Friction Folder Knife - Made from an old file and some firewood!

It's the fourth and final item in my camping project list before I go on my hike.
The friction folder is a very (centuries) old design that I think deserves another look in modern times not least as it's a way to get a decently usable knife that falls within the rules for UK legal carry.
This knife was inspired in part by the Svord knife from New Zealand and in part by my own design of small carving knife.
Now the camping kit is complete it's time to try it all out!
If you want to join those supporting my channel (starting at £1!) you can check out my Patreon page here:
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Patrons get lots of exclusive videos and updates on myself and my projects. Thanks to the support of Patrons I am able to make videos almost full-time, but without needing any corporate sponsors.
Many many thanks to all those that have supported me and the channel but please only send money if you have it to spare!
My website: maximusironthumper.co.uk/

[@ShedTV]

Your face says it all in this one Max, justifiably proud!

[@Patmac74]

Just out of interest...... Am I the only person who can't help smiling at the sound the gas burner makes when you switch it off??????

[@KeiteiVentures]

😁

[@philthorpe4549]

Not only do I wait for it, I've started mimicking the darned thing too...

[@Patmac74]

@@philthorpe4549 thank christ I'm not the only one who does the "pew" sound 😂😂😂

[@little76boo1]

I love it! ❤

[@edgeeffect]

Yeah... I "have to" impersonate it each time too.

[@callumchippendale]

When folded it looks like a chilli pepper! 🌶🌶

[@chriswills4064]

I could see you really liked the knife because your face is an open book, and your eyes were sparkling. Lovely to see your pleasure in its design and fabrication. I used Holly, pulled dead from the hedgerow for the handle of the knife blade you made me, and I really like it. Not so keen on oak because of the reaction (bluing) with steel you can get, but maybe hardened steel doesn't affect it in that way - be interested to see how yours goes. Lovely, lovely knife, Max, and "safe" for EDC, eh? 🤔

[@positivejunk24]

long time viewer, first comment. just want to say, i really enjoy your videos. thank you.

[@rogergregory5981]

The tang looks like it could open a beer🍻cheers Max

[@andywoolley8058]

Another good video of an interesting very usable project, I like the way the initial idea grows within the video into a proper working tool. Also mistakes are shown as learning opportunities. Always makes me smile, the noise the furnace makes when turned off

[@ColdHarborOP]

You more than earned a like and my subscription from this video. That's a beautiful friction folder you made.

[@BaggieReg63]

I have a Svord knife with a wooden handle (you could also get them with all the colours of the rainbow in plastic) that I sanded and shaped to fit my sausage fingers. It's a really good knife - rather have yours though. Another cracking job Max.

[@gigi3242]

That tent, will make you stronger, or kill you, lol Have fun camping

[@edgeeffect]

Friedrich Nietzsche's tent!

[@andygrayson7485]

Love the knife, well done !!! happy camping ✌

[@MarktheOddJob]

A nice addition might be to file a tiny cutting edge on the inside of the scroll and you've got a really handy string cutter. Thanks for sharing your joy!

[@hillbilly4christ638]

I really like your shop. It reminds me of my workshop before last. Very productive and I knew where everything was. I am working to get back there someday.

[@grenvillephillips6998]

A very elegant design and single-handed deployment is remarkably useful.

[@chunk3322]

The Svord mini peasant knife is legal out of the box but the svord peasant knife is just a touch over 3 inches but can be filed back.. i have had one for years. They are great. The best way to open them one handed is hold it with tang pointing down on your palm and use thumb and forefinger to push the scales/handle away from the blade

[@lumotroph]

Keep it up man! I’ll always be watching these

[@martinjustice]

A pleasure to share your joy with this project. I'm not sure whether you get your joy from the end result or put your joy it into what you do. Probably both. Great content.

[@Lemma01]

Your small work is always interesting - the re-purposing of old kit, and the craft that transforms it are always educational. And the stuff you create is ultra desirable; each piece is an heirloom, mate.

[@Kriss_L]

Most people don't know that all US states also have very restrictive knife laws. But they generally aren't enforced unless the police want to mess with you, or to add additional charges if you're arrested for something else.

[@blademan175]

Wrong. ALL states would include Florida. Before, you couldn’t carry, concealed, a blade over 4” without a permit. Now anyone can carry any type of knife, except a ballistic, without a permit and no restrictions on length. (Firearms too). Florida is the last holdout for freedoms as of this time.

