Ultimate Edge
Member
I've been a long time reader in this forum, but this is my first post.
After 3 months' hardwork, it is finally done.
Introducing the M1911 Folding Knife!
The idea is standard 1911 bushing, screws and grip panels, so I can actually customize the knife according to my mood of the day.
But it looks quite nice no matter what kind of grips I put on it.
Here is the story behind this special project:
I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I came up with the idea some time ago when I was wondering what kind of knife I want to carry. Got to have a knife with the .45 grips. I started sketches, drawings, and then prototyping.
At the same time I ran a search online and found out that there were other people who had done this before (e.g. search for "Gene Baskett" in Google). But I believed I could make something better than those existing designs.
Prototyping went pretty well, and I was happy with how the locking mechanism worked. Showed it to some knife nuts, and I was told that I needed to use a good blade steel. I ordered some 440C, and also some CPM S30V from Crucible.
Steel was delivered to Vancouver. However I was not able to find the right machine shop and other facilities to cut, grind and harden the super tough S30V.
In September I went to China with the blade steel I had. One of my friends had a small knife workshop in South China where the Kershaws, Bucks, Gerbers, Tops and CRKTs come from. I spent more than 50 days in the workshop to make this knife. I was able to find the Southeast Asian blackwood there, and was able to cut them with CNC at a reasonable cost.
Blade hardening was done according to Crucible's heat treatment guide, so no problems there. Steel cutting, machining and grinding were all pretty easy.
However I went into a lot of problems in making the standard 1911 screws and screw bushings, because it was a very special tap specs that nobody else uses. I have a couple sets of M1911-A1 drawings, but without the specialty taps (to create the threads) I couldn't make them right. Many attempts later, I ordered the taps from Brownells and Midway USA, and was finally able to make correct threads that are compatible with standard 1911 screws and screw bushings.
I spent more than 3 months in this project, and was able to ran a small quantity trial production of 5 models, a mixture of blade steel (S30V and 440C), and an assortment of wood and G10 grips. I hope to see how 1911 owners respond to it, and will decide whether I will continue and make some more.
Feedbacks, please. Thanks.
After 3 months' hardwork, it is finally done.
Introducing the M1911 Folding Knife!
The idea is standard 1911 bushing, screws and grip panels, so I can actually customize the knife according to my mood of the day.
But it looks quite nice no matter what kind of grips I put on it.
Here is the story behind this special project:
I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I came up with the idea some time ago when I was wondering what kind of knife I want to carry. Got to have a knife with the .45 grips. I started sketches, drawings, and then prototyping.
At the same time I ran a search online and found out that there were other people who had done this before (e.g. search for "Gene Baskett" in Google). But I believed I could make something better than those existing designs.
Prototyping went pretty well, and I was happy with how the locking mechanism worked. Showed it to some knife nuts, and I was told that I needed to use a good blade steel. I ordered some 440C, and also some CPM S30V from Crucible.
Steel was delivered to Vancouver. However I was not able to find the right machine shop and other facilities to cut, grind and harden the super tough S30V.
In September I went to China with the blade steel I had. One of my friends had a small knife workshop in South China where the Kershaws, Bucks, Gerbers, Tops and CRKTs come from. I spent more than 50 days in the workshop to make this knife. I was able to find the Southeast Asian blackwood there, and was able to cut them with CNC at a reasonable cost.
Blade hardening was done according to Crucible's heat treatment guide, so no problems there. Steel cutting, machining and grinding were all pretty easy.
However I went into a lot of problems in making the standard 1911 screws and screw bushings, because it was a very special tap specs that nobody else uses. I have a couple sets of M1911-A1 drawings, but without the specialty taps (to create the threads) I couldn't make them right. Many attempts later, I ordered the taps from Brownells and Midway USA, and was finally able to make correct threads that are compatible with standard 1911 screws and screw bushings.
I spent more than 3 months in this project, and was able to ran a small quantity trial production of 5 models, a mixture of blade steel (S30V and 440C), and an assortment of wood and G10 grips. I hope to see how 1911 owners respond to it, and will decide whether I will continue and make some more.
Feedbacks, please. Thanks.
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