Paul Cooper

how would you do a differential heat treatment on 154? ive been asked to produce a couple blades in cpm 154 for slipjoint folders. assuming the backsprings are around 45rc, id want to temper the tangs to a similar hardness. for which, cpm's specs call for 1200f tempering cycles. would you temper by hand using a torch? any other ideas? thanks in advance. -p

hi aiden. i finally got around to trying out the wedged construction method. i used poplar for the wedge. no glue but i soaked it in blo to expand the grain. thanks for the inspiration. -p

thanks for the recommendation josh. -p

thanks j amazon list the book starting at 75$. im interested but might have to wait till christmas. is this the ken erickson wip youre referring to? http://www.sablade.com/forums/showthread.php?2302-Ken-Erickson-EDC-WIP(work-in-progress)&s=1cf9364389d1d7a0b5eb75bf0bd6155d -p

im looking for instruction designing multiblade slipjoints. the whittler pattern in particular. ive got plenty experience bladesmithing, machining and a little doing folders. what i need is some foundation for design. any books, videos, tutorials, etc you can recommend would be very much appreciated. thank you -paul cooper

one key feature of patch knives is the grind. it ought to be flat or chisel ground, in order for the cutting edge to sit flat on the muzzle when cutting the patch. ill be interested in the finished piece. -p

i was talking to my brother-in-law who does hardwood floors about this. hardwoods would be more stable because they have tighter pores and natural oils help to prevent moisture. however, he agrees with you about pines compressability and being easier to work. so maybe using hardwood is overkill. he suggests if we kiln dry the wedges immediately before assembly, theyll be dryer than they ever will be again. they may expand with humidity but wont ever shrink smaller than when putting the handle together. finishing the handle with oil or wax would help too. -p btw, are you in denver?

i dont remember ever seeing that type of construction before. now im excited to try it out. thanks for the inspiration. couple thoughts... seems like having a ferule would eliminate the chance of splitting your handle when tapping home the wedge and make for a stronger joint. are you at all concerned about the stability of the pine in weather swings? does dry weather ever loosen the construction? if so, what materials would be more stable? cheers -p

beauty peace tom. i say you call it Mr Funky Beard! -p

wow... interesting tanto.

nice work meers. id be interested in seeing the case from the side. hope things are good out your way. -p

hi all im making an attempt to scrape 1" wide fullers in a leaf spring blade. problem is chatter and galling. im using high speed steel mounted on a bar for draw knife style action. im using cutting oil and tried grinding chip breakers in the cutting edge to reduce the area of cut. i may need to reconsider how im holding the work piece to minimize vibration. id be interested in seeing what tools youre using for this type of work. any advise would be appreciated. thanks -p

i like them, esp the clip. how did you finish the steel? is the clip sharp? -p

the driftwood scales are realy cool. rustic and warm. did you do anything special to prepare or finish them? any idea what the wood is? -p

nice looking piece but i totaly dont get the lock. would you be willing to illustrate the mechanism for us? thanks -p