Front Flipper Button Lock Design

[CO_EDC]

The plunger is usually actually slightly shaped like a truncated cone so that way there is something producing tightness as the plunger wears in.

The part of the button lock that goes into the slot is slightly shaped like a truncated clone and so is the hole or partial hole it goes into.

I recommend you try talking to Hogue Knives who are masters of the button lock. They may be able to help you figure out how they do it.

That's a good idea talkin to Hogue. I was trying to think the other day who a good knife maker would be to run my design by.

Also, that was my thought exactly to make both the plunger/button and the hole tapered. I didn't know that's how other companies did it, it must be such a slight taper that you it's hardly noticeable. I've taken a couple apart and they look cylindrical. Thanks! That makes me feel better about my design. We'll see how the machinists like it. Lol

 

[SpySmasher]

Another possibility for a maker to talk to is Rod Olson. He's one of the few custom knifemakers who regularly makes custom button locks and his knives are generally considered the smoothest button locks out there. I bring him up because he has an Instagram where you might contact him. You never know.

 

[CO_EDC]

Another possibility for a maker to talk to is Rod Olson. He's one of the few custom knifemakers who regularly makes custom button locks and his knives are generall considered the smoothest button locks out there. I bring him up because he has an Instagram where you might contact him. You never know.

that's also good idea. If I can get ahold of somebody who knows what they're doing they might be able to save me some trial and error during proto typing. I know *how* I want it to work and how I *think* it should work but those guys have the experience to tell me if it's a good idea or not

 

[GundaManiac]

My Kizer Feist has a pin that goes through the blade into two half moon tracks on the inner side of either scale. In the feist version the stop pin is actually free floating in the hole in the blade under the designer’s (Lundquist’s) request. I believe this is so the pin can roll as in moves through the track. However the free floating pin can be heard rattling if you shake he knife while the blade is between the closed and locked open position.

My Jason Burke Rockstar has a stop pin that is press fit into the blade and only sticks out of one side of the tang. It has a half moon track on the inside of only one scale. This one is press fit in and not free floating like on the feist. On the opposite side of the tang that the stop pin sticks out the tang is simply flat.

The Buck Vantage also has crescent cutouts in both liners and a stop pin pressed into the blade.

 

[CO_EDC]

So just a quick update: I have someone lined up to do the prototyping and then I'm talking to both a machine shop and a knife company for the final production. In the meantime I'm going to 3D print one just to see how the size feels. Still moving forward.

 

[Lapedog]

So just a quick update: I have someone lined up to do the prototyping and then I'm talking to both a machine shop and a knife company for the final production. In the meantime I'm going to 3D print one just to see how the size feels. Still moving forward.

How do we get on a list to be one of the guys who gets one?

 

[CO_EDC]

How do we get on a list to be one of the guys who gets one?

I will post here once we figure out the preorder. Once I have a working prototype that I'm happy with I'll probably open up a preorder/wait list as we begin production. I'll keep this thread updated with the progresst. Thanks for your interest!

 

[CO_EDC]

I haven't showed any pictures lately so I thought I'd post a few. I have more of the design details finished up. (Ignore the vertical line on the blade, it's just how Fusion 360 likes to show the bevel). I decided to add a finger choil to make it slightly more ergonomic and it also gives you a place to pinch the knife open if needed. I'm still cleaning things up and as always, comments are welcome. Getting closer though.

 

[CO_EDC]

Me too.

You probably know but clips are really tricky. The mechanics are tough to get right. I've been following a "saga" () of clip design on Liong Mah's instagram. Apparently, the clip that was originally released for his Lanny" model met with a lot of complaints so he and Reate redesigned it. He posted a picture of the old and new clips side by side. The differences are pretty subtle but it shows that a little goes a long way with clips:

No idea how I missed this before. Sorry about that.

Thanks for the pictures. I'll have to look up the "saga" and hopefully gain some lessons learned. I don't know much about his knives but from the side view his "new clip" looks similar to mine (or other way around I suppose). I'm planning on only one screw and preventing rotation by having the clip sit down in a small cut out in the handle.

(Not the greatest picture, I'm trying to do it from my phone)

 

[Lapedog]

No idea how I missed this before. Sorry about that.

Thanks for the pictures. I'll have to look up the "saga" and hopefully gain some lessons learned. I don't know much about his knives but from the side view his "new clip" looks similar to mine (or other way around I suppose). I'm planning on only one screw and preventing rotation by having the clip sit down in a small cut out in the handle.

(Not the greatest picture, I'm trying to do it from my phone)

Just a few questions and comments.

1: I love the finger choil. It gives the knife a shamwariesque look. Thing is this looks even nicer than the shamwari.

2: about the clip. WE knives did a similar thing where they had the clip held by one screw in a little recess to prevent the clip turning. Thing is even though the recess was quite tight in the recess the clip still rotated slightly. You will have to make sure it is very exact. I see you want to use the standoff screw as the clip screw too.

3: do you have any idea what the price might be? I gotta start saving loot.

 

[Lapedog]

Please leave the design exactly like this. It is different enough that it cannot be called a shamwari clone but close enough that it will scratch that shamwari itch for all the people who want one and cannot get one.

Either due to price or the fact the maker is a noncommunicative asshole tons of people want a shamwari but cannot get one.

If you can bring these in for a half decent price and have a fair ammount of them made or ready to be made I think you will absorb alot of business and become very successful.

People are dying for a shamwariesque knife that is less expensive, more accessible and most of all is being made by someone who isn’t too self important to ever answer anyone’s communications.

 

[Owen K.]

I really like the design. Where are you planning to get this produced?

 

[CO_EDC]

Just a few questions and comments.

