Productive Times: Slicing through the challenge
End User: DoubleStar Corp., (888) 736-7725, www.star15.com; Solution Provider: DP Technology Corp., (800) 627-8479, www.espritcam.com; Challenge: Write CNC programs to efficiently machine knives. Solution: 3D milling strategies in a CAM program.
End User: DoubleStar Corp., (888) 736-7725, www.star15.com
Solution Provider: DP Technology Corp., (800) 627-8479, www.espritcam.com
Challenge: Write CNC programs to efficiently machine knives.
Solution: 3D milling strategies in a CAM program.
DoubleStar Corp. is well known for the firearms and accessories it manufactures at the company’s 65,000-sq.-ft. facility in Winchester, Ky. DoubleStar’s machine shop houses Haas vertical and horizontal machining centers and drill-tap machines, a Doosan VMC and turning centers, and Tsugami Swiss-style machines.
About 2 years ago, DoubleStar, launched in 1999 by Jack and Teresa Starnes, diversified its product portfolio, adding knives and other edged weapons. They are machined from 1095 steel and S-7 tool steel; the company plans to produce knives made of Nitro-V cutlery-grade steel.
However, machining a knife blade with sculptured surfacing is a more complex job than producing, say, a buttstock for a firearm, according to Tom Vagasky, CNC programmer for DoubleStar. For example, the company’s new Wrath edged weapon has six distinct surfaces, each of which subtly bevels into the next so the surfaces nearly blend together.
Tom Vagasky is CNC programmer at DoubleStar. All images courtesy of DoubleStar.
“That’s not something you could manually program,” Vagasky said.
He added that the aesthetics and smoothness of a blade are critical to the company’s customers. “People who are into this can really see how everything flows together.”
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