How to Make a Lockback Folding Knife

A Lockback knife is not just the normal knife you use for defense purposes. This type of knife has a special feature that distinguishes it from ordinary defense knives.

A lock knife has a lock that firmly holds the knife in place on the handle whenever you extend it fully.

The lock mechanism makes the knife flexible for its user in such a way that, if you want to close the knife, all you have to do is to depress the spring-loaded lever on the handle.

In this article, you will learn ways of how to make a Lockback folding knife.

Equipment for Making a Lockback Folding Knife

Below are some of the equipment you will need.

• Metal-working files
• Metal rods for pins
• Grinders
• Plexiglass or another durable material for the handle sides
• Epoxy-two part mixable
• Brass sheet for side plates
• Metal cutting saws: Band saw or hacksaw
• Metal-boring drill and bits
• Thin strip of spring steel
• Metal stock such as steel sheeting
• Emery paper

Step by Step Procedure

Over the years, I have learned how to be prepared for emergencies because one can never know when a disaster strikes.

This is a trait that I am still trying to pass it down to my wife and children since we love to spend quality time while camping outdoors and safety is key while spending these precious bonding moments with your family

During our camping endeavors, it is easier to encounter dangerous animals and insects which may attack us, and that is why my pocket never lacks a Lockback knife.

You may be wondering how I manage to provide such an important tool for my family for defense and protection.

Well, you do not need to worry anymore because I have mastered the skill of carving my own Lockback knife. Here, you will find steps on how to make a Lockback folding knife.

First, you will need to have a printed sketch of the Lockback knife so that you can cut out the correct shapes and pieces.

Using a razor blade, carefully cut out individual shapes from the sketch them stick them on a metal stock using rubber cement.

Important parts of the knife such as the blade, spacer, and lock-lever are all cut out from the metal stock. Therefore, you will need to have enough metal stock for this.

When cutting the metal stock, closely follow the lines but not the end of the blade or the edges of the lock-lever because this is their point of interlocking.

It would be best to leave about 1/16th thickness of the metal so that you can achieve an accurate fit between the grind and the lock-lever when you later grind.

With your thin brass sheet in place, you will then stick the paper templates and carefully.

You will need to carefully shape the spring steel strip to its correct measurements and attach it to the spacer and the lock-lever.

When designing the blade’s handle, you will need to have a drill for making holes just as they are on the template sketch.

Your drill should match the diameter of the rods so that it will hold the assembly in place.

The locking lever and interlocking edges of the blade will need filing and grinding to ensure that all the angles and surfaces match perfectly.

At this stage, you can sharpen your blade using metal files since all the parts fit correctly. It will be your choice to either harden or temper with it.

You will collect all the cut-out shapes and parts and ensure that all pins are of the same length and thickness as the assembled parts.

Take the spring-steel strips to fit perfectly in the spacer slot and firmly press on the lock lever.

File the edges and surfaces of the assembled metal pieces to eliminate any protruding pins.

You will need to cut out the plexiglass material and ensure its shape matches the brass side-plates.

To glue the plexiglass or the handle material to the brass, you will use the epoxy glue and give it some time to harden.

Later on, you will have to bevel all the edges of the plexiglass.

When doing the final touches, use the emery paper to polish the blade smoothly. Make use of the white stone to sharpen one side of the edge and apply lube on the joints for easy coordination.

You will then have your Lockback folding knife ready for use.

How to make a lock back knife

To make a good Lockback folding knife, you will need to have the following:

• Necessary materials
• You will match the edges and interlocking surfaces of the blade-end and the locking-lever.
• After assembling all parts and offering a few finishes, you will have your locking knife ready for use.