Micro Bawanna Bowie Folder concept.

This is gonna be way way way beyond your average folder. Think flip out head on a 12# sledge hammer.

Hold that puppy blade down and it's gonna open unless you got a lot of strain on them wavy washers, probably a name for those.

As big as it is opening with two hands wouldn't be a deal breaker to me. It's definitely a fold on steroids.

Keep going Ndog, it's at the personal challenge level now, don't lose your momentum and leave it on the drawing board.

I just gotta know, what is that your using for a work table. All marbley looking but big, oh wait, went back and the last pic I can see it's a sheet of something on top of your table or bench or stump or something.
 
I suppose on a folder that big it may not be essential to be able to flick it open quickly. All of my folders can be opened reasonably quickly one handed, but something of that size may warrant an exception. But if it can be opened one-handed, all the better.

And ndog, your ability to create something like that entirely out of cardboard is throughly impressive. And the design itself is quite impressive too. The standard HI bowies (Cherokee Rose is an exception) have never floated my boat, the blade shape isn't quite to my liking. However, making the Micro into a folder does appeal to me greatly, and I'd like to own one someday, finances willing.
 
You'll probably expect ridicule and criticism for having poor taste by not floating your boat with a standard Bowie but your not gonna get it from me. Everybody else probably but not me.

Truth be told when I first held one, it was a 12" or maybe even a 15" job down in Reno, it didn't float my boat neither. It was cool, I was impressed, it was a chunk of steel and I wanted it badly but it didn't sing. It really wasn't fair cause I held so many fantastic knives in such a short period I was on sensory overload.

Then a combination of Steely Gunz constantly singing their praises and how he cut up 12 dump truck loads of sod in one afternoon, maybe that's an exaggeration, might have only been 10 dump truck loads and somebody gifting me a 10" version they kind of grew on me. When auntie made the micro happen so I could wear it every day, well that was it for me, I'm near bad as Steely now on my love for the bowies. Still ain't tried it on sod though.
I feel really bad now that I can't remember who sent me that first 10" bowie, I can remember every gift but I often times don't remember where they came from.

Steve Tall maybe? I'll have to wrap my head around this and try to remember, ain't right not to remember.
 
Ok. If someone gifts me one I shall with great shame eat my words in regards to the HI Bowie. ;)
 
Im hoping I can get it adjusted out using wavespring washers so it can be gravity opened (probably a term for that?) but a thumb stud is and option. Ive never been fond of thumb studs because I find it hard to sharpen with one. This blade has such a high angle that I may be able to get along with that idea tho. Thanks for the idea. Im starting to like that already:thumbup:

edit: Now that i go back and think about it I wonder if I could just cut out the fuller (sword of shiva) on the inside enough to get your thumb into and flick it out. The blade is pretty heavy so I think once you get it out a bit you could just flick it open.

Here's a thought:

Instead of an indented Sword of Shiva, how about a thumb stud on both sides shaped like a Sword of Shiva and the same thickness as the handle frame, maybe about 1/8" thick? It would look pretty good with the blade open or closed, since it would line up with the handle. If the handle sides are brass, maybe the SOS could be formed from the same piece of brass.

Only question is how to attach it securely, but there are various solutions to that.

It's good that you're thinking of this as a personal project for now, since you have access to materials and tools that the HI kamis do not. If it works out well, perhaps HI could produce their own version subject to their materials and tools, but first things first.

-- Dave
 
Go for it!, never fear the large folder, here is a pic of mine next to a becker bk2, and bvcak for size comarison.
2014-10-03211156_zps46ab9f85.jpg
 
AH, I wasn't thinking of having the HI kamis make it, from your post it sounded as if you were planning to do the machining yourself. I was more referring to the fact that a folder made using an HI blade would in my mind need to be made with traditional materials to accent the traditional blade. Same reason I prefer leather instead of kydex sheaths. Looking forward to seeing how this turns out.
 
Keep going Ndog, it's at the personal challenge level now, don't lose your momentum and leave it on the drawing board.

I just gotta know, what is that your using for a work table. All marbley looking but big, oh wait, went back and the last pic I can see it's a sheet of something on top of your table or bench or stump or something.
Personal challenge accepted! Thanks bro! Thats my homebrew recipe book. I've made beer, wine, mead, and such for about 30 years and whats not in my head is in that malachite marbly book. I have a stout called Toad Spit I bet Bookie will like!

That looks phenomenal:eek:

What would you think about modifying one to see if the kamis could make it? I'm thinking something like the Svord peasant knife:
I do like that idea Steely! That might not fit in the pocket so well but sure would be fine looking! You could use the tang as is to fabricate the whatever you call that extension. Kinda like a straight razor. Thats cool!
I suppose on a folder that big it may not be essential to be able to flick it open quickly. All of my folders can be opened reasonably quickly one handed, but something of that size may warrant an exception. But if it can be opened one-handed, all the better.

And ndog, your ability to create something like that entirely out of cardboard is throughly impressive. And the design itself is quite impressive too. The standard HI bowies (Cherokee Rose is an exception) have never floated my boat, the blade shape isn't quite to my liking. However, making the Micro into a folder does appeal to me greatly, and I'd like to own one someday, finances willing.
Thanks Scara. I do think I can make it flip open on its own weight or with slight assist. No problem there. I already have a gut feeling with the cardboard model how it will perform when it has real weight to it. Being able to flip it open with one hand and slight assistance is mandatory as far as im concerned.
Here's a thought:

Instead of an indented Sword of Shiva, how about a thumb stud on both sides shaped like a Sword of Shiva and the same thickness as the handle frame, maybe about 1/8" thick? It would look pretty good with the blade open or closed, since it would line up with the handle. If the handle sides are brass, maybe the SOS could be formed from the same piece of brass.

