A Clear and Present Folder

This is a forum for discussion on automatic an switchblade knives.

Moderator: The Motley Crew

Forum rules
There are a few things you should know before posting in these forums. If you are a new user, please click here and read carefully. Thanks a lot!
Post Reply
button_man
Posts: 632
Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2019 2:08 pm

A Clear and Present Folder

Post by button_man »

.

I picked up this little folder at the flea on Saturday for a dollar. It got me to thinking....
Scale material for switchblades --unless you spend big money for a custom piece--
are extremely constricted. You see the same old (very limited) stuff over and over.

Why not stainless steel..... or aluminum.... or micarta..... or clear acrylic, like this?
I'd love to have a switchblade with clear scales, so I could examine the inner workings!
Has anyone ever seen one? Does anyone own one?
.
Attachments
clear__277c.jpg
clear__277c.jpg (151.8 KiB) Viewed 1537 times
User avatar
Bill DeShivs
Yes.
Posts: 7342
Joined: Sat May 25, 2002 2:50 pm
Location: In de lan o' cotton
Contact:

Re: A Clear and Present Folder

Post by Bill DeShivs »

Notice there are no cuts on the underside of the handles. Most automatics have multiple cut outs inside the handles. These cuts are very difficult, if not impossible, to polish. Unless the cuts are polished, they will show as frosty, opaque areas.

Aluminum is commonly used on American-made autos.

Micarta is used frequently-usually with metal liners.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
button_man
Posts: 632
Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2019 2:08 pm

Re: A Clear and Present Folder

Post by button_man »

.

Yes, I've returned to clarify this post, realizing that I had not been sufficiently specific..... I know that metal handles
are common on USA-made autos..... what I actually had in mind when I wrote this was ONLY Italian-style stilettos.

I don't recall ever seeing any stiletto types with micarta or metal scales. Almost always, the scales are horn, stag,
plastic that simulates horn or stag, or plastic in bright bubblegum colors. Very rarely anything else.

With regard to the inside cuts, why can't those just be molded into clear acrylic?
Surely modern molding is technologically advanced enough to do this.....
.
User avatar
Killgar
Posts: 298
Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2021 6:52 am

Re: A Clear and Present Folder

Post by Killgar »

There are OTF's with a clear scale that lets you see what's going on inside.
Avatar- Ti-Lite Auto Conversion. Video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q79nia-_DzU

My youtube knife channel- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjSYCK ... 3s5HNcsL5A
LD57
Posts: 132
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2004 2:08 pm

Re: A Clear and Present Folder

Post by LD57 »

I have a Frank B 11 inch swing guard with micarta scales.
User avatar
Bill DeShivs
Yes.
Posts: 7342
Joined: Sat May 25, 2002 2:50 pm
Location: In de lan o' cotton
Contact:

Re: A Clear and Present Folder

Post by Bill DeShivs »

Cuts could be moulded into a clear plastic handle, but the Italian handles are not moulded, they are cut.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
button_man
Posts: 632
Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2019 2:08 pm

Re: A Clear and Present Folder

Post by button_man »

.

Kilgar + LD57 --- I'd love to see those! Can you guys post some pictures please?

Bill --- That seems odd..... I would think that simply molding a precise configuration would
reduce production costs by eliminating the additional step(s) involved in making cuts.
.
User avatar
Killgar
Posts: 298
Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2021 6:52 am

Re: A Clear and Present Folder

Post by Killgar »

button_man wrote: Tue Aug 16, 2022 10:16 am .

Kilgar + LD57 --- I'd love to see those! Can you guys post some pictures please?


Just Google "clear handle OTF" and you'll see more than I could post, including videos. :)
Avatar- Ti-Lite Auto Conversion. Video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q79nia-_DzU

My youtube knife channel- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjSYCK ... 3s5HNcsL5A
User avatar
Bill DeShivs
Yes.
Posts: 7342
Joined: Sat May 25, 2002 2:50 pm
Location: In de lan o' cotton
Contact:

Re: A Clear and Present Folder

Post by Bill DeShivs »

"Bill --- That seems odd..... I would think that simply molding a precise configuration would
reduce production costs by eliminating the additional step(s) involved in making cuts."

It won't reduce costs if you are already set up to process materials the other way.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
User avatar
jerryk25
Posts: 601
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2021 6:30 am
Location: Pittsburgh

Re: A Clear and Present Folder

Post by jerryk25 »

Because the Italian shops are already setup to make high grade material scales.

Some people think Real Stag, or Real Horn is better than a molded Rizzuto scale, clear or not.
And you can't "mold" real stag to any extent, unless you go synthetic Staglon. . .

So if you have a milling and cutting jig set up to cut Stag handles, horn handles,
Then dropping a piece of micarta into , or walnut wood, into the jig, or plastic into the jig,
is cheaper than getting an injection mold made of a handle scale.

I started cutting orange and clear plexiglass to make a knife,
and ran into the exact problem mentioned earlier. Polishing everything clear again is a pain.
And there are fracture lines that grow around pins in areas of spring stress.

Clear top Microtech HellHound with stonewashed blade finish
Attachments
CLEAR_TOP_ULTRATECH_HELLHOUND-06.jpg
CLEAR_TOP_ULTRATECH_HELLHOUND-06.jpg (37.89 KiB) Viewed 1370 times
LD57
Posts: 132
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2004 2:08 pm

Re: A Clear and Present Folder

Post by LD57 »

Here’s a couple of pics of the micarta swing guard.
Attachments
BEEF0A7E-5392-4F05-AB52-6EE1CD11DB46.jpeg
BEEF0A7E-5392-4F05-AB52-6EE1CD11DB46.jpeg (670.94 KiB) Viewed 1291 times
29973410-1995-42AA-9E79-E9D38625D562.jpeg
29973410-1995-42AA-9E79-E9D38625D562.jpeg (688.85 KiB) Viewed 1291 times
User avatar
Bill DeShivs
Yes.
Posts: 7342
Joined: Sat May 25, 2002 2:50 pm
Location: In de lan o' cotton
Contact:

Re: A Clear and Present Folder

Post by Bill DeShivs »

Leverlettos were made with Micarta scales.
The original 2 prototypes were Micarta, and there were several runs in Micarta.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
User avatar
jerryk25
Posts: 601
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2021 6:30 am
Location: Pittsburgh

Re: A Clear and Present Folder

Post by jerryk25 »

I have a Hubertus Leverlock in black micarta.
Post Reply