Customizing a Swinguard Switchblade

[CountryBoy77]

So this was more of a Forced rebuild .Top scale wasn rivited good and was moving,that and the dent in the bolster i decided to do what u usually do and repair it,But i decide on redesign.Things thst failed me in the past most were bad liners.Bad liners are responsible for blades not lining up perfect when closed or rivets pulling tgrough,or backsprings loosening in the hole where they dont stay locked ,many issues with thin liners on Large knives. They dont hold up to leverage.so I have roughed out some liners. Went from the 1mm brass to 2.3 mm brass.I almost thinned them to 2mm but then I had an Idea to cradle the swinguard when upen and liked the way it felt. Th thickness also helps support my switch pin as it travels to free the blade.I hand carved the pin brackets so they had their own pins to peento secure to my scales.I will taper the holes so when they spread out and the heads are ground down.Im imagining thats more than enough to hold them ,but the gunsmith in my blood wants to braze them and while strong just seems unnecessary,but then again they woukd be solid.This is where my inexperience holds me up. My brain says the spreading of the pins in a tapered hole will never pull out.Just a button and spring.Im totally open to ideas and criticism.

[Bill DeShivs]

Peening the brackets is sufficient, but your button/sear assembly is sitting far too high.
Your pin holes are crooked and different sized, too.

[CountryBoy77]

Pin holes arent finished size and i have another liner when i get my layout where im happy,no bananna blade ect and i wont be peening to that liner,just making sure holes for brackets fit and everything is straight and i will use it as a jig. . I had a set of scales i was trying to reuse that im going to scrap,so i can make a longer button and make my scales to wherever it ends up ,but why do you say that im too high? I have the tip the hole is in the blade and my hole is in the center ? Are you thinking it needs longer for leverage because if i move the pin down it woukd be in the blade grind.And holes are off as i was using a F Beltrame liner as a jig its in the photo with where the button used to be on it(whole reason for this rebuild was top scale lifting on a New Knife)I will make all my own holes from here out I learned my lesson coping anothers mistàke.But good call Bill.

Peening the brackets is sufficient, but your button/sear assembly is sitting far too high.
Your pin holes are crooked and different sized, too.

[CountryBoy77]

Peening the brackets is sufficient, but your button/sear assembly is sitting far too high.
Your pin holes are crooked and different sized, too.

If the brackets look high its because I havent drilled the holes to set the brackets in.the pin that holds the rocker is ablut a mm off the liner surface once set. I was wondering if my rocker is going to me long enough or an I hindering my leverage not making the arm longer in the back that the middle.I appreciate your insight Master Bill.I have plenty of metal,im really thinking adding another 1/2 to that reat arm and making another.

[Bill DeShivs]

I didn't know it was just sitting on the liner. The button lever probably does need to be longer.

[Folgore1]

looking good cant wait see finished knife . ive done few swinguards in past 9" 11" and 13" but none like what your doing with complete new button mechanism , so i have to ask why the new handmade button mechanism ? why not use original button/safety knife came with ?

[CountryBoy77]

So i learned a few things along the way and tripple thick liners was a bit much so i started over with liners twice as thick I soldered solid nickel silver liners to.I made new brackets same way a little longer with the 4 corners shaped into 3/32size pins and i drilled the liner ,work hardened the holes with a small ball peen hammer and reamed holes with a slight taper so when i installed the bracket it was well riveted to the liner( but for extra measure flux and hit it with a little bit of solder too i cleaned with sharp tools).I copied the lever from a 60s era 11" stiletto and turned my button from nickel silver I carefully cut a chanel with a jewelers saw and filed to fit lever nice and soldered into place. Elk antler Scales came from a buddy in wyoming i cut to size.Tomorrow i will figure out the safety,probly hogged from the same piece of nickel silver i been using.I already made a leaf spring for the button

[CountryBoy77]

Im also going to make a swinguard.Im going to màke it from a solid piece of metal instead of 2 pieces.I have nickel pin stock on the way but for the blade Im going with Piano wire.My whole reason solid bolsters is strength .Reasons ilI see blades not close straight often is bent liners or the blade pin moving because bolsters are hollow and weak.Blade gets movement from liners holes wearimg over time. I know mechanically screws are better but takes away from the finished look i want to acheive.I prefer to taper holes and swell pins form heads.Im open to ideas.i was thinking of using a nickel pin to do top bolster and have it going tgrough a small steel bushing that goes through blade and into brass liners but not into the bolsters. Then the nickel pin wouod only need to hold it together and coukd be hidden.Ultimately Hidden rivets polished out looks best.Im going to use a brass pin to river the leaf spring to liner. Im using brass so it cannot be seen o the liner on the underside. Bit back to the swinguard. Im wondering if i recreate the classic swinguard style it comes with but Beltrames looks small for an 11" knife and really needs a bigger one like the Campolin and AKCs. But i was also thinkinh of the spanish style batwing like on the hellraiser switchblade,or campolin style swinguard.If i did tye hellraiser style batwings i would not make them flat but 3 dimentional.Im open to suggestions.I am surprised at the amount of time i have in this and considering im an electrician if i was charging for my time this wouod be a very expensive knive . Not I no longer think these knifemakers prices are to the moon not that i am hands.Materials arent too bad but they do start to pile up especially emery,but im prsaching to the quior I have a whole new respect for knifemakers
.

