3D Printed Folding Knife: Take a look

[SpyderEdgeForever]

http://3dprint.com/30164/3d-printed-knife/" target="_blank

http://3dprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2 ... atured.jpg" target="_blank


It has that tanto type blade.

[gbelleh]

That's pretty cool. But I don't understand hysteria over printed knives. It's not like knives are hard to get ahold of anyway. Someone with malicious intent could inflict considerable damage with any cheap kitchen knife, or gas station knife. So why would any mayhem seeker go to all the trouble of 3D printing something that would probably be less effective than what can already be found in any kitchen drawer, or purchased for pennies?

[dewildeman]

I went to the link and did a double take. That looks very similar to a ceramic knife I got from China this spring for $5.

[bearfacedkiller]

The whole idea of being afraid of knives just baffles me and the idea of printing a knife with malicious intent defies logic. There are far simpler ways to get a dangerous item in your hands.

You can go to a hardware store and buy any number of "tools" that are far more lethal than that knife.

Irrational fear is more dangerous than a pocket knife.

[enduraguy]

Exactly. I can go to Ace Hardware and buy a much more lethal hatchet for a fraction of the cost.

[Evil D]

You can get one of those snap off blade utility knives. I think the concern is they may not show up on metal detectors.

[IG-88]

You can get one of those snap off blade utility knives. I think the concern is they may not show up on metal detectors.

Do ceramic knives show up on a metal detector? Looks like the problem exists already :)

[Evil D]

You can get one of those snap off blade utility knives. I think the concern is they may not show up on metal detectors.

Do ceramic knives show up on a metal detector? Looks like the problem exists already :)

Of course it does...you can sharpen just about anything well enough to cut someone. Plenty of people have been killed with pencils over the years, this is just another issue for anti knife people to argue against. The concept is pretty silly if you ask me. Until/unless 3D printing progresses to the point that metal can be made superior than it's already being made, and cheaper at the same time, it has no advantage over current manufacturing methods unless ultra cheap disposable blades are the goal.

[demoncase]

Either way it's not a problem in airports as they aren't purely metal detectors anymore- they are backscattered X-ray machines that look for a density of a material....So, yeah, plastic or ceramic or metal: you'll still get pinged.

I have ended up patted down because a folded-up sheet of photocopier paper set off the detector at LAX- it could be 'seen' in my pocket by the system.

Likewise, your carry on goes through a more detailed piece of kit that has shape recognition software: if it looks like a knife on the scan, regardless of material, it gets flagged.

Plus- and it's the crucial point- there's about 10,000 things you can make a non-metallic shiv out of, for free, without involving a 3D printer....Just ask the prison guards at your local prison what they end up confiscating on a weekly basis if you desire and understanding that people will stoop to in order to produce something stabby

[Evil D]

Plus- and it's the crucial point- there's about 10,000 things you can make a non-metallic shiv out of, for free, without involving a 3D printer....Just ask the prison guards at your local prison what they end up confiscating on a weekly basis if you desire and understanding that people will stoop to in order to produce something stabby

The harsh reality is, humans are fragile creatures and it really doesn't take much at all to kill someone...just the conviction to get it done. They can systematically remove every "weapon" type tool starting with knives and ending with pens and pencils, and people will still figure out a way to kill each other right down to their bare hands.

[SolidState]

Plus- and it's the crucial point- there's about 10,000 things you can make a non-metallic shiv out of, for free, without involving a 3D printer....Just ask the prison guards at your local prison what they end up confiscating on a weekly basis if you desire and understanding that people will stoop to in order to produce something stabby

When I was a kid my dad used to show me the shivs he would confiscate at work and we'd discuss survival, tools, and resourcefulness. A toothbrush can be made lethal in a few different ways without much else in terms of tools.

[Blerv]

I'm more concerned that Home Depot is selling shivs by the pack!

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-Scre ... /100094100" target="_blank

Edit: Bear beat me too it. :o

[The Deacon]

At least in the near future, where knives are concerned, I think 3D printing's greatest potential will be as a way of rapidly prototyping a concept, rather than for making fully functional knives. It might allow designers with no real knife making experience or equipment to submit a mechanically functional model, rather than just sketches, to a manufacturer like Spyderco. It might also become a way to produce custom scales for "full nested liner" models like the Delica, Endura, and Stretch where the liners are providing the strength, and the scales only real functions are adding bulk and traction.

[demoncase]

At least in the near future, where knives are concerned, I think 3D printing's greatest potential will be as a way of rapidly prototyping a concept, rather than for making fully functional knives. It might allow designers with no real knife making experience or equipment to submit a mechanically functional model, rather than just sketches, to a manufacturer like Spyderco.

Absolutely- and it's what we are already using it for in the aerospace- want to know how easy it's going to be to put something together, then it's a helluva sight quicker and cheaper to get a 3D printed and rapid prototyped set of components by dumping the CAD files into the printer/laser sinterer than it is to programme a CNC machine.

We can get a 100% accurate representation of the parts inside of 24 hours and lots of engineers need to hold the thing in the hand- despite the drive toward Digital Product Definition.

And I agree on your point about scales manufacture- that's definately going to be something we see more of.

[Evil D]

At least in the near future, where knives are concerned, I think 3D printing's greatest potential will be as a way of rapidly prototyping a concept, rather than for making fully functional knives. It might allow designers with no real knife making experience or equipment to submit a mechanically functional model, rather than just sketches, to a manufacturer like Spyderco. It might also become a way to produce custom scales for "full nested liner" models like the Delica, Endura, and Stretch where the liners are providing the strength, and the scales only real functions are adding bulk and traction.

3D printing for rapid prototyping is some amazing stuff. Koenigsegg use 3D printing to actually make parts for their One:1 car, which is going to be the standard by which all hyper cars are measured.