Yet Another Liner Lock Tutorial

[Ray Rogers]

I have just completed a tutorial on a low tech method of liner lock folder design and construction especially for first time folder builders and curious Newbies.

If you would like to have a look, it's yonder:

www.rayrogers.com/ftutorial.htm

[Don Cowles]

Super job, Ray!

[Frank Niro]

There sure is a lot of well done work there Ray. Great !!!. Frank

[Osprey Guy]

Prior to making my first kit knife nearly two years ago, in my entire life I had never owned more than a hammer, screwdriver, and a wrench...and I rarely used those. I am still very naive when it comes to machine shop stuff...My brain just goes to much every time I try to read instructions written in the lingo of the genre. It's been this (shall we say) "lack of comfort" that has had me more than a little intimidated about making my own liner lock folder.

I looked over this new tutorial...It seems like something even I can understand!!!

I need to get past a couple of knives before tackling my own liner lock (one of those knives will be my first sole authorship...a fixed blade).

When the time comes, I'll be glued to this well written, well illustrated, and easy to understand tutorial!

Thank you Ray!!!


Dennis Greenbaum

Yeah Baby!

[Jamey Saunders]

Ray, that was a fabulous tutorial. Very clear, and written for those of us who haven't had any success (or any experience) building a folder. I'm gonna have to get me some titanium and give this a go...

[SharpByCoop]

Many thanks, Ray. That took a LOT of time, and you really are generous with your knowledge.

It sure took me by surprise how you went about achieving this and how simple it was explained. Like the guys said, I'm saving this one!

Coop

[hammerdownnow]

Great job Ray! Clearly explained and covers everything. Thank-you. Whats next? A frame lock?

[Messinger]

Ray,
That's a great how-to. Thanks for all the work you put into it. We newbies really appreciate all the time and effort people like you give to help us along.

-Ben

ps - Sorry I couldn't make it to the palltalk gathering yesterday, but thanks for the invitation.

[Ray Rogers]

Don, Frank, Coop, Dennis, Hammer, Jamey, Ben - thank you all for your very kind words. The appreciation and recognition of ones peers is what makes all the effort worthwhile. Alex tells me the tutorial will eventually be available in the How-To section.

Hammer,

You already have a frame lock tutorial. All you have to do is leave out the liner and cut the lock from the right hand side handle and bingo! instant frame lock.

If you can build that simple prototype, you can build any regular liner lock you see in the magazines. Adding bolsters and scale and a pocket clip takes very little additional effort or thought. Using different sized or a different style of pivot is a no brainer. If you want to use a steel back spacer as your stop bar instead of the separate stop bar, the basic process still remains the same. Once you get these basics down, all the rest becomes obvious and you can concentrate on the art rather than the mechanics of our avocation.

Ben,

Wish you could have been there but you can drop in on Steve's forum any time. I plan to hang out there as much as possible...............

[Jeff Higgins]

Well done, Ray! That's as good a tutorial as I have ever seen!

[Jerry Shorter]

Ray, Fantastic! When I make my first folder I will certainly use this tutorial, Best one I have seen on this subject. Hmm, now I'm jazzed to make a folder, Thanks for doing this.

Jerry.

[Ray Rogers]

Getting people jazzed to make a folder was the whole idea - that, and showing that you don't need a machine shop and a CAD system to do it. Be sure to keep us posted on your results .........

[aiiifish]

Hi Ray. Just wanted to say thanks for your take on liner lock making. I've made about 50 or so and have had a couple of areas that never turned out just like I wanted. Your tutorial covered those areas.
Thanks again.

[doublearrow]

That tutorial pushed me over the edge. I hadn't really decided wether or not to try a folder but that did it, i'm definitly gonna give it a go. I just have one question. On the finished knives are those pivots the 3/16 barrel pivots like you used in the tutorial? I did a search and saw where a guy was concerned about the screws being nearly the same size as the pivot and he wanted to know if the small lip was enough to hold everything together. I was worried with the run out in my drill that there wouldn't be enough lip to hold it.

[Ray Rogers]

Jeff, Jerry, Steve, you're all welcome and thank you very much! Considering the amount of work that went into that tutorial it is really great to see that it appears to have been worth the time and effort and inspired a few people to try their hand at folders.

Double arrow:

The finished knives have pressed in pivots. As I said in the tutorial, what kind of pivot and stop bar you decide to use are just details, the process remains the same.

So far, I have never seen a failure due to the small lip under the pivot screw. If that is a concern for you, then, drill a clearance hole sized for your screw through the bolster.

Next, drill a clearance hole for the pivot centered on the screw hole from the inside of the bolster but don't drill it all the way through the bolster. In other words, in will be a pocket on the inside of the bolster which will receive the pivot.

If your drill press has a lot of wobble in it that will cause you a lot of trouble. Might be time for a new drill press, or you could post a question with the tool guys on Gene Osborne's forum and ask about ways to reduce the wobble.......