what do you think about this... draft? Do you like it?
Measures approx:
Lenght OAL 22,5 cm
Blade lenght 10 cm
Wood Saw lenght 10,5 cm
Steel O1 for the blade
Stell 420hc for the saw
Handle deer antler (or hard wood in alternative)
Washers PB
Back-lock system ( illegal up there in UK, right? :-(
It's a good start Alfredo. Yes, I like it. In fact I like what I've seen of your work so far a lot.
Speaking personally, I'd prefer something like S30V for the knife blade and a man-made material for the scales. You haven't mentioned the thickness of the blades, nor the grind of the knife. In a tool like this, my preference would be for a flat grind. I'd want to be able to open the knife one-handed with either hand (I'm left-handed, verging on ambidextrous). Again just a personal opinion, I think the back of the handle in your sketch is too straight for real comfort. Could the lanyard hole be any bigger?
The saw blade will need to be STRONG to avoid bending it double by accident, and obviously it will need to work well -- do you have experience of folding saws? The saw on my Victorinox Swiss Tool sometimes does a lot of work and it's as good as the day it was given to me (birthday present from the wife) I think about a decade ago. I've never felt the need even to attempt to sharpen it. The only criticism I'd have of that blade is that, given the size of the tool, it's a little bit shorter than they could have made it, but that's one of the compromises that was necessary in the design of the folding pliers. At 105mm your saw blade is about 15mm longer, which is excellent. Care to try for 110mm?
I suppose it goes without saying that the joints and the locking mechanism will need to be solid and confidence inspiring, but I'll say it anyway.
One of the problems with many folding tools is repairs. It would be a big bonus if the owner could get spare parts, and dismantle it for cleaning/servicing/repair. I've (very rarely) had to send tools back to the manufacturer for repair. It can take weeks, during which time you can feel like one of your limbs is missing, and you never really know if you're ever going to see it again. Having said that the warranty service I've had from the USA has been outstanding. That's a very important issue but I suppose it's out of your hands.
The UK law does have things to say both about locking blades
and about blades over three inches long even if they don't lock, but it isn't an issue for a tool like this if it's handled responsibly. In my view, for safety and usability a lock is essential on almost any tool of this nature. I can't tell you how many times the screwdriver blade on my SOG Toolclip has pinched me!
