Bushcraft and folder: it's possible? How much long blade?

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Alfredo

Settler
Oct 25, 2009
624
2
ITALY (ALPS)
After some tweaking...

DSC07132-1.jpg

Not bad at all, Jonathan! Alfredo
 

sam_acw

Native
Sep 2, 2005
1,081
10
41
Tyneside
The 2 knives I use most often for Bushcraft are non-locking folders. Either an Eye-brand Sodbuster or an SAK electrician plus.
The reason I use them most is simply because they are my 2 EDC knives.
The Sodbuster can be used pretty much as a straight swap for a fixed blade whilst the saw and awl on the SAK put it in a different class of tool for crafting. Sodbusters have very stiff and thick springs so open very solidly without locking. They don't really look tactical either and if you could find a sub 3" one it's be good for EDC in Britain - it's an under appreciated type of knife.
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,530
3,722
50
Exeter
I think I would ( if possible ) like to see a spec'd mock up using a deeper Blade and an Increased handle.
I prefer the look of J'd Handle , it seems to be a 'fuller' grip , trying to hold onto a smaller handle , I find problematic and frankly dangerous.

Still, your both far better men than me!!!
 

Alfredo

Settler
Oct 25, 2009
624
2
ITALY (ALPS)
Stew, TeeDee,
this is my interpretation of a folder for hard use, good for "bushcraft" use. I don't pretend this is the best design of course, just mine :)
It maybe also hard to judge on a simple 2D draft, apologize.
Alfredo
 

ged

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 16, 2009
4,981
15
In the woods if possible.
Alfredo, I think it's coming to the point where I'd need to physically handle a prototype to be sure of my ground, but my immediate reaction is that the curve near the point on your last draft could be a bit longer and gentler. And please tell me that the thumb stud isn't what stops the blade opening any further? I think it ought to be clear of the handle by a couple of millimetres when open. I very much like the blade shape and the deep grind on the number 1 but I agree with others who think the handle might need to be a bit beefier.

Where do you go from the paper design stage? Do you make prototypes to test? I imagine that could be an expensive operation.
 

Alfredo

Settler
Oct 25, 2009
624
2
ITALY (ALPS)
I'll do mine (both BUK-1 and BUK-2) on cardboard.

How much folders do you foresee will be done? Who will make phisically these folders? Any idea?
 

Alfredo

Settler
Oct 25, 2009
624
2
ITALY (ALPS)
Alfredo, I think it's coming to the point where I'd need to physically handle a prototype to be sure of my ground, but my immediate reaction is that the curve near the point on your last draft could be a bit longer and gentler. And please tell me that the thumb stud isn't what stops the blade opening any further? I think it ought to be clear of the handle by a couple of millimetres when open. I very much like the blade shape and the deep grind on the number 1 but I agree with others who think the handle might need to be a bit beefier.

Where do you go from the paper design stage? Do you make prototypes to test? I imagine that could be an expensive operation.

Ged, what's the problem on the thumb-studs as a block for the blade when the blade is opened?
 

ged

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 16, 2009
4,981
15
In the woods if possible.
Hi Alfredo,

Agreed with Stew that it's a widely used idea. It has its place in some applications. But in this one -- hard use, I think you said -- I question it.

Materials tend to fail in shear. They're a lot stronger in compression. The forces on the thumb stud, if it's preventing the blade from traveling further when, for example, you wrench the handle upwards to get it out of a log that you're batoning, are entirely in shear. Effectively you've made a guillotine with your knife, and you're trying to use the guillotine to cut off the thumb stud. I think you're asking the materials to give more than absolutely necessary. The forces on the parts of the handle restraining the stud are partly in shear, partly in tension and partly in compression. I know you said the stud will be extra heavy, but I just wonder how heavy it (and the part of the handle that it buts up against) will have to be to make that part of the tool bulletproof. I wouldn't know without a lot more thinking and probably some destructive testing what the most likely failure mechanism would be for the handle in that area. My gut feeling is that it's a weak point.

But this is just me throwing ideas about. :)
 

Alfredo

Settler
Oct 25, 2009
624
2
ITALY (ALPS)
Here you have 3 different way to stop the blade when open
- thumb-studs: they engage liners on 2 different places
- cilinder (don't know the name of this sistem): the blade engage the small cilinder between the liners just in 1 place
- back-lock: the blade engage the bar and consequently the entire locking system between the liner just in 1 place


due to the above, I will leave the "cilinder" system (of the Benchmade Rift in this case), and get on thumb-studs and back-lock


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best solutions could be maybe a combination of thumb.studs+back-lock, but I don't like so much back-lock systems due to the difficulty to clean and dry the knife in a wet environment, also an integral-lock knife need for a numere of pieces far less than the others kind of folders, which is always good thoughness


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...I'm now thinking about a knife with integral-lock + back-lock :)) could be nice, and really strong :)
Please don't ask me for thumb.studs + central cilinder because I yet try to do and I'm not able! :)
Alfredo
 

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