Only question is how to attach it securely, but there are various solutions to that.

It's good that you're thinking of this as a personal project for now, since you have access to materials and tools that the HI kamis do not. If it works out well, perhaps HI could produce their own version subject to their materials and tools, but first things first.

-- Dave
Thats a great idea dave! I wonder if there is a way to forge a piece of brass into the spine there without using mounting hardware. For this blade i could use screws but something the Kamis could do would be need to be worked out. Ive never seen anything with screws or hardware that I know of but they do drill holes. I bet there is something they could do? It would be fun to see the Kamis twist on something like this! This is getting interesting.
Thanks my friends for the help and suggestions. I dont see anything thats not doable! im going for it! More updates coming.
 
AH, I wasn't thinking of having the HI kamis make it, from your post it sounded as if you were planning to do the machining yourself. I was more referring to the fact that a folder made using an HI blade would in my mind need to be made with traditional materials to accent the traditional blade. Same reason I prefer leather instead of kydex sheaths. Looking forward to seeing how this turns out.
Im with ya there Shav. Thats exactly what im thinking too. But if there is something that could come of it that the Kamis could do then Im all for that too. I doubt they would be able to make locking blades for that reason but a slip joint folder we know is possible. Maybe Keshar Lal has some rubbed off knowledge from Bura that we dont know of?? Never know what them guys know or have in their pockets;)
 
Here is the donor knife I plan to use. Its a Micro AKB but it is made by Min Kami (trident) and has a slightly different shape than the Bhakta made AKB's from which I made my model from.

7614b276f79f5ef544752b7d846d41ee


This Min blade doesnt have a recurve area near the cho so it is wider behind the cho. To correct for this I had to move the hinge point over.

1ca2b1717ec057190f70ea578b97b5b2


Notice the shape difference between the two from the paper copies. Moving the pin over prevented me from having to cut the whole cho off basically. I will have to trim a flat spot behind the cho but its barely noticeable. I couldnt move the pivot point any more because the pivot hole would be too close to the edge. This would not be a problem if the blade was made to be used as a folder becuase the tang would be positioned in the middle of the blade instead of the top of the blade. The next problem to solve is when I cut the tang off it will be right through one of the pin holes which held the scales on. It may not be a problem but the locking mechanism will have to ride across it when closing the knife. Im working on that now. Im trying to avoid welding it up but I might have to.

2f5d170377db1fa0b5fdc9fbb7917136


The next step will be run some bolts through the pin holes and mill of a flat spot on each side at the hinge. once thats done I can cut off the tang. I dont want to cut off the tang now because It gives me something to hold on to for all the mill work on the lock notch and such.
 
Ok no turning back now! Next step was to cut the locking notch.

0994c1b87859f20bcc25c6db83541989


Then cut two parallel surfaces for the hinge surface. Not as easy as it seems. There are no parallel surfaces on a hand made knife blade to hold one to. Distal taper in every direction makes it very difficult to machine with any precision. I managed to get it somewhat square by using copper shims on each side of the blade and then clamped the hell out of it so it don't come loose. I can only imagine the bit snaggin into the blade and throwing it across the room if it came loose. I managed to get the first side perfect.

1a65232f601f78cd6adb5a66af6b7ae4


The back side was not so easy. I was pretty much going blind by my gauges and actually screwed up and cut all the way through the spine where I didn't want to. So to make it symmetrical i screwed up the other side while I had it clamped up and all parallel. I have to figure out a creative way to make it work out with a thumb stud or some filework or something dangit all. Its hard to do good machine work at work when sneaking around making excuses why you are working on a knife instead of something else.
d5a04fa732f12e16b062cb988e27039c

OK so i got two parallel sides for the hinge and a positive reference for the rest of the work. Im not going to cut the handle off just yet because it may come in handy drilling the hinge hole.

72e7aef4e25832cb45a8118040920ac5


I still need to cut some off the top to make room for the locking lever then I thing ill be ready to cut the handle off. before I drill the hinge pin hole I need to source an exact part so Ill know exactly how big to drill the hole. Once that's determined off with the handle. Time to start thinking about some brass frame material and bolster material for the frame. Bookie! Do you think 1/8" brass plate will be stiff enough to mount scales too? I'm thinking it will.
 
Stout? Did I hear stout?! 1/8" brass plate is some heavy duty stuff. What I have is good yellow brass and not bronze, and for $1400 a sheet, it better not be! It should work well for you.
 
How do you cut the stuff Bookie? You must use it in the shop that has electricity? $1400 a sheet:eek: Don't want to waste none of that.
 
Stout? Did I hear stout?! 1/8" brass plate is some heavy duty stuff. What I have is good yellow brass and not bronze, and for $1400 a sheet, it better not be! It should work well for you.
Well hopefully I wont need $1400 worth. Sounds like the thing to do then. Ill see if I can find me some scraps from the pawn shop and scrape off the diamonds and rubies and extraneous useless crap and git er done;)
 
Back
Top