Acceptance

[Charlie Mike]

I have determined that in the last 10 years of knife collecting, I have started a CRKT M16-04 at 16-17, a Buck Strider tanto in college, MT D/A Socom in Iraq, various MT OTF's and my double edge Skirmish during my dope years, and now I carry customs. I've now learned that any knife you carry day in day out will eventually develop some play. Even the most thickest (.160") Reese Weiland framelock will not lock frog butthole tight after being carried/used/waved every day. I have finally accepted this. I just got a BM760 last week and it has a barely perceptible amount of up down play no matter how tight I push the lock bar. I do not think the lock would be easily compromised at all. So maybe things aren't so bad after all.

Thanks for bearing with my rambling

 

[Psychopomp]

You're right. All knives will develop some sort of play, even if it's so tiny most people wouldn't notice it, just because of metal on metal contact.

The only knife I've used for any great length of time that hasn't developed any wobble is my Victorinox Soldier, it's still tight after six years so I'm expecting another twenty years out of it.

My BM710 will develop some play but only because the pivot tends to back itself out over time. But I keep it clean and all contact points polished, so after tightening it up, there's no play. But eventually, there will be.

 

[Toyz]

Agreed - knives are made with parts that wear out over time, period. No different that a car, motorcycle, or gun.

Thats why I think its important to buy the ones made from the best manufacturer and material you can afford, especially if the knife is the end all be all for you.

My only problem is when they are new out of the box and they have problems - that just stinks. I hate to have to send them away before really getting to use them.

 

[orca8589]

...frog butthole tight...

Is that an industry term? I had a real snobby attitude with blade play for a while, then, like you, I started to realize that a little bit of play is a good thing.

I have a large Camillus lockback Scout knife, and I decided to clamp the pivot bolster in a vice to tighten it up. Turns out, the backspring is a hair thinner than the blade, so 'tightening it up' made it impossible to open. Took me a while to 'fix the fix', so to speak.

I've had a few linerlocks that were tight with no play in them, and they were hard to unlock for quite a while until they got broken in. After breaking in, the bladeplay was obvious, but the knife was a lot easier to use.

As long as I keep 'em clean, my knives work fine.

thx - cpr

 

[Charlie Mike]

Thanks guys, just glad I'm not alone. I had a DDR 4" Maxx that even developed up down play. It's kinda like that point (I'm there right now) when your teenage metabolism is finally giving way and now your packing ten extra pounds around the belly. Just a natural part of life.

 

[Reeek]

This thread is the antithesis of what we all long for!

 

[Charlie Mike]

Eventually we'll all be collecting slipjoints and longing after Ed Fowler pronghorns.

 

[Vicarious Reality]

But will axis or ram locks develop play?
Seems unlikely that the ram lock will ever do that if there is a slightly tapered locking bar jutting in between the blade tang and the roof of the knife.

 

[440hard]

Eventually we'll all be collecting slipjoints and longing after Ed Fowler pronghorns.

Yes, I thought waking daily with the shakes was something entirely
different, but I now realize it is the sheer terror that today may be
the day my old beater BG42 Lg Sebbie develops blade play..

-Ron

 

[p_mcmanis]

Yes, I thought waking daily with the shakes was something entirely
different, but I now realize it is the sheer terror that today may be
the day my old beater BG42 Lg Sebbie develops blade play..

-Ron

cant you just send it in to reeves and have them restore it?

as long as there are people who can restore knives to as good as new then Im not too worried that a knife I use will need irregular maintenance.

 

[Masteroffajitas]

I don't mind it too much, my RAT 1 has some play but I've picked it more then any other knife last month and this.

 

[gajinoz]

I have some knives with play and most that don't. The two daily EDCs, Calypso Jnr. and BM mini grip have never developed any play whatsoever and neither has the Sebbie after 6 years of regular use. The SnG has developed some small amount of play but, although it very slightly annoys me sometimes, I don't really worry about it.

Nothing in this world is perfect, everything will have some small flaw somewhere if you go looking for it. (Well, except for me of course, I'm perfect. ).

There are folks who are exceptionally anal about such things but I prefer to accept slight "defects" so long as the thing works well and isn't dangerous or likely to fall apart.

 

[440hard]

Quote:
Originally Posted by 440hard
Yes, I thought waking daily with the shakes was something entirely
different, but I now realize it is the sheer terror that today may be
the day my old beater BG42 Lg Sebbie develops blade play..

-Ron

cant you just send it in to reeves and have them restore it?

I was kidding..

 

[orca8589]

But will axis or ram locks develop play?
Seems unlikely that the ram lock will ever do that if there is a slightly tapered locking bar jutting in between the blade tang and the roof of the knife.

I don't have experience with the axis lock, but I've seen the RAM lock in action and it seems that it would stay pretty solid as far as up/down bladeplay. Side/side play might be another story.

The other interesting lock is the Tri-ad lock, but I have no experience with that one either. It's made with built in tolerances that will allow self adjustment over time, but my experience has been that if you use anything long & hard enough, it'll loosen up.

thx - cpr