O.K, let's build a framelock together

[Don Robinson]

Originally Posted by holmsy2000

well don you dont know what your getting yourself in for, but if you say you can lead me through im willing to give it a go. Ray i read your tutorial and was very impresed with it, it was really helpful. one question i still have though is, how do i cut the lock out of the titanium and also is titanium as hard to work as i've read?

brett

To cut the lock bar, after laying it out to match the notch in the heel of the blade, chuck a Dremel arbor with a Dremel cutoff disk in your drill press. Set the drill press on the highest speed.

Place the Ti liner in your drill press vise with the cutout layout line horizontal and slightly above the vise jaws.

Lock the drill press spindle at the correct height to line up the cutoff disk with your layout.

Turn the drill press on, then move the vise back and forth gently against the cutoff wheel by hand to match the layout length. Repeat moving back and forth until the slot is cut all the way thru.

To cut the cross slot, stand the liner or vise up on its side and do the same thing.

It might be easier for you to understand this and all the other steps if you had a copy of "My Way". Pictures of everything.

Either way, we're all here to help.

Ti is harder on cutting tools than steel, but not difficult to work with once you learn to do it. Uses more grinding belts, etc., and is very difficult to saw with hand tools. That's why I friction cut it to rough it out.

As with anything else, trying to use a dull belt or tool is simply a waste of time and effort.

Let me qualify that last statement. A dull, worn out bi-metal band saw blade works great for friction cutting metal on a high speed band saw!!!

[justice]

i think im going to give it a try (almost)
i have a frame lock prototype and ive been working the kinks out of it.
mabey this will get me throught the rest.



....justin

[Bill Vining]

Here is the inside view of the dovetailed lock.

The larger part of the channel is cut using a 5/16 milling cutter. The smaller portion of the channel (which accepts the dovetail) is cut using a 1/4" cutter. For the dovetail, I use a 60 degree .282 dovetail cutter from Brownells.

A small piece of Ti is then cut to fit the channel. (the holes you see are to relieve some of the tension when bent) I put a 60 degree champer on the Ti lock to fit into the dovetail. It takes a few attempts to get the fit right but patience will prevail.

The hole for the detent is then drilled using a #53 drill and the detent detent ball is set and the lock is bent to apply tension. The detent sits about .014 above the liners.

The blade tang where the detent goes is then coated with Dykem and the knife is assembled. Open the knife a few times and the detent scrobes a mark in the Dykem on the blade. Unassemble the knife. Under magnification, I punch a mark that is a tiny bit past the scribed line. The blade is then drilled with a #55 drill to accept the detent ball. Assemble the knife and test the lock. You may need to adjust the hole in the blade if lockup is not just right. This can be done by drilling the hole in the blade larger with incrementally sized drill bits.




Thanks for lookin'

Bill

[andy gascoigne]

Here's my work in progress on the framelock,

I've just got to grind the blade, cut the lockbar and change the temporary back spacers for some that I'm going to turn out of Ti when it arrives.

I can't make my mind up as to if I'm going to fit some very thin overlay scales or just bead blast the whole frame.

The blades made from Odins eye Damasteel, I've given it a light acid etch to see the pattern but I don't think it shows up on the photo yet.

[Don Robinson]

Originally Posted by justice

i think im going to give it a try (almost)
i have a frame lock prototype and ive been working the kinks out of it.
mabey this will get me throught the rest.



....justin

Good deal, Justin. You're in. Welcome!

[Don Robinson]

Bill, thanks for the info and picture of the inlaid lock. What's the single hole in the back end of the spring for, and how do you keep the spring from moving back and forth?

[Don Robinson]

Looking good., Andy .

That's going to be a fine wharncliffe framelock.

[Don Robinson]

(QUOTE by Andy)

can't make my mind up as to if I'm going to fit some very thin overlay scales or just bead blast the whole frame.


Andy, I've made framelocks anodized every possible color. The knife I carry has a sand blasted, then bead blasted natural finish, and I really like the way it looks. Kind of satin gray.

I've probably been carrying it around every day for around two years, and it still looks new.

[andy gascoigne]

Thanks Don,

This knifes going to be a "worker" as I use a knife most days. I've anodizes before and found that they soon start looking scratched and worn from keys and coins in my pocket.

I'm interested to see that you sand blast then bead blast. Why use sand then bead? .

I've also been looking into tumbeling components in a gem stone tumbler, have you tried that , as I know you have done some jewelery work?

Andy..

[Bill Vining]

Bead blasting leaves a very nice finish and does not show wear as much. When I bead blast and anodize (regardless of color) I coat the frame with a clear gun coating and bake it on. Lasts quite a long time. My EDC bearly shows any wear at all.

Bill

[andy gascoigne]

Hi Bill,

Do you have a trade name for the gun coating, I'll see if it's available in the U.K or I'll see if I can get some posted over.


Thanks,

Andy..

[Bill Vining]

Andy,

It's called Matte Clear Baking Laquer and is sold by Brownell's. Their catalog number is #083-046-803.

Good Luck
Bill

[titaniumdoctor]

Call me Johnny come lately, but I'd like to get in on this. See what happens when you don't check the forums for a while kids?? You almost miss the bus. It will be cuttin' er close with the deadline being Oct 1st, but I've been wanting to try a framelock for a while now anyway. So I'm good for paying the late fee if I can be included in this thing. Alrighty then, bu by now.

[Don Robinson]

Originally Posted by titaniumdoctor

Call me Johnny come lately, but I'd like to get in on this. See what happens when you don't check the forums for a while kids?? You almost miss the bus. It will be cuttin' er close with the deadline being Oct 1st, but I've been wanting to try a framelock for a while now anyway. So I'm good for paying the late fee if I can be included in this thing. Alrighty then, bu by now.

Welcome. Thanks for joining us, Jeremy.

[Don Robinson]

Originally Posted by andy gascoigne

Thanks Don,

This knifes going to be a "worker" as I use a knife most days. I've anodizes before and found that they soon start looking scratched and worn from keys and coins in my pocket.

I'm interested to see that you sand blast then bead blast. Why use sand then bead? .

I've also been looking into tumbeling components in a gem stone tumbler, have you tried that , as I know you have done some jewelery work?

Andy..

Sand blasting removes all traces of previous sanding, polishing or buffing. I glass bead blast next to leave a smooth satin finish.

No, I haven't tried a tumbler for knife parts. On a blade, it should leave an interesting smooth finish depending on the media used in the tumbler. I'd try it if I had a tumbler. I don't need one since all my jewelry is fabricated, not cast.