I'm putting different scales on a lever-lock.

Thought I'd post some pics

This is the starting point.

Leg bone of an Elk .. purchased from Moscow Hide & Fur .. cut roughly in half .. then slit lengthwise .. for the above result. Note: About a quarter inch of material was removed from the center in the slitting process.

Initially purposely cut oversize.

Provide's an idea of where this is headed.

Old scales removed .. new ready to be fitted.

Exploded overview shot.

A scribe line loosely indicating how much of the frame will need removed is visible in the top frame half.

The holes are present @ the knuckle. One hole was carefully placed in one scale ..then.. the 2 scales were clamped together & the hole transferred to the second half. Initial holes were undersized .. leaving room for adjustment if necessary.

I desired the knuckle fastener centered within the knuckle. This hole placement was determined first ..THEN.. the scales were trimmed to length.

Loosely assembled to provide a visual on progress. It's beginning to take shape.

Need to determine hole placement for the 3 remaining scale fasteners.

The frame mounting point for the knuckle was tapped with # 4-40 threads. Fasteners with "fancy heads" will be implemented toward the end of the project. Ace's slotted head 4-40 X 1" suffice during development.

The three remaining holes were transferred

With the scale butted against the bolster & tightened in place with the one existing fastener .. threaded fasteners were inserted from the "inside" of the frame .. until contact was made with the bone. Everything was dis-assembled .. permanent marker was applied to the appropriate areas .. things were re-assembled & the process repeated. The hole transfer marks are evident.

The three remaining holes per scale have been implemented .. as has some of the machining required for the lever-lock mechanism. 

.................... Sat 28 Sept ....................

I've progressed since posting last .. but .. hadn't any pics. This should bring me up to date.

The fitted parts have been once again disassembled .. this time .. for masking before the etching process. I used simple masking tape for the frame parts .. as can be seen here. I'm using nail polish for the blade .. haven't gotten there yet.

I used readily available ferric chloride. This is a VERY CAUSTIC acid. I'm not suggesting anyone else use this. Ketchup is safer & works fine  ..albeit.. a little slower. 

This is after being submerged & agitated in FeCl3 for 10 minutes. The masking has been removed ..from the back-spring assembly & one frame half .. for this pic.

An unadulterated new unit is pictured atop with the modified unit below. The lever of the leverlock mechanism has been profiled / contoured from it's original stamped shape & stands at ~ 90 deg to the frame in it's open position. The blade is NOT in the frame of the lower unit .. the finger nail polish is still hardening.

Another view .. original on the bottom this time. I beveled the frame @ the base / butt of the knife to better blend with the bone. 

I do need to etch the visible spring of the leverlock mechanism. The bone .. that should be covering it .. became quite thin, fragile, & failed.  I'll etch it & the head of the pivot pin when I do the blade. 

Sun 29 Sept

Etched the blade.

I masked the areas I did not wish to be etched with fingernail polish .. inexpensive ($1/bottle) & opaque .. and baked it on with a hair dryer. I masked the bearing surface for the pivot pin, the locking surfaces mating with the sear pin, and the area confined within the frame. 

The actual 1 of 1 etch resulted from removing the bulk of the masking .. hence my choice of opaque .. leaving only the 1 of 1 .

I placed my initials on the spine .. again .. by removing the bulk of the masking & leaving only the DAD . Clear nail polish works fine for general masking .. is simply more difficult to see what's removed down to clean metal & what isn't .. for the finer detail.

That's the current progress .. slow but sure.

I'm happy with the way it's turning out.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Will post more progress pics .... when there's more progress.

D ale

Sun 09 Feb 2014

  ...  here are the "as shipped" pics ...

Threaded fasteners .. Titanium Torx # 10 socket head @ knuckle, SS Torx # 6 socket head remaining three. Bearing surfaces polished .. sear pin, sear pin locking surface in blade, pivot pin, pivot hole in blade, contact surfaces of spring & blade, & all surfaces of the blade retained within frame. I introduced oilite washers between the frame & blade @ the pivot point. The best fit off the shelf size were 0.020" thick .. I recessed them 0.015" into their respective frames. Most exposed surfaces were etched for corrosion resistance .. i.e. missed the inside of the liners.

My daughter found the transformation pleasing .. I smiled .. end of story.

Thanks for viewing.