thanks to both of you. I am convinced about what you just said Ed, which is why I have been making a few knives that way. It is just that as a software engineer I don't know much about working with metal in a shop and I have had to learn everything through the internet (I did take some classes on forging and made a forged knife but I don't have the forge + anvil and space for them to put it in practice yet).
So I have a question which came to me yesterday when reading the thread from Don on making a barlow knife.
I have bought and have been using pivots from USA knife maker, specifically these:
PIVOT BARREL 3/16" X 3/8" FOR FOLDERS WITH (2) 4-40 X 1/4 BH SS
I had read that I need to ream the hole so I am doing just that.
However in a post from Don there was a recommendation to use specific size drill bit to pre-drill the hole before reaming.
What I had been doing is using the next smaller drill in the box I bought, specifically a 5/32.
Is this OK or should I get a drill bit closer in dimension to the final hole?
Also if you look at the last knife I made (reposting a picture so it is not necessary to search for it)
When I wanted to lower the screws so they would be recessed in the handle. For this I chose a drill bit slightly larger than the washers I have, set the stop for my drill press and drill again. The result is not too bad but the larger hole is not really centered on the smaller one the way I expected. What would be a better way to do this?
Thanks in advance
Benoit