Pattern welded friction folder

[Nick]

Couple firsts here, my first attempt at pattern welding and my first folding knife. I don't make a lot of knives, but the end product is always satisfying when they work out.

The billet for the handle was mild steel-wrought-mild-wrought-mild, welded, twisted, folded, twisted again and then forged to shape. There's a small crack down at the bottom, from what I can see it's the only one. It's not rusted, the flash on my camera tends to make any bare metal surface brown.

The blade is forged from a car coil spring, I left it a little rough instead of polishing it perfectly. It's got a fair amount of spring to it, I think I did all right with the tempering.

The one problem, though, is the rivet. I riveted it to tight, so I can barely get it opened past te point in the photo, and when it's opened it's nearly impossible to close with my bare hands. So I'm going to have to remove it and re-rivet it. I'll take the opportunity to improve the etching on the handle.

[Nick]

I put a new rivet on the joint, and it works much better now. I also redid the etching, and oiled it. I'm happy with how it turned out.

Here's a picture of it as it is now, and fully opened. It's 8 5/16" long when opened.

[Ecart]

That's an interestig piece of work. You usually see people pattern-welding the blade, not the handle. This is different and rather pretty. I like it.

[Sam Salvati]

WOW Nick! I love the look of the whole thing, like the very elegant spanish melon knives. Again, very nice.

[Nick]

Thanks

I wasn't thinking of those Spanish knives when I made it, but it does look similar. Sort of long and slender.

Since it's my first pattern welding I decided it would be easier for me to not make a blade, so if it wasn't 100% perfect I could still do something with it. With more practice, I would like to try some blades. If I can find a stem with a metal tennon, like a Dr. Grabow, I'd like to made a pipe for my next project. I was inspired by one Billy Merritt had at the Quad State Roundup, but I want to make a bent, instead of a straight pipe.