# A set of folder handles



## TRfromMT (Jan 13, 2017)

Hey y'all. Here's a little project I finished up for a guy. The knife blade is by Survive!Knives, and doesn't come with a handle. It is a minimalist, neck knife, and needs a stout lanyard tied to it to make a handle. Or... I make a set of scales with a carbon fiber backspacer and turn it into a folder.

For this one I made the guy a couple other fixed blade handles and had some mosaic pin stock left over. I did the pin detail/inlay just flush to the inside of each scale.

Wood is blue dyed, spalted maple that has been stabilized. Pivot pin is a set of male/female chain ring bolts that I have machined to fit inside the lanyard hole in the tang of the blade.

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 6


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## TimR (Jan 13, 2017)

That's pretty badass and quite creative. Love the mosaic pin...

Reactions: Agree 1


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## TRfromMT (Jan 13, 2017)

Here are the handles I did for him earlier (can't remember if I already posted these)...

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 3 | Way Cool 3


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## ripjack13 (Jan 13, 2017)

Very cool. I'm interested in how you do this. I have one and I have been contemplating either putting some wood handles on it or making a folder. Could you show how you did the inside, on the next one you make...??

Reactions: Agree 1


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## TRfromMT (Jan 13, 2017)

Sure, rip. I have one at home I'll take pictures of

Reactions: Like 2 | Thank You! 1


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## NYWoodturner (Jan 13, 2017)

Nice work Tony and very creative. Is there a backstop to keep the blade from opening further?


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## TRfromMT (Jan 13, 2017)

NYWoodturner said:


> Nice work Tony and very creative. Is there a backstop to keep the blade from opening further?




Good eye @NYWoodturner to spot that geometry problem. Any pin that the little nub of a tang might rest on as a stop in the open position would then prevent the belly of the finger loop from passing through and going closed. I considered some sort of a thumb stud/liner lock mechanism to hold it in position, but it got complicated, fast! Considering I was trying to only improve on a piece of string, I figured this was good enough.

I call this setup the "Essentail Necker". A knife needs three things, essentially: a blade, a handle, and a means to protect the blade when not in use. The Necker (Survive!Knives name for the model) came with a small kydex sheath, so only 2 out of 3. I've sold a dozen or so and guys seem to like 'em.

Reactions: Like 1


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## TRfromMT (Jan 13, 2017)

here are a bunch of photos of the materials I use...



 



 



 



 



 



 



 

@ripjack13

Reactions: Like 4 | Thank You! 1 | EyeCandy! 1


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## TRfromMT (Jan 13, 2017)

Some notes, @ripjack13 

The pivot barrel is machined down a few thousandths under the size of the triangular opening. I went to a machine shop and found the "ID" of the opening with a set of bar-stock ID dowel gauges. I had them turn the pivot down to just slip in the opening.

I use a piece of pin stock to make a stop pin that the sharpening notch rests against that keeps the blade edge from contacting against the carbon fiber (which would dull it immediately). 

Thee carbon fiber is exactly the same thickness as the blade thickness. I started with over-thick stock material and sanded it flat to the final thickness.

It's tricky to get all the pivot barrel and screw head diameters exactly right, including the holes and counter bores in the the scales, and keeping it all concentric as you are gluing it all up. Way too many steps to tell about here, but if you have an application you are trying to work through, I have figured out A LOT of tricks and would be happy to share if you have a specific problem. Maybe we could move over to email if you do have questions.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## NYWoodturner (Jan 13, 2017)

I have only dabbled in folders. I agree that finding all the parts amongst the hundreds of small parts that are in corresponding dimensions are a PITA.


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## TRfromMT (Jan 13, 2017)

NYWoodturner said:


> I have only dabbled in folders. I agree that finding all the parts amongst the hundreds of small parts that are in corresponding dimensions are a PITA.



No matter what - you have to machine something. A 3/8" fastener does not fit in a 3/8" hole...

Reactions: Agree 1


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## ripjack13 (Jan 13, 2017)

Right on man! I think my brother has a few chain ring bolts to pick through. I only need one and I don't wanna spend $ on bag full....

I'll get my knife off the shelf and post up a pic. See if it'll work...


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## ripjack13 (Jan 13, 2017)

Looks like I'll need to cut it down to make it "fold"....
Any thoughts?


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## Jude Maui wood dreams (Jan 13, 2017)

Wow!! Incredible work. Definitely a project I would love to learn how to do.


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## TRfromMT (Jan 14, 2017)

Hmmmm @ripjack13 I think it would take some modification, but could be done. You could make a metal disk to fill in the first hole, and I see the top of the spine/tang as a stop. You'd have to cut some away.

Why not just put fixed handles on it?


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## TRfromMT (Jan 14, 2017)

ripjack13 said:


> Right on man! I think my brother has a few chain ring bolts to pick through. I only need one and I don't wanna spend $ on bag full....
> 
> I'll get my knife off the shelf and post up a pic. See if it'll work...



By the way @ripjack13 you can but individual pieces of hardware at www.usaknifemaker.com for pretty reasonable prices and they have lots to pick from.

Reactions: Like 1


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## ripjack13 (Jan 14, 2017)

TRfromMT said:


> Hmmmm @ripjack13 I think it would take some modification, but could be done. You could make a metal disk to fill in the first hole, and I see the top of the spine/tang as a stop. You'd have to cut some away.
> 
> Why not just put fixed handles on it?


That's what I was thinking now that I look at it....


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## TRfromMT (Jan 14, 2017)

If I were to do fixed handles on that, I'd probably not do the front index-finger hole. I'd probably keep the hole there and do some thin slabs over the back 2/3 of the handle. If you cover up that front hole, the front of the handle will be well over the back edge of the blade.

Reactions: Agree 1


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