Making a folder a fixed blade

[johnnytheboy]

I've got a folder with a lovely blade, but the handle is very flimsy, I know some really good welders and wondered about what's folks thoughts would be on welding a full tang onto it and making a fixed blade woodcraft style knife

What's everyone's thoughts on this, would it hold up?

 

[Robson Valley]

I say do it. You don't like what you have now.
Make something that pleases you.

I make wood carving crooked knives out of farrier's hoof knives.
I'm regularly bashing off the handles and making my own.
I enjoy carving with them as they fit my hands.

 

[dewi]

If it is welded properly, there shouldn't be an issue with strength... the only issue is looks. There will be an ugly weld line visible unless you do a lot of work welding, grinding and sanding.

Would be very interested in seeing photos of the process if possible though... would be fascinating.

 

[johnnytheboy]

i was thinking the scales could hide the welded joint, there is 1/2" of material inside the handle of the knife where it pivots for its folding section that could be easily welded without comprimising the blade (I think) ��

 

[dewi]

That'd be ideal if the scales hide the weld... like I say, be very interested in your progress on this.

Have you given thought to the scales?

 

[Hibrion]

I'd say take it to a good blade smith and just have them make you a full tang version from scratch.

 

[Nice65]

If you don't mind me asking, what folder is it?

Steel types may matter with welding on a tang. It might be an option for you to look at having a maker produce you a blank with the blade specs of your knife, gives you your desired blade, in a steel that works for you, and peace of mind. Just saying.

 

[Robbi]

If you don't mind me asking, what folder is it?

Steel types may matter with welding on a tang. It might be an option for you to look at having a maker produce you a blank with the blade specs of your knife, gives you your desired blade, in a steel that works for you, and peace of mind. Just saying.

you would also end up with a matching folder and fixed blade

 

[Shelley]

Also the heat from the welding may alter the heat treat of the folder. Not hard to make a new knife, two is better than one...

 

[Robson Valley]

The OP does not like the knife. The OP wants to change the knife. I read everything from cosmetic complaints to
unsubstantiated welding failures. Theorectal issues. . . and no, not a spelling mistake.

I want him to do the experiment. Mess with the blade.
Learn something instead of being too inhibited and too frightened to go exploring.

Explain to me = where do these inhibitions come from? Are they useful to do nothing?

 

[Tony]

Or you could just accept that he's voicing his opinion and doesn't need challenging on it. He's asked a straight forward question demonstrating that he's thinking about a specific thing and it doesn't seem that he's actually inviting a challenge and a demand that he enact someone else's wishes.

It seems that the more appropriate response would be orientated around welding advice and altering knives and how that's worked for people that have done it.

This is not me asking for an argument, or wanting to participate in any conversation but as an Admin pointing out that the OP is entitled to request advice without being challenged on personal character.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Based upon the limited information posted by the OP it is theoretically possible to weld a tang on and make some sort of fixed blade, but it may be fraught with problems too. Setting forth in optimistic ignorance may be open minded and adventurous to some people and fool hardy to others. I like to hear what the pitfalls could be before I start something so that I can make an better informed choice about giving it a go; if it is possible, but likely to be risky, complicated, or time consuming to achieve what I want, is that going to be worth my time and effort?

Welding hardened alloy and stainless steels can be done, but the person doing the welding needs to know what they are doing with those particular parameters. If they don't, they may over heat the blade and remove its hardness, or produce a weak and/or lumpy joint. The weak point on most knives is right around where the blade enters the handle, right around where the weld and neighbouring heat affected zone will be. In the early days of me making knives I had two O-1 blades treated by two very experienced blade makers. The first over tempered the blade and then told me I hadn't provided him enough material data to do the job right. The second over heated the blade and quenched so fast that it broke with awful grain structure, at which point he announce he had never tried HTing O-1 before. Really skilled people can still muck stuff up if it is outside their usual experience. Forewarned is forearmed.

If I had a folder with a "lovely" blade, but "flimsy" handle I would be thinking about how to upgrade the handle before I thought about making a fixed blade out of it. I would also question how good a blade really is in a folder with a flimsy handle. The folders that I have had have either had good blades and good handles, or had poor blades and adequate handles, in the latter case they were never of sufficient monetary value to make it worth spending time turning them into something else. I have made both replacement blades and replacement handles for good folders.

