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The Folding Knife (& Switchblade) Forum The materials, techniques and the designing of folding knives. |
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#1
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MOP delimma
Got in a set of beautiful yellow lip MOP from Tex knife today. Only problem is, I assumed (I know, I know) that they would be 3/16 to 1/4 inch thick, but they are barely 1/16. So, I can't see using these on my folder because for one, there would be much material left after countervboring for the 1-72 hex headscrews, and two, it would be weak where the liner-lock spring is. Right?
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#2
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Right. If you ever see a set of MOP scales that are 1/8th thick you can count yourself lucky. They can be that thick but you'll probably never get anyone to send them to you through the mail. For that, you have to find them at knife shows and pay about a months salary. 1/4" thick? Forget it, never happen. (ya, I know, someone out there saw some somewhere - I don't care. Guys like you and me are not likely to get our hands on any )
Build the lock on a separate liner (like in my tutorial) and then both sides will have the same support.... |
#3
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#4
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Suit yourself, but know that all those little multi-blade slip joints made by Shadley and Bose and others have MOP as thin or thinner than that. I've done it on a small 2" liner lock myself:
The screws on this one are 0-80 and 1-72 flat heads....... |
#5
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Robert-
For what it's worth... I've done a number of the kitknife folders using MOP...a couple of them much as Ray has shown in his example... I've also done a couple using spacers between the scales and the liners...I did one using my "disposable plastic plate" liners, and one using brass shim material. Both turned out just fine. All of them were countersunk and I used 1-72 screws. Just take it slow and easy, and make sure to back up the MOP when cutting or drilling to prevent any chipping out the back. Dennis Greenbaum Yeah Baby! |
#6
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The easiest way to fix this problem is to back up the pearl with either some white vulcanized spacer material or some titanium. If you backup the pearl with titanium you will give it more strength, depth for countersinking the screws, and another surface to filework or anodize. Just rough cut the titanium to the same size as the pearl, rectangles and then glue the pearl to the titanium and drill and tap them together and work them together on the knife and you will have no problems. Just remember to mark which side is whick and inside and outside.
Chuck __________________ A knife is no More Than an Iron Tooth! Visit me at the Chesapeake show Dec 9th. Member of the Knifemakers Guild! Visit my webpage at www.gedraitisknives.com |
#7
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Robert, most people use flat head or button head screws, so the c'sink or c'bore doesn't have to be so deep. I've used quite a bit of MOP on my folders.
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#8
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First of all, thanks. Now I'm thinking about backing with some thinner Ti. I'm using .050 on this folder that I got from TKS ($50.00 Sq. Ft.!) and have some .050 ($30.00) and .040 on the way from Halpern. Incidently, I'm not knocking any supplier here, everyone has the right to a profit, and I'm sure that Ti originally comes from several sources, I get most of my other stuff from TKS, they're very fast from Houston to Uvalde Tx for me, love the service. Ok, back to my knife, I think that backing with the .040 on each side will solve the problem, and like Don said, use cap heads and don't countersink very far. Those socket heads are really have a tall head profile, I guess there's a reason.
Once again, you experts have solved a problem for me. I'll get this thing built yet. |
#9
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The best sources I have found for titanium are ebay and alpha knife supply. Search on ebay for titanium sheet.
I bought a sheet 2 ft X 3ft and .050 thick for $46 shipped! __________________ A knife is no More Than an Iron Tooth! Visit me at the Chesapeake show Dec 9th. Member of the Knifemakers Guild! Visit my webpage at www.gedraitisknives.com |
#10
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#11
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I think it was Don Robinson who turned me on to a sale they had a number of months ago at Halpern. In anticipation of the day when I finally start making my own folders, I bought three, approx. 26" x 8" sheets of .050 6AL4V Ti @ the amazing price of just $6.50 per sheet. Roughly 6 feet of Ti for a total of $19.50!!!!
I imagine that'll last me for a little while... Dennis Greenbaum Yeah Baby! |
#12
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All right you guys! Keep rubbing it in, and I'm going to use SS and make everyone mad.
Now I'm trying to decide whether to cut my lock groove straight, or follow the curve of the bottom of the knife. Since I'm not using my vertical mill for this, and will probably use my dremel, I have the option. But, If I decide to cut it straight, I'll use Dons revised method in his My Way book. |
#13
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Excellent information in this thread guys, thanks!!!
I've always loved mop and wanted to work with it but due to it's cost and being so fragile I've stayed away from it. I'll have to try it some day. Beautiful knife Ray! |
#14
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Striper, thanks for the tip about getting Ti from Ebay. I'm getting short on 3/32"" Ti.
Dennis, I'm about half way thru the remnant .050 Ti that I got from Halpern on that great sale. I've been making framelocks too, so I've almost used up all the 3/32 stock from the same sale and will be looking for more. We bought up every remnant that Halpern had. Robert, I've tried using thinner Ti, .030". It works, but I prefer the stronger spring action and detent engagement of .040 to .050. Unless you're building a framelock, there's no need as far as I'm concerned to use Ti on a linerlock thicker than .050". Ray's idea of using thinner Ti as an extra liner under thinner scale materials is a good one. Now to the subject of cutting the lock slot straight or curved: Remember the point where you stop the cut is also the pivot for the spring. I'd suggest making the cut straight to keep the lock bar swivel approximately in line with the lock engagement end where it engages the back of the blade. I lay out my cut starting from a small hole drilled at the intersection of the two slots. From there, I scribe a line about 2" long to a point that's about 3/16" away from the edge of the liner. This gives me good spring action. If the width of the spring is too thick, it makes a stiff spring, and you'll have to drill a hole at the end of the cut to weaken the spring. Nothing wrong with that, of course, I simply prefer to cut the spring about 3/16" wide to begin with. All this applies to .045 to .050" Ti. For a framelock, it's necessary to relieve the thickness of the spring at the pivot end. |
#15
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Ok, thanks Don, I follow what you're telling me. I notice that most use the straight cut. Even ol' Ray R does in his tutorial. So, that's what I'll do.
Back to the MOP situation, I have another observation: I've noticed that some (not a lot) put a little "2nd" bolster (there's probably a correct name for it) on the butt of the handle. I guess this is for both visual and strength reasons. Strength meaning if the knife were dropped, and were to land on the back edge of the MOP (which of course it would), the little bolster would keep it from chipping. Is there some other reason for the butt-bolster, and what on earth is the name of that thing? |
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blade, folding knife, forge, knife, knives |
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