folders

G'day,
Alex has put it on me to moderate this forum and I'm not sure how to start. Perhaps if I kick it off with a bit about me:
I've been making folders for aproximately 10 years, mainly lock-backs although I do make a few spring-backs. I got started by becoming bored with making straight blades (although I still make them) and saw folders as more of a challenge. My first folder was built via the telephone with my mentor and it worked (I must have done something right). Soon after the book "how to make folding knives" came on the market which made it a little easier.
Over the years I've developed some styles that I'm happy with although I continue to refine them and develop new ones. At present I developing a design for an auto that hopefully is slim and relatively easy to make, it's still at the drawing board stage.
I'm only too happy to answer any questions about springbacks, lockbacks interframe etc.

Neil, glad to see you here...

Hey,
This is frightening stuff, I can just see all those knockers out there waiting you me to open my big mouth and put my put in it.
However I believe that there are guys out there that (a) would love to start making folders and (b) been making them for years and would just LOVE to share their experience with us.

Neil,
It's nice to have you as a moderator. I'm very interested in making folding knives but I'm going to try my hand at it before I start asking questions.
Do you have any pictures of your knives that you'd be willing to show us? I'm always interested in seeing other people's work.
Um, another not-question, what kind of steel(s) do you use in your folders?

Reuben

Hey Neil, there's a lot of good folder makers out there. I consider your work with the best of em. Although I make only liner locks I would be glad to help you out where I can. I'm just now trying my hand at lockbacks , so I might even have a question or three for you and I know theyre are others who would be glad to share information.

Hello and Welcome! Glad to have another knifemaker on board!

Welcome Neil, I know you will do a great job of narrating the forum. I will look forward to reading forum---Rade

G'day Reuben,

Either go to my website, www.ncknives.com or there are some on the customknifedirectory. Each picture lists the steel the blade is made from.

Neil,
It's good to have you here. I just dropped over to your website. It's a fantastic site and your knives are exquisite -- just beautiful.

I really enjoyed the story and pics of the Aussie hunt with you and Ricki the Wonder Dog. I think it was a great idea to incorporate the hunt, the master, and his dog into the site. It makes a man feel right at home.

Heck, looking at those pics and reading the story, I could imagine myself sitting there with you and Ricki, talking about the days hunt, and soaking up the beauty of Australia.

Good job.

Yeah ... You can tell a lot about a man by his dog!
:

AW

I like the layout of your web page very much Neil! I also like a lot of the folding knives you make. I'm sure that the pictures don't do them justice.
It seems to me that you use a lot of 440C for blades, can I ask where you buy your metal from? I'm trying to find Cowry Y which is very similar but have had no luck so I think I'll get some 440C to start with. I like looking through the catalogs of some of the big name stores like Texas Knife Makers, Koval and K & G but I think that they have rather high prices. I hate sounding cheap but if I spend fifty bucks on a chunk of metal and make two knives out of it I'll feel silly when I give them away.

Reuben

Reuben,
I haven't bought any 440C or ATS34 for some time now (I buy enough to last for about 5 years), from memory I think that Tru-Grit's prices were pretty reasonable, but shop around. Actually the cheapest part of any knife is normally the materials, break it down, say 4 inches of steel ($x), 10 inches 416 ($x), pins ($x), handle material ($x), bearing ($x). If you fill in the x's I'll think you'll be pleasantly surprized (probably around $30-$40), the biggest cost is your time which includes overhead (tools etc.). It takes me around 24-30 hours to build an average folder so what prices do you put on your time (I'll leave that up to you), but what does a plumber charge when you get him out to fix something?

Reuben you can get 440c from Admiral Steel for about 30.00
for a 6'bar
www.admiralsteel.com

OK gents, this is what I propose. How about I walk you all thru the process, from start to finish, on how I make a lock-back folder with front and back bolsters. This will include photos and drawings of what jigs and special tools I've made to help me along the way. If there are any questions along the way I'll only be too happy to answer them.
First off you'll have to wait until this Christmas business is out of the way and I take some photos.
I'll try to start off on Wednesday the 27th December.

I would love to see a walk trough. Even though I plan on making linerlocks its really informative to see how its done on other knives.