An answer in search of a question?

I think that bearing pivots are useless, on most folders. On any knife with a lock or detent that puts any pressure on the blade, the bearing does nothing to increase smoothness. Holding two ZT knives, one with a KVT ball bearing and one with phosphor bronze washers, there is no perceptible difference between the two because they can't be any smoother than the detent rubbing on the side of the blade will allow them to. The only knives that would be improved by a use of a bearing pivot is something like a push button lock or balisong, where there is no lock or detent putting pressure on the blade.
 
Bearing systems...
There's way too many of them, and they give people this false idea of "smoothness"...

"Smoothness" has been being tossed around so vaguely, and it annoys the hell out of me. I see people defining smoothness as when "the blade falls closed under its own weight". A well-designed bearing pivot is just as smooth as a well-designed washer pivot, but that has nothing to do with a blade falling closed under its own weight.

The detent type/shape, and Lockbar pressure are the main factors in how "smooth" a blade will fall closed. Not the bearing system. It's funny, because I see people that actually believe that bearing system X is smoother than system Y. If you're blade dosent fall closed under its own weight, close the blade half way and push on the lockbar slightly. Chances are, that the blade will then swing freely under its own weight, thus proving that it's the detent/lockbar pressure causing your "lack of smoothness".

Perfect example, Sebenza 21. The sebenza is smooth, but dosent fall closed under its own weight. Push lightly on the lockbar, and the blade suddenly swings freely. Who woulda thunk???

Rather than "smoothness", this should be called low/high "resistance"...
 
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MatthewSB said:
I think that bearing pivots are useless, on most folders. On any knife with a lock or detent that puts any pressure on the blade, the bearing does nothing to increase smoothness. Holding two ZT knives, one with a KVT ball bearing and one with phosphor bronze washers, there is no perceptible difference between the two because they can't be any smoother than the detent rubbing on the side of the blade will allow them to. The only knives that would be improved by a use of a bearing pivot is something like a push button lock or balisong, where there is no lock or detent putting pressure on the blade.
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Hah! I was just typing up something similar, but you beat me to it!
 
I was kind of neutral on the steel lock bar insert until I got a ZT 801. I noticed that detent ball was imbedded in the insert. If the detent ball ever wears down, it can easily be replaced.
 
tiguy7 said:
I was kind of neutral on the steel lock bar insert until I got a ZT 801. I noticed that detent ball was imbedded in the insert. If the detent ball ever wears down, it can easily be replaced.
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It's actually embedded in a milled "post" in the lock bar which the insert slips over and around. If you remove the insert there are three holes in it, one for the aforementioned "post", one for the pin to hold the insert in place, and one for the screw to lock it all down.

The 562 was the closest to grab and snap some pics, but they're all the same.
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Assisted Opening is something I could live without. Not that I don't love my Kershaw Leek, but that was the first and last AO knife purchased. Fortunately, I do not require any assistance in opening my knives; most can be opened rapidly and one-handed if need be. I can see the utility for some folks (arthritic skydiving LEOs and so forth), but otherwise the mechanism seems unnecessary.
 
Also, more on topic, in some pics you can see the bearings have worn deep races into the Ti, the races are dented and damaged from me testing the durability and strength of bearings in the pivot. The knife still opens smoothly, no ratcheting action from the damage. I think bearings can take lateral torque pretty well, some think differently.
 
Bearing pivots, flippers, AO, extreme grinds, coated stainless, tactical black all over, camo.
 
#1 for me is ball bearing pivots. It almost ruins an otherwise good design for me. Bronze washers are not a corner cut, but bearings are a corner added. They're just something extra to go wrong. #2 is flippers. Less of a deal breaker than #1, but I'd prefer to go without. I dunno... This is a big'un for me too... so I can't really call it #3, but "hard use" or "tough" or similarly labeled knives having a very difficult to sharpen steel/heat treat. I really really dig my XM-18 but IMO CPM20CV + hardness RHK uses just doesn't really fit. I was prying a stick/makeshift cork out of a cool old bottle I found and slipped and chipped my blade... not really even that bad. It took literally a thousand+ passes on my sharpmaker diamond stones just to get it (mostly) out. In this case, a "hard use" knife's edge should either just roll or be easier to sharpen...IMO, of course. "EDC" knives with overly beefy blade stock and obtuse grinds. Titanium handled knives with tiny screws holding them together.
 
I can live without a lot of doodad bells and whistles on a modern folder. That doesn't mean I can't stand them, because I find some of them quite interesting and creative ( some are useless). A well built folder, with good clean engineering and execution, does it for me. One thing I do appreciate is a wear resistant steel.
In an average day, my knives cut a pretty good variety of materials. Some are quite abrasive and really work the edge over. While I enjoy sharpening, it annoys the hell out of me to sharpen after every use. There are better things to do with my time. I have a couple of AUS8 blades, and for my needs edge retention has been disappointing. That doesn't mean that these types of steels are bad, just not for me.
Higher end steels have been an answer to me. I've been sharpening my knives for about 45 years, so the "super steels are for those who can't maintain edge" statements are bullshit to me.
 
assisted openers they are nice on certain knives but unessassery on a lot..I like to play with knife and figure out ways to open them quickly..
 
Seems like this thread has just turned into a gripe fest for people complain about features they don't like on a knife rather than the ACTUAL topic.
 
1. Flippers- I prefer control over speed. A thumbstud or thumbhole allows you to choose how you want to open your knife (fast or slow). With a flipper you get one choice: Too fast and too furious.

2. Overbuilt folders- I've owned my fair share of them and they just don't do what I need them to do (cut well).

3. Ridiculously thick fixed blades- Same as above.
 
.25" thick blades on folders that are secretly designed to shear metal in junkyards but somehow ended up in human hands.
 
RevDevil said:
.25" thick blades on folders that are secretly designed to shear metal in junkyards but somehow ended up in human hands.
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+1. On the flip side I'd like to see the Hoback roller detent on more knives.
 
Locks, assisted opening, one-hand opening, pivots and other folding mechanisms, ball bearings and washers, blade coatings, synthetic materials.

I guess that about sums it up. :D
 
Folding capability. Sure, it can make for more convenient carrying, but it compromises the ability to use it as a prybar.

A sharpened cutting edge is also a bit overrated. The blade should just be the blunt spine around the entire perimeter.

;)

Seriously though, I think all the features that have found their way into any of the production knives have some functional purpose to someone.
 
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