David, do you ever reblade folders? - No.

[David Mary]

I have been watching for MagnaCut in stock. Don't see it often, and when I do it seems to be stuff a little thicker than 3/16, and even that disappears quick. But the AEB-L I ordered for the prototypes arrived at the waterjet company this week, and I think the designs are mostly dialed in, I just have to finish translating them to CAD. Before I do that, feel free to have your say, and I'll consider ideas and try to answer questions. I'm no engineer, so special thanks to JoWa for the time he spent in private emails giving advice on how to get accurate digital representations of the parts, and I hope I implemented it well enough to produce working prototypes. Of course, thanks also to everyone else who has been involved in watching, interacting with and supporting this project.








The Manix 2 XL was the one that allowed the most versatility to broaden the canvas. I will be getting these ones cut out as squared off blanks at the tip, which gives me freedom to turn them into something like a MIllie, or I have have made a few extra lines there to show some possibilities, such as the wharncliffe. Note that in order to do this, one will have to commit to using the 2 XL without the fob tube. I will probably make one like this for myself, and I am happy to trade a tiny bit of "squeeziness" at the butt for a full 4" bladed wharncliffe CBBL knife.

P.S. if you're wondering about the measurements, they are just there for my quick reference when calibrating the sizes in CAD.

 

[DMG]

So I will have to use a workaround, like the one I mentioned above, or an aftermarket snaggle tooth type system could be used.

Could you put a bottle opener on mine?

 

[David Mary]

D DMG shoot me an email? Thanks!

 

[David Mary]

It's time to see if I can make these fit and function. Fingers crossed!

Note the sharpie on the Manix 2 XL reblades to indicate some ideas of blade shape variety I hope to be able to produce with that one.

So I need to thin these all down to the same thickness as the stock of the factory blades, then dial in the fit so they open and close without blade play. I made two of each (plus an extra Recon 1), but because of the +/- .025" tolerance of the waterjet cutter, I made the pivot sizes exact on one, and .025" smaller on the other, as a test to see where I need the files to end up going forward. I figured if the ones I made exact came out right, then the ones I made smaller will only take a few minutes to open up to the right size using my dremel and diamond bits (of which I ordered three extra packages, and they are sitting here waiting to go to work).

The goal is to have these ready to ship out for heat treatment Monday or Tuesday, along with some fixed blades that also came from the same sheet, which can be seen here.

 

[David Mary]

Airlite is looking like a victory!! The pivot that was too small took a few minutes to open up to the right size, and the one that I spec'ed out to the exact size is actually a little too small, which means it will fit when I get to it as well. This is getting exciting for me.

 

[David Mary]

I guess this is turning into a Reblade Project WIP thread.

So for the Airlite, which is the only one I have tried the fit on yet, the lockup so far is literally perfect. I had to shorten the blade ever so slightly because the tip was contacting the backspacer in the closed position. Now it's perfect, and gives the maximum blade length the handle length ratio which I wish every folding knife company would pay attention to. It won't close all the way when the other scale it attached, though, but I think that is a simple matter of grinding the blade geometry so that it is not full thickness at the tip. I am on my way out to help mom some more, but I thought some of you would like to see a few more pics before I do so, in particular S Spears , whose knife can be seen below.

 

[Spears]

Ooh, those reblades are looking great!

Really digging the Manix and Manix XL reblades; the wharnie and sheepsfoot works super well.

 

[David Mary]

Thank you!

 

[David Mary]

I snapped a few pics at work today. I've saved the best for last. So far it seems like all but two of the eleven blades I had waterjet cut will function as intended. These are now ready to go out for heat treatment.

And as a little side bonus for myself, since I had it apart anyway, I gave my S110V Manix 2 with full liners a little bit of a diet (2nd last pic).

 

[David Mary]

Fully heat treated, and have shipped out, on the way back to me for grinding and finishing.

 

[David Mary]

I hope to put more time into this project in June.

 

[Blue Sky]

Now that you’ve done some TriAd blades, would you please consider the Tuff Lite someday. That knife deserves a blade upgrade if any does. I have a feeling that one would be popular.

 

[David Mary]

Only today have I neared completion on any of these. It's been more challenging than I expected with only hand tools and no machining or surface grinding. And what I've accomplished is not perfect, but you can judge it for yourself based on the following WIP:

Recon 1

Airlite

Code 4

Hoping to have the top two knives shipped out early next week back to their owners who loaned them to me a year and a half ago.

 

[David Mary]

Now that you’ve done some TriAd blades, would you please consider the Tuff Lite someday. That knife deserves a blade upgrade if any does. I have a feeling that one would be popular.

I'm gonna say this is mid to long term. What I learned from this reblade project so far is I don't have all the tools I need to do it as well and as efficiently as I'd like yet.

 

[David Mary]

Which means that the answer now to the question in the title is: "No." Check back with me in a few years when I will have (God permitting) upgraded my shop sufficiently to do these properly and in a timely manner.