[@richardingle7540]

That turned out really well, functional , and duel use , carving and cutting , loved the curly tail , beautiful work 😊👍, another great video , this series has been great to follow and watch 👍.

[@martinjustice]

Hopefully dual use, duel use might get Max in trouble.

[@angusmichaelhawkins1268]

Turned out great, love the handle, beautiful grain in that wood. Totally agree with your choice of knife,I have a puukko with a similar size and shape of blade. It's become my favourite general use/carving knife. Good luck on your hike.

[@suecharnock9369]

I have 'mini' Svord (makes it UK legal). Well - I have two actually, one I use literally every day and the other I bought because I temporarily lost the first one! Brilliant type of knife and very safe to use. The only issue I have with it is that the tip of the blade hits the brass peg holding the sides of the handle together. Brilliant project. You are a superb craftsman. PS mind if it does come out of the handle in your pocket . I have had several shredded pocket liners and now have it in a little leather case in my pocket!!

[@ralphiec874]

Brilliant video Max, we really enjoyed it. That is a great little knife, I really like the artistic touch of the little scroll. 😊

[@dustymiller7758]

Fantastic entertainment and brilliant fabrication. Looking forward to your first camp.

[@georgeclements2742]

Thank you for the video Max.

[@KHGrinderboy]

I love the rustic appeal of your knives - bloody lovely! Will you ever sell them again Max?

[@maximusironthumper]

I very much doubt it, too many legal hurdles these days!

[@KHGrinderboy]

@maximusironthumper fair play, they are fantastic, and the fact you aren't making more makes them more special in my eyes. I think you do have a real talent for knives.

[@maximusironthumper]

@@KHGrinderboy Thank you!

[@Flachickenman]

Excellent max! Still love and use my pairing knife you made for me a while back! Thanks mate!

[@garyz2043]

I want one. Luckily have a blacksmith mate so have the chance to make my own design : }

[@FlyingShotsman]

What a sublimely beautiful, functional little knife. Thanks, Max. Well done!

[@pj7484]

You are one fast hammerer, sorry I think the uk rule on not being able to pocket a locking blade is ridiculous. But that’s just my opinion. Love your work! JJ

[@jameslamb4573]

The Chameleon tailed pocket knife.

[@investigativenews5803]

Great video!

[@torque8899]

The locking knife rules in the uk are ridiculous. Out here in Italy where i live I carry an opinel knife every day and I’d be lost without it an would have lost a finger or two by now without the locking mechanism. Love the swirl on the tang!

[@dougowt]

I always enjoy these videos. And I always want the end product. Its a mild and sunny Sunday morning in Torbay, so I'm having a nice cup of tea and enjoying your video. Its just like when I sit down in my friends old lodge and we chat about the latest project. Cheers

[@kevsulley8386]

Spot on boy

[@edLambshanks]

The pivoting tang is an interesting design - in England and wales it is not illegal to carry a folding pocket knife in a public place if the blade is less than 3” long and it has no locking mechanism. The pivoting tang that allows your hand grip to secure the blade allows for a useful knife that doesn’t fall foul of the criminal law.

[@captainflint89]

wrong , the law states the blade must be "immediately foldable", it states nothing about any mechanism . this is not immediately folding therefor you may as well have a fixed blade and i wouldnt carry this for a million quid

[@twocvbloke]

Some nice work there, and as for drilling holes in the wrong spot, yeah, I've been there, too many times... :P

[@edgeeffect]

Yeah.... it's kinda good to see other people make the same sort of mistakes I always make. Makes me feel a bit less of an idiot.

[@gbentley8176]

Love your shot in the video of you at the bench seat putting in the final touches. So many old chaps in photos mirroring that. Nice tang, good for hanging safely too.

[@mikeyyoyo6464]

It’s with great pain I watch this video because I want that knife badly 😂. I remember the cleaver video & how you had a hard time parting with it ! Thumbs up from me 👍

[@dragontattooee]

Another great video

[@thijs3514]

Excellent!

[@paulford6255]

Cracking video great to watch

[@danjones9999]

Hi Max, looking forward to finding out how you get on on the hike. Just a thought on project awesome… I was wondering whether it was cash holding things up, or more likely, time? Anyway, if you said that if 500 people could give you a tenner to help get the ball rolling, you’d only be looking for 499 other supporters! Just saying! Not complaining though, just love your content! Keep up the good work!

[@scottsorby7966]

Thanks Max, I always believed that a smith forging metal would require big swings of a heavy hammer and I dare say thats needed for certain tasks, but it's a few times now especially with the gate scrolling I've watched you use short deft taps with the hammer to achieve exactly what you require. A rather incredible and mesmerising process to watch, and of course very educational too so thank you once again for sharing another great video.

