1760BFC Skyline issue/question about opening/blade centering

S

SilverLighT

Joined
Jan 21, 2002
Messages
526
So I just got my Bladeforums Skyline (#059), and i'm not sure how much I like it.

I have to ask. Blade centering, is it a common issue with knives designed like this that either the blade rubs up against the edge or that it is near impossible to open without some wrist action as well as indexing hard down on the flipper?

When it came, there was no way I could open it using the thumbstuds (normally), and it was difficult to open otherwise.

I've since adjusted it (didn't seem to be any initial resistance, no loctite?) and when I got it to where I was able to use the flipper, the blade was rubbing up against the non-clip side.

Is this normal or should there be a happy medium? Am I weak in trying to flip it open? What should I do?

I originally thought about posting this to the existing BF SKyline Discussion thread but decided against it since that post is all about 'I got mine it's number whatever' and 'I haven't gotten mine yet, when is it coming?'. I hope this is the right place. I'm just looking for help and i'd like to fix it myself if I can or at least know that this is just how it is. I'm not too picky I just want something I can use and have it function well.
 
Silverlight, mine is tight as well, I haven't broken it in, I'll do that while watching a show this weekend, but I have faith it will break in nicely as my orange one did. The blade is really light so it doesn't flick open like my 561. I would keep it centered, it will prob be a little tight at first, then I would just wait for it to smooth out. My orange one flicks pretty smooth now, can even open with the thumbstuds/bladestops. did you clean and lube it any? that might also help.
 
Oh right that is something I forgot to mention but I did think of it. That is reassuring to hear.

Breaking in. I assume it should it be tight like I got it while breaking it in.

Though to be sure, what's your guys take on the best method and how long does it take?
It seemed clean enough but i'll make sure I keep it that way. I'll probably treat it with miltec-1. I don't really like lube that picks up extra dirt and lint. I wouldn't mind hearing some forum members experience and suggestions on lube, I haven't read too much on the subject just bits on tuf-cloth a long time ago.
 
I would get it just tight enough that it's centered, then start opening and closing. Like i mentioned, i usually open and close constantly while watching a tv show. As far as lubes, I use tuff glide. Hope it gets better for ya, personally i really like these skylines.
 
I see you are in Canadia. It might be possible that Spark gave it an extra tweak to pass through customs. I recently got a tan dlc model and it was impossible to open without major wrist action. I played with it a little and it wasn't breaking in like I had hoped. I decided to disassemble and clean and relube. I have found that Lansky's Nathan's Honing oil works really good on my Kershaws. Just a drop or two on each washer. I reassembled using the paper in the side trick and it was dead center and within 20 minutes it was opening super fast and I was grinning like a school girl at a bieber concert! I have been carrying this one to get used to and be ready for my BFC! Good luck!
 
Yup my tan/dlc I just got is really tight and gritty feeling, way more so than the BFC. I'll break that in this weekend too.
 
bad_juju said:
Honing oil works really good on my Kershaws. Just a drop or two on each washer. I reassembled using the paper in the side trick and it was dead center and within 20 minutes it was opening super fast
Click to expand...

I'll likely try lubing it and working it in before I take it all apart - would rather not do that to a brand new knife.

Though what is this paper in the side trick you speak of? I've used paper to clean gunk and/or extra oil before.... or is this another trick?
 
I tried adding lube before disassemble but it didn't do much but make a mess. The paper trick is for recentering. You put the knife back together if taken apart or if off center you loosen all the torx including pivot on down the handle. You put the paper in the side that it was rubbing or closest to and starting from the butt end toward the pivot start tightening up them. Lastly get the pivot started and tweak it up bit by bit. You should be able to remove the paper and and adjust the pivot either way to tighten it up, loosen it a touch and recenter at the same time. I also found that sometimes the tightness of the handle screws can help with centering. A tiny dab of blue loctite or nylon thread tape helps them stay put. There should be a few different threads in if you search for it, might even be a diagram in one or two of them.
 
it's to center the blade. loosen the pivot and the handle screws, put a folded paper in the side the blade is leaning towards to create the gap, and tighten the screws. It's an easy way to center.
 
So I tried the paper trick and lubing it up and trying to break it in... it's 'ok' but I don't feel it's where it should be.

What exactly needs breaking in anyway? How does that work? Is it part of the design of this kind of knife? Why don't others need to do this? Isn't there a better way?
 
The grittiness, I find, comes more from the detent ball's travel on the blade than the pivot. There's often too much focus on the pivot and washers, and that's just not necessary. I've found this to be the case with all my Skylines. When I take apart and clean a knife, I'll take a bit of Tri-Flow grease and just barely wet the washers and around the pivot. I wet the washers with my fingers, and use a cotton swab to get some on the pivot. Everything else stays totally clean. I make sure that the lock bar and detent ball are clean, as well as the blade surface where the ball travels. I also keep the tang and lockbar completely clean. A steel liner lock rarely sticks, and if it does, it's likely from excess oil, grease, or debris of some sort on the bar and tang.

I personally don't use oil to lube a knife, and whatever grease I use, I use very little. The travel and opening of the knife will improve as the detent ball polishes the travel path on the blade, and the lock bar's pressure loosens slightly with use of the lock. I've found that the spring tension of the lock bar coupled with the smoothness of the detent's path over the blade are the primary things that dictate opening smoothness, at least as far as I've found.

What should you do? Make sure it's clean, and just use it. It'll wear in, and smooth out with use.
 
Mine came reasonably centered, but it is a bit tight. It won't flip open completely without a slight flick of the wrist, but I suspect that it will loosen up in time. It's a nice little blade.
 
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