1: I love the finger choil. It gives the knife a shamwariesque look. Thing is this looks even nicer than the shamwari.

2: about the clip. WE knives did a similar thing where they had the clip held by one screw in a little recess to prevent the clip turning. Thing is even though the recess was quite tight in the recess the clip still rotated slightly. You will have to make sure it is very exact. I see you want to use the standoff screw as the clip screw too.

3: do you have any idea what the price might be? I gotta start saving loot.

1. Thanks!
2. That will be part of the prototyping process. To see if we can hold tolerances tight enough for the clip not to rotate. I have other ways I can hold the clip down with just one fastener as well. Worst case, I could always go to 2 fasteners. But I definitely don't want the clip to be loose, that drives me nuts! Also, regarding the pocket clip screw, it is a different screw than the standoff screws. I thought about using the same screw as the stand offs but I wanted the clip in a different spot than the standoffs. It's hard to see from the picture of the clip I sent but if you look at the picture of just the handle, you can see the hole for the clip screw and the hole for the standoff screws.
3. I'm hoping to be in the $200-250 price point. I'm still working out how much machining costs will be.

Please leave the design exactly like this. It is different enough that it cannot be called a shamwari clone but close enough that it will scratch that shamwari itch for all the people who want one and cannot get one.

Either due to price or the fact the maker is a noncommunicative asshole tons of people want a shamwari but cannot get one.

If you can bring these in for a half decent price and have a fair ammount of them made or ready to be made I think you will absorb alot of business and become very successful.

People are dying for a shamwariesque knife that is less expensive, more accessible and most of all is being made by someone who isn’t too self important to ever answer anyone’s communications.

Thanks! I started out creating what *I* want in a knife (which was button lock, front flipper, and clean and simple lines). I hope it doesn't just turn into a shamwari clone.

I really like the design. Where are you planning to get this produced?

Right now I am working with a local machine shop as well as a well-known knife company to see which direction I want to go. Definitely leaning (strongly) towards the knife company but there will be more info to come in the next few weeks as we get the details worked out. Stay tuned!

 

[Lapedog]

1. Thanks!
2. That will be part of the prototyping process. To see if we can hold tolerances tight enough for the clip not to rotate. I have other ways I can hold the clip down with just one fastener as well. Worst case, I could always go to 2 fasteners. But I definitely don't want the clip to be loose, that drives me nuts! Also, regarding the pocket clip screw, it is a different screw than the standoff screws. I thought about using the same screw as the stand offs but I wanted the clip in a different spot than the standoffs. It's hard to see from the picture of the clip I sent but if you look at the picture of just the handle, you can see the hole for the clip screw and the hole for the standoff screws.
3. I'm hoping to be in the $200-250 price point. I'm still working out how much machining costs will be.



Thanks! I started out creating what *I* want in a knife (which was button lock, front flipper, and clean and simple lines). I hope it doesn't just turn into a shamwari clone.



Right now I am working with a local machine shop as well as a well-known knife company to see which direction I want to go. Definitely leaning (strongly) towards the knife company but there will be more info to come in the next few weeks as we get the details worked out. Stay tuned!

Alot of South African folders have a similar look and aren’t considered clones even the Shamwari looks alot like the Sebenza. The Bester Ratel looks alot like the Burger Exskeliburs.

Yours has a different bladeshape, different choil shape, different lock and most importantly no one is going to be mistaking it for a shamwari.

Oh I have one more question, have you decided on a blade length? 3.25 is my favourite but maybe 3.5 or 3 is a safer bet since they seem to be more common choices. 3.25 is definitely more of an untapped market.

 

[b00n]

Alot of South African folders have a similar look and aren’t considered clones even the Shamwari looks alot like the Sebenza. The Bester Ratel looks alot like the Burger Exskeliburs.

Yours has a different bladeshape, different choil shape, different lock and most importantly no one is going to be mistaking it for a shamwari.

Oh I have one more question, have you decided on a blade length? 3.25 is my favourite but maybe 3.5 or 3 is a safer bet since they seem to be more common choices. 3.25 is definitely more of an untapped market.

There aren't any 4.5 inch front flippers either!

 

[Lapedog]

There aren't any 4.5 inch front flippers either!

Lol, no thanks.

 

[b00n]

Lol, no thanks.

I think 3.5 is good in all seriousness though. A bit smaller than I like personally, but caters to the largest market/preference in my opinion.

 

[CO_EDC]

Alot of South African folders have a similar look and aren’t considered clones even the Shamwari looks alot like the Sebenza. The Bester Ratel looks alot like the Burger Exskeliburs.

Yours has a different bladeshape, different choil shape, different lock and most importantly no one is going to be mistaking it for a shamwari.

Oh I have one more question, have you decided on a blade length? 3.25 is my favourite but maybe 3.5 or 3 is a safer bet since they seem to be more common choices. 3.25 is definitely more of an untapped market.

I think 3.5 is good in all seriousness though. A bit smaller than I like personally, but caters to the largest market/preference in my opinion.

I was going back and fourth between 3 and 3.25. I'm going to start with 3.25. I think it's a good golilocks size but would love to make smaller/larger versions down the road if it does well.

 

[Lapedog]

I was going back and fourth between 3 and 3.25. I'm going to start with 3.25. I think it's a good golilocks size but would love to make smaller/larger versions down the road if it does well.

I have this thread watched so when you make a waiting list be sure to post it on here so I can know.

But consider me first on the waiting list to get one of these. Before you even make a waiting list I want to be on it.

 

[CO_EDC]

I have this thread watched so when you make a waiting list be sure to post it on here so I can know.

But consider me first on the waiting list to get one of these. Before you even make a waiting list I want to be on it.

You got it! Glad your interested!