[@arkaywat11]

Brilliant! I have the Svord peasant and the tang (after some file work) is handy for striking a spark with a ferro rod. Can I suggest a wet form sheath for a neck dangler. That would make an interesting video.

[@Pete.Ty1]

👍👍👍.Thanks

[@grodxlfarina]

Love it. My only thought was that you could have saved the handle with the hole too low by simply adding a few mm to the tang part of the blade!?

[@arolamorre]

Ace project and very satisfying to watch it all come together. Great stuff.

[@spoplehughes]

Like a higonokami carpenters knife they use a folded piece of brass as the handle

[@gillie-monger3394]

Max, when you're normalizing the 'blade' instead o leaving it on top of the forge, place it in a metal tin full of pearlite. this removes the vagaries of room temperature variations, (especially in a large workroom with the doors open), and gives a much more controlled cooling thus reducing greatly the chances of the 'blade' bending.

[@blademan175]

I’ve been forging for 40 plus years. Always used a metal box filled with sand, heated up and allowed to cool overnight. That’s how I was taught, and it’s proven the best method for total steel normalization.

[@peetsnort]

Simply fabulous

[@pauljenkins2501]

Thank you for another brilliant video.

[@spoonerbooner]

Really lovely knife.

[@deanwellerassociates]

Cracking project, really enjoyable build.

[@foutchiedoutchie9978]

So much quality in your video's! Cheers from Belgium ❤‍🔥

[@davidbentley3863]

Very Nice,Nicely Done. 👍

[@venenareligioest410]

ACE - well done Max 👍

[@JAY61ish]

Cracking little Knife Max.. great video as usual ..

[@TheDinnermoney]

When you pulled the blade from the forge and dipped it in the oil... Fastest I've ever seen you move...

[@SH-uv6cp]

Great video, I did not know about this style of knife. Also about the legality of the locking mechanism. Just ordered myself one with an ugly plastic handle. So I can whittle my own version.

[@bryanrotchell1565]

I say fairplay to you, nice pen knife 👍

[@MrValcure]

looks awesome max. your suggestion at the end is exactly what i did when i got my svord makes it soo much better! i also want to get anotherone and try to use a curved piece of antler for the handle of my next one.

[@Dominic.Minischetti]

What a classic knife! Well done brother!

[@maximusironthumper]

Thank you Dom!

[@gonzo_the_great1675]

Note that the 3" rule you count the whole blade section, not just the edged part of that blade. I've had to regrind a couple of my knives to cater for this discovery.

[@maximusironthumper]

Can you give me a reference for that info? I'm going off the .gov guidance and it's very clear on it being a 3" cutting edge that matters. www.gov.uk/buying-carrying-knives

[@gonzo_the_great1675]

@@maximusironthumper This was from one of The Blackbelt Barristers channel videos. But he explained that it was the length of the whole blade that was counted, even if only part of it was edged. That does seem to differ from the .gov website you posted. Will see if I can find the video.

[@maximusironthumper]

Yes I've see that video and as far as I recall that's concerning a fixed blade, certainly the case law he quotes refers to a appeal case about a fixed blade. www.casemine.com/judgement/uk/5a8ff72760d03e7f57ea8c78

[@gonzo_the_great1675]

@@maximusironthumper It was this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3mxY6urZbabbs0 Listen from about six and a half minutes in. Where he explains that a blade does not need to be edged to be defined as a blade. (Which probably only makes sense to someone who has never seen a knife before in their life?!)

[@maximusironthumper]

Yep, that refers to the case I linked to, which concerns a fixed blade (a blunt butter knife!) in that appeal ruling, the only mention of folding knives is to repeat the exception for them (Criminal Justice Act 1988 Offensive Weapons (Exemption) Order 1996).

[@welsh58boy]

😀👍

[@fog360]

Wow 😮 please tell me you are selling them ?

[@CarlJones14]

The knife laws offer a bit of clarity, but even with a sub 3" blade, an officer with a whim can still do you under 'sharp and pointed', if he/she/heshe, thinks otherwise, and that goes for keys, pens, & tools. #axes

[@ap1pa1luza3]

You've got such a bear's paw and you're making such little knives! What is the minimalism complex?

[@coles201]

Whatson Max? I've brought 2 blades off you in the past, am I hoping against hope that you'll be making some of these for us to buy? 🤞

[@maximusironthumper]

Sorry no time for commissions anymore, I need to get all the current projects done! The Svord knife I mention is cheap and easy to mod though.

