a problem. The original plan was to tap the standoffs. I would then have two screws coming in from each side, meeting in the standoffs. Since the pocket clip was in a separate place, hiding the clip screw would have been easy.

the new idea is to completely eliminate the hardware on the presentation side. It will instead be blind drilled and tapped from the back. Two long screws, will come through the lock frame side, through the standoffs, and into the blind tapped holes of the presentation side. I am going to try to incorporate the clip into the furthest back screw hole for the standoff, so if I do it the way I just mentioned, I'll have to have a visible screw. That screw will just come through the clip base, through the handle frame, through the standoff, and then into the tapped pres side.

I'm kind of at a disadvantage because I need that reamed hole in the very rear of the handle. It is a locating point during machining, and it doubles as a lanyard hole. The only thing I can think of is to swap the locating hole with the furthest back screw hole, and then I would get the clip to the very rear of the handle. That locating hole does not have to be in that exact spot, it just needs to be back there somewhere.

The final handle designs haven't really been drawn. there will be a much more pronounced chamfer on the outside edges. Other than that, I can't do much else. Unfortunately I don't have 3D machining software capability yet. Maybe one day.

 

[Self Made Knives]

3D machining software! You have to check out Fusion 360 from Autodesk. It's a free license for hobbyist and it includes CAM. It's pretty powerful and there's a lot of tutorials and help online. I'm learning it at the moment and I'm not great with it yet, but it'll do anything you'll need.

 

[J S Machine]

I think I've heard of it. I actually have Autocad 2016 for work but I don;t use it much. I use Mastercam, and it is optioned just enough to put me out of reach of 3D capabilities. lol

 

[Self Made Knives]

I'm pretty good with 2D AutoCAD, but I'll admit, the 3D cad has been a hard pill to swallow for me. You have to retrain your mind a little! A lot of Solidworks guys are bailing and switching over to Fusion due to the expense. Even if you claim yourself as a business and pay for Fusion, it's only like $300 or $400 per year. I'm building a little cnc mill to get my feet wet and I've tried two other 3d cads, Fusion is hands down better. If you try it, let me know what you think. Actually, try it and get really good at it, so I can ask you questions. :biggrin:

 

[J S Machine]

I don't mind Autocad, but it is ten times harder to use than something like Solidworks. I have solidworks too, but I don't have SolidCam or whatever it is that is the machining add on. I would rather sit on a hot tin roof and draw in Solidworks than I would sit in an air conditioned office and draw 3D in Autocad.