A little more information from the OP would help and improve the value of advice.
What knife, what steel, what has it been used for till now (what is the yard stick for blade and handle quality) and what use is imagined for it post conversion?

Best of luck whatever...

 

[Janne]

Laser weld.

 

[Nice65]

Can't see why people are getting a bee in their bonnet over a thread that's been nothing but polite, informative, and helpful. Every post apart from the two peeved ones offer good advice and ideas.

The OP knows good welders, they will be able to weld it. Yet he asked the question here. What do you expect? Boring thread if someone just posted "yes" or "no" without elaborating.

 

[johnnytheboy]

It's the season to be jolly guys!

The knife is a spyderco with a lightweight handle, the blade like all spyderco seems really good quality, but the handle is not as robust as I'd like tbh due to its lightweight design.

I would rather try and make it into a functional item than commit it to a shelf somewhere and buy something else. Two reasons first being that I don't have that much money, second that I'm trying to cut down excessive consumerism. If I can give my mate a tenner to weld it, someone else some cash to handle it in some way that money is contributing to keeping local crafts alive as opposed to importing a knife.

My friend will weld this no problems at all as He welded alsorts of complicated alloys for me in the past, this job would likely be a little easier for him. But I have no idea of pressures etc that we all except on out knifes and strength of welds etc! The post was to gauge if I would just be wasting a knife or if it would be a reasonably worthwhile exercise.

 

[Dave Budd]

There are proper welds and then there are, um. 'agricultural' welds. My welding would never meet any certification and is rarely pretty either, but it does what I need it to do. If the person welding the extension on to the blade knows their stuff, then they will get the bits to stick together fine and most likely normailse the weld zone properly. Assuming that they are able to mask the blade with a decent heat sink (such as in a vice), then there shouldn't be any issue with either loss of hardness of weakened steel due to HAZ.

That all said, with a heat sink being used, the other issues can be avoided more easily by either brazing or hard soldering. Both are more localised and lower temperature operations that don't have HAZ issues and much less chance of warpage too.

Depending on the length of the existing tang, it may not need extending at all. Just make a mortice tang knife instead, the mortice could be cut into metal for added strength if desired too

 

[Stew]

Which model is it? I've seen a few folk convert folders but I don't think any by weldin them up.

 

[C_Claycomb]

If it is a Spyderco with an FRN (fibre glass reinforced nylon) handle I think you would definitely be wasting it. There are plenty of times in the field when you might want a very light weight, extra sharp knife on your person or in a particular kit bag. If that really doesn't appeal, there is another option, Spyderco's are much more desirable than no-name Whitney blades, so you should be able to find find someone to sell it to, or to trade with. Destroying a manufactured item that other people are likely to want, because you don't like it, is not cutting down consumerism, its just wasting energy and moving the problem on.

Are you a member on British Blades? I would be surprised if a month's effort didn't net you something either second hand or hobby crafted that would not be out of reach if you pooled the sale price of the Spyderco and some of the money you would have spent converting it.

 

[Janne]

Can't see why people are getting a bee in their bonnet over a thread that's been nothing but polite, informative, and helpful. Every post apart from the two peeved ones offer good advice and ideas.

The OP knows good welders, they will be able to weld it. Yet he asked the question here. What do you expect? Boring thread if someone just posted "yes" or "no" without elaborating.

Sorry, my post WAS a bit short.
This is what I think: a normal weld can disturb the hardening and tempering. It is also quite ugly.
If you have it laser welded, your blade will not lose its charasteritics, and be 'neat' and tidy.
As the weld is ( somebody eise pointed that out) in a very vulnerable area it might be clever to use a thicker tang with a slot for the blade.
This thicker tang, laser welded, will look good even if the tang is exposed on the top of the handle.

 

[Robson Valley]

The guy does not like this knife. What all are you saying that he should save it, above all else?
It's a piece of metal. One of thousands. There are more where that one came from.

So what the Hello. Weld a tang on the POS and see how that goes. Don't fall in love with it
and you might just skank up a winner. Everyone here offers theory. That' s OK but you
want to go where the hammer meets the metal, yes?????