[@raygibson5205]

Nice one Max,Do you think you could fettel the tang ,to make a bottle opener.

[@maximusironthumper]

It works well for bottles as it is!

[@Squarepeg57]

Sweet! P.S. UK knife laws are childish and ridiculous.

[@RubenKelevra]

Why did you anneal it? Just grid it in shape and use a diamond drill bit to cut the hole :) This would retain the hardness and ability to file stuff with it (where it's not ground down) :)

[@TheNickHorton]

Another amazing video…thanks. Out of interest, do you do commissioned work? I’m after a knife made from the ‘working end’ of an old bahco adjustable spanner. I’d send you the wrench, you craft the knife, I send you money 👍🏻😎👍🏻

[@maximusironthumper]

I no longer do commissions - there's just not enough time for all the projects on the go as it is!

[@TheNickHorton]

@@maximusironthumper fair enough…if you change your mind, give me a shout 🙏🏻

[@jackwhite6513]

wow what brilliant craftmanship would you consider payment to make one for myself? this would be handy for my work in the woodland!

[@maximusironthumper]

I can't take on commissions (no time!) but the Svord is cheap enough to modify to suit.

[@Jonathanbaker]

Can I buy your wrong one Max.

[@edgeeffect]

Have you been refining your knife design for years or is this all since the Viking Dinner Service? I always have a problem with brass... finding usable bits for nothing.

[@maximusironthumper]

Yes, since the Viking dinner set.

[@silasthomson7852]

Nice work Max! 👌 I'm making a fixed blade out of a generations old meat cleaver, I've roughed out the blade shape I'm after, but do I need to heat treat it before I put the final edge on? Because I've taken half the depth off the blade the edge is in a completely new place so I'll need to temper it yea?

[@maximusironthumper]

Yes, if you've done anything to affect the heat treat then the best bet is to start again. Heat it to critical (non-magnetic) then slowly cool, that will 'reset' the steel. Then heat again and quench in oil. Then temper - either temper just the edge or if there's no handle you could do the whole thing in a oven (230ish or flat out on most home ovens) twice for an hour each time.

[@silasthomson7852]

What does affect the heat treatment? I'm a novice, thanks for the quick reply 😁

[@maximusironthumper]

Grinding the edge of any treated blade will affect the heat treat if the metal gets any more than hot to the touch. If it's only the edge that was treated then grinding that away will mean a new edge that will a new treatment. On very old blades it's often the case that the blade is mostly soft iron with a strip of carbon steel forge welded into it to form the cutting edge, it's possible to grind that away completely leaving a blade that can no longer take an edge at all, so that's something else to look out for!

[@silasthomson7852]

Aah, we'll see in due course whether it's gonna retain an edge or not😅

[@HisnameisRich]

What's so odd about the English knife laws is that, with the wooden grip its legal, take the handle away and it becomes illegal! we have some odd laws

[@jncg2311]

We have, and seem counterintuitive sometimes but it's well intentioned. I can carry a locking blade knife for work all day long and it's not questioned, or illegal for that matter but I have no reason to have it in my pocket in the pub of an evening. It is the requirement/ justification that makes sense of the laws, and that is largely how it is applied I believe.

[@captainflint89]

the fact you admit (and so would a judge) that this is totally "locked in place" whilst in your hand with the blade deployed means this blade is not "immediately folding " as described in law . the law mentions nothing about what makes the blade fixed when in use , it just states it must be immediately foldable with a blade with a cutting edge no longer than 3" . you may as well be carrying a fixed blade

[@maximusironthumper]

The moment you let go it folds - it really couldn't be any more immediately foldable than that!

[@davidcoates4852]

The law in the UK making lock knives illegal is ridiculous. 🔧👍

[@tinglydingle]

They're not illegal.

[@davidcoates4852]

@@tinglydingle Check the law yourself. www.gov.uk/buying-carrying-knives

[@curiositycloset2359]

Unfortunately illegal. That is Definately a locking system.

[@maximusironthumper]

It does not lock - I think that's very clear to see.

[@curiositycloset2359]

@@maximusironthumper the first ones do though.

[@tinglydingle]

It doesn't matter anyway, it's still not illegal.

[@curiositycloset2359]

@@tinglydingle penknives arent. Lock knives are.

[@tinglydingle]

@@curiositycloset2359 Locking knives aren't illegal in the UK. I own and use several on a regular basis.