1st folder from scratch

[Roughcountry]

I had fun building this one, learned a lot. Mostly what not to do. The scales are domestic sheep, blade is 01 toolsteel. Lock and spring are 1095.

The spring came out just right after heat treating thanks to the tip in Brownells catolog.

I'll peel a few lions this winter to test it out. Gotta wear it out so I can build a better one.
 

[prarieboy]

Very good!

[Kevin Evans]

You inspire me to try that this year! Great job          

[Wampus]

That's a great looking knife!  Did you start with precision ground stock or just work everything down to the right thickness?

[Roughcountry]

Rooster, I did a kit earlyer to get the feel of doing them. It helped a bunch.

Wampus, The 01 was precision ground but I polished it on a granite flat stone so it was a hair thinner than the 1095. I wouldn't say the 1095 was precision ground but it was flat.

I was real happy with the blade, maybe the best hollow grind I've done. It felt good on the stone so maybe I did good with the heat treatment also.

[Steve Nuckels]

WoW!  Impressive!

Steve
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Potomac Forge
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IN GOD WE TRUST

[joekeith]

Wow....good work, I love it.  

[Doug Campbell]

Very nice Buddy!!      

[Ragnarok Forge]

Nice work.

[gables]

Great job! Those are definitely the hands of a knife maker. My wife has not been pleased with my dirtier fingernails, scratches and cuts since taking up knife making. Maybe that's why I had hand care items in my stocking  

[JEFF B]

that is nice man  

[tippit]

Robin,  It sure sounds great but for some reason I'm not getting the picture.  Email it to me if you get the time as I'd love to see it...Jeff

[email protected]

[LC]

Man thats a great looking folder.

[4runr]

Beautiful knife!

[GRAYBEARD]

IF YOU NEED AN EXCUSE TO BUILD ANOTHER ONE JUST SEND ME THAT ONE. WE'LL BOTH BE HAPPY!

[OconeeDan]

That is fantastic!

What tip are you talking about from Brownells?

If anyone doubts the difficulty in making your first folder...try it!

Dan

[Bodork]

That's nice. Folders are WAY over my head!! I admire you and anyone else who can make one.

[Roughcountry]

Thanks everyone for the coments. I'll try another one when it dims a little just how much work they are. This one nas lots of mistakes but thats the only way to learn.

Dan, brownells has little tips every so often in the catolog. The one I'm refuring to is next to the blank flat spring stock and is from a Master gunsmith on how he heat treats V or flat springs.
It works.
There is also a guide somewhere in the catolog on different heats for drawing temper and it list's springs.

The hardest part to the folders for me was drilling all the holes plumb with the liners. I solved the problem by shiming my bench top drill press untill the table was level. Then clamping the liners with scales and bolsters epoxy'd on in my drill press vise. Level them in the vise liner side up with a bubble level and the holes are plumb.
I lined my vise with leather to hold then tight enough without damage.

The kit knife got me thinking this way, the liners were pre drilled but the scales I used had to be drilled to match (plumb)