Tools

[Cryptomecanic]

Bill, could you tell us what all tool's and bit's etc
you used to create the LeverLetto prototype,
Thanks

[Bill DeShivs]

Just standard shop stuff.
The original proto had the fulcrum silver soldered to the bolster. Proto #2 had the bent bolster. I bent it in a bench vise and flattened it with a hammer.
2 X 72 grinders, buffers, bandsaw, Dremel & flexible shaft machine, hand tools, buffers.

[Cryptomecanic]

Thanks Bill' I like making Primitive Bowie's but I havent tryed making any folder's from scratch,

[Bill DeShivs]

The Leverletto was not designed from scratch. It was designed using as many existing components as possible. Even the original prototype used a factory blade, backspring, and liners. It was more of a "concept knife".

[Cryptomecanic]

I was trying to picture in my mind all the step's that went into making the the leverletto,
grinding the blade,drilling and fileing the catch in the blade, making the lever and spring's and trying to get everything lined up
I hadent even thought about using the Frankenstein approach in the development of the LeverLetto
Thanks Bill

[Bill DeShivs]

I'm a lazy opportunist!

[mr_edge]

The original proto had the fulcrum silver soldered to the bolster.

Any pics of that one Bill?

[Vagrant]

On some forum ? Several years ago I posted "I'd like to see a LL that looked like a Stiletto. Within a day or so Bill posted a pic Either He's VERY fast or It was already "in the works" and I read his mind
I've always wondered

[Bill DeShivs]

I'm nowhere near that fast!
I'll try to post pictures of the original prototype soon.

[Bill DeShivs]

Here is the original.

[Vanagas]

Very nice Bill.

[mr_edge]

Thanks Bill. I was unaware you did one this way. I appreciate the pic!

[Guitars and Blades]

Actually, if you go to Bill's site, you'll see some pretty incredible restorations, customs and LLO prototypes Bill has made, as well as a little Bill DeShivs Bio and history and some incredible engraving.

You are the man, Bill. Do you really look like Elbert Einstein? You're a mysterious character in the world of mysterious knives.

How about a pic of the real Bill (not a grammer school pic like J.A. C. posted)?

[tr4252]

Asking Bill what tools he uses is like asking Hendrix what he used on All Along the Watchtower; "Oh, just a beat up old Strat...."

Tom

[partsproduction]

I can feel it coming on like a disease! I want to work on switchblades. On one internet site I saw some kind of jig that held the knife for installing pins, but can't find it again, if I saw a photo I could make one up. A jig with many sizes of convex ended punches hardened to about 50 RC in different sizes would be nice, but maybe I'm getting too involved in the tooling end? I notice some production knives have flat riveted pins that look like they were just smacked with a hammer, others have nice rounded end well formed. I'd like to be able to do that. Thanks if anyone knows of a jig like that or has a photo. I'd rather buy than make, as time is money.