Pivot Bushing or No Pivot Bushing... Frame/Liner lock folder makers help needed

Hankins

Hankins

Joined
Dec 7, 2008
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Pivot Bushing or No Pivot Bushing... Frame/Liner lock folder makers help needed :thumbup::thumbdn:
Using Graphite and PTFE Bronze bushings from McMaster Carr for my pivots.
They seem to work well when they are reamed to size but loosen after a bit of use.
Are they worth using on Frame locks? Am I doing something wrong?
Using Alpha's 3/16" Pivots which I believe are made from 416SS
Guess my only concern is Gauling or excessive wear on the Pivot.

Help me out as my lockup is solid and the design is coming together nicely...
 
The Alpha pivot are nice and already hardened.
Stan
 
I made up two liner locks one with just the barrel pivot and one with an actual bearing that had 1/8" center that accepted the barrel pivot, 1/4" diameter and was 3/32" thick. The blades were of course 3/32 inch thick. I took them to the Las Vegas knife show and had a few makers tell me what they thought of the blade movements. No one was able to feel a difference between the two. I'm still using hardened barrel pivots. Frank
 
Unless you are using ultra precision bushings made on a real high quality lathe to a precise length, OD and ID (like 0.0005 or better), you are better served with a hardened pivot and a reamed/lapped blade hole. Just my 2 cents.

A 416SS pivot is probably Rc45, so it should hold up for a good while.
 
Having been on this Forum for a number of years it still amazes me how great the people are here :D
Thanks for the input and helping me get a better sense of direction.
Just cut off a piece of steel for my first "Real" try at making a functioning Liner Lock and waited to here from from the experts before drilling the Pivot hole.
Have found if you hit the pivot on the buffer after installing on the liner but before reaming and lapping the blade pivot hole to size it works sweet. This also changes the diameter just slightly so measure before you ream and Lap!

Can the Pivot be soldered in place???
Alpha pivots are a good press fit but would like the extra security if possible...
 
The way I set them up to work is the pivot is stationary and the blade moves around the pivot. Think about it. If the blade and pivot move then the pivoting takes place just on the thickness of the liners. Not a very big area and one where wear could much easier occurr. Frank
 
Hengelo
We are talking about Bronze Bushings here.
So far they say they are not needed
 
Sorry my bad, I thougt steel bushings were meant

140ppa-240_1_600.jpg

http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/product_info.php?products_id=1878
 
I build most of the knife while using a dummy pivot. This pivot is under size so the blade hole does not elongate while building the knife. I will finish the blade pivot hole one of 2 ways. I either ream to size before heat treat, literally just before the blade goes in the oven or after heat treat with a carbide reamer.
 
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