[1967redrider]

Looking excellent.

[CountryBoy77]

looking good cant wait see finished knife . ive done few swinguards in past 9" 11" and 13" but none like what your doing with complete new button mechanism , so i have to ask why the new handmade button mechanism ? why not use original button/safety knife came with ?

Im not a fan of the button setup that comes with modeen switchblades. The thinly stamped mechànisim fail too often for me. If i was just sticking them in a cabinet it is one thing,but i carry knives all time and in 30+ years of buying switchblades i have had several issies with the modern mech.Ive has tips break,tips get stuck on top oof liner and not catch blade anymore, rivets come loose and fail, thin metal bend and button set lower than it should,however tge older mechs almost 100 years later and still working.The italians didnt get away from the old style because tge newer style was better,but Cheaper to produce.Another reason not to use the mech is my liner is thicker to prevent bending and warpage and i cant re use the mechanism as the tip wont protrude deep enough.

[CountryBoy77]

Made a leaf spring and blind riveted it.I shaped and thinned it so its strong but no more than it needs to be.I cold blued the spring and lever and upon final assembly I will put a light coat of somthing on it.

[CountryBoy77]

Heres a mockup,still looking for my swinguard style.Im leaning to batwing style.My nickel pinstock ( same formula / manufacture of the bolsters) is supposed to be here tomorrow .I have another beltrame swinguard,im now contemplating doing the same style but with a sheild or diamond button like the 13" batwings( that i cannot buy,I will make for myself.These parts arent pinned yet,however its all fitted and just needs final polishing.I am open also to safety styles. I know some of you older guys have your own system,if you feel like sharing I would appreciate it.I havent cut it yet,I was goimgvto do a classic front slide,but i seen some slick slide lock.

[Folgore1]

yes i have to agree the modern Italian button mechanism is not to good a design over the original bracket or D stamped button mechanism but they hold up ok , you did awesome work on the button rocker and brackets cant get much better than that , i also agree the Italians use way to thin a material for liners and if im not mistaken most italian liners are very thin 1/32 , Latama or walts latama uses 1.2mm which is still under 1/16" which is still very thin for knife liners , i have upgraded a few but i use 1/16" stainless either 304 or 430 both work great and a hell of alot stronger than the weak italian liners they use . your bolsters look awesome handles look awesome the entire knife is coming along well , it will definetly be alot stronger knife than the italians are pushing out . for the safety i would use old style like they used on 1950's stiletto's but i would make it stronger as the italians dont really make a strong safety either , the safety made in 1950's were strong but ones they make now suck lol , i upgraded a few lately using a old brass liner from a stiletto as the liner is about 2 times thick as the thin metal they use for safety, for the guards there are lots of options you can do or design your own make personal . for your next knife a batwing button or Diamond button would be great , i made a diamond shape button few days ago and man alot harder to make than i thought lol and im very inexpierenced in soldering as ive tried few times but not working for me , ive tried solderinf bolsters that didnt work lol, ive tried soldering button that didnt work seems just cant get hang of soldering but anyways enough of my problems your knife looks awesome cant wait see finished . Thanks Bernie ( Folgore Knives USA)

[Folgore1]

forgot to add that im not sure nickel/silver would be good for pivot (top bolster) pin , them(pivot) pins are usually steel for strength.
i had 60 Limited edition 18" picklocks made back in 2005 (20 years ago) which were made by the great Angelo Campolin sr. A.G.A. CAMPOLIN , the knives he made for me had bronze pivot and bottom bolster pins , i still have about a dozen of them 18's and they all still work great so i guess it all depends on the look your after as bronze tarnishes a dark color and steel remains silver looking, me i would use steel for the pivot pin that way you will never have a problem with it, brass and nickel i think are too soft for pivot pins, for all other pins on knife brass or nickel/silver is ok but not for pivot (top bolster) pin. .

[CountryBoy77]

Working on the swinguard ,forged most of the shape to it and now Im moving to graver to trim away the inside edge so i have a bead around the edges,still pretty rough. I copied Campolins batwing profile but changed it instead of a beveled edge around the swinguard i have a Raised edge.Should look great once im done cleaning it up.I'm using 1.5mm brass liner material and 2.40 mm for the bridges which are work hardened.1090 is what my rocker is made of with a nickel silver button i turned and cut a keyway into.

[C-WADE7]

I like it, looking good so far.