Channel style bearing system?

[Jehosaphat]

Has anyone ever tried making or modding a channel style bali like the model 42 with a bearing system?

I was reading up on how IKBS works and I had a thought. What if you drilled the bearing race into the tang instead of the 4 handle pieces? It would basically be the same as IKBS but inverted.
Assembly would be more difficult than IKBS because 2 sets of bearings would have to get placed at once and there would probably have to be some kind of guide in place to keep everything together until a pivot screw could be inserted.

[LoppyZ]

I was pondering the same thing yesterday, only bushings though. I haven't searched into it yet though, but it would be neat to know if its possible.

[McAhron]

It can be done but would require extreme precision.

[spyderguy]

talk to Jason about this. He may have some answers for you with regards to putting bearings in a knife which isn't normally set up to use them.

[uwanaugoda]

I had originally thought jasons bearing service could be done on any style balisong, perhaps i was wrong.

[FaultyPly]

I have an idea for a channel style bearing system, but it would be too expensive and I don't have the kinds of resources it would require.

[McAhron]

You can use a center cutting end mill to cut a recess into the blade.You must have some form of DRO though to be able to recess the channel acurately because you'll want the bearings to to stick out as high as the washers.So if your washers are .005,the bearings will nee to protrude .005 above the surface of the blade like this. CLIC ON THE PIC



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[FaultyPly]

My idea is a little more elaborate. You see, the bushings a Spyderfly uses, I want to replace those with a precision bearing, like those used in bicycle shocks and skateboard wheels. It would just be difficult to produce and get my hands on this type of technology...





The bushing can be seen here. They just look like thick washers in the picture.....




And a skate bearing (for those of you with no idea)....

[DOA]

if thrust bearings could be found in the correct outside diameter (eg 5/16) they in theory could be substituted for washers. but trust me, i've looked, and i haven't been able to find a single one.

[FaultyPly]

I think the thickness would be the biggest problem with thrust bearings. You gotta find ball bearings and the casings to fit into such a narrow space. And on both sides of the blade.

[DOA]

yeah, good point. i'm trying to makea caged bearing template right now with PB washers and 1/16" balls, but that may only work in sandwich construction balis unless 1/32" balls are used, and extra thin washers. then in thory it may work. but hell, i'll give this a shot some time in the future and let you guys know how it goes.

EDIT: nope, that wouldn't work. i just did the conversion and the bearings come out to .0315, and the washer thickness can only be .017 in a BM 42 for example. so, time to go on the hunt for 1/64" balls.

[FaultyPly]

Loose-ball bearings are pointless on a channel handles. Even if you can get it to work, they won't be user friendly. There are too many big problems that it is not worth it. I want someone to make the right sized skate bearings. Talk about smoothness...................

[Jehosaphat]

So the skate bearing/bushing thing would reduce friction where though? I was under the impression that you tighten all the way down on a bushing, and that it remains mostly stationary.
I don't think the skate bearing would reduce the friction between the bushing and blade, unless I'm misunderstanding something.

[McAhron]

http://www.impactbearing.com/miniature_ ... ument.html

[Jason]

I had originally thought jasons bearing service could be done on any style balisong, perhaps i was wrong.

Nope, just any sandwich style.

The bearings are typically thicker than the stock washers, which increases the blade-handle gap. On a sandwich, that's no big deal - you just have to correct the taper with shims or thicker spacers.

Channel-style balis do not allow you to increase the gap much at all, plus the bearings are assembled in layers. The only ways (that I can think of) would be to use an enclosed system (like Maxx-glide) or to embed the races into the blade, as McAhron pointed out.