Anyone tried a different lube?

The CRK pivots are a little different in that the hole in the blade has milled grooves around its circumference that perform a similar function to the holes in the washers (a place for the grit to go, and to hold extra lube). I am not sure if they would hold extra oil as they would grease, but that may be the oil you see seeping out of your pivot. A possible advantage of the grease is it doesn't seep out, and is a food-grade product if it by chance it does.

I am sure the smoothness is good or better with the Nano Oil. My only concern would be it staining my clothes, or getting into my food. Other than that, I'm sure it's splitting hairs.
 
After a week of 85w on the Sebenza it's still silky smooth. Seems to have gotten even better after being carried outside on a few hot days. I will say that it definitely attracts more dirt / lint than grease. That's the one downside I've experienced thus far.

In a separate experiment I took down my Umnumzaan and used CRK grease on the washers / blade hole, and coated the outside of the female pivot screw with 85w. The results are kind of shocking. I typically left the pivot pin dry before (outside of grease spread by the blade hole), but with Nano-Oil coating it the knife just glides open. The combination is stellar.
 
kidcongo said:
The CRK pivots are a little different in that the hole in the blade has milled grooves around its circumference that perform a similar function to the holes in the washers (a place for the grit to go, and to hold extra lube). I am not sure if they would hold extra oil as they would grease, but that may be the oil you see seeping out of your pivot. A possible advantage of the grease is it doesn't seep out, and is a food-grade product if it by chance it does.

I am sure the smoothness is good or better with the Nano Oil. My only concern would be it staining my clothes, or getting into my food. Other than that, I'm sure it's splitting hairs.
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Another illuminating post, Cody. I've built up a small, 6-knife collection of CRKs over the last year, but being new to them there's lots for me to learn. I hadn't noticed the grooves milled into the blade's pivot hole in my disassemblies. Adding those to pivot bushings, for those knives that have them, and perforated washers strains my assertion that CRK pivots are not fundamentally different than others. They're certainly different enough and definitely designed for using grease.

My KnifeArt CF large Sebenza EDC work knife is pretty dirty inside. It does get regular wipe-outs, but I can tell there's some build-up in the pivot/tang area. I'll try washing it out with soap and warm water as you had suggested in your earlier post. That knife is lubricated in the conventional manner and I won't disassemble nor add any lube and will see how it seems after.

As to seepage with NanoOil, I haven't experienced that to any significant degree. I have been diligent in not using very much and haven't observed anything that might stain my clothes or get into what I eat. I usually stay back from the pivot/handle anyway if I use my knife for food prep or at the table.

The difference amongst various lubes may indeed amount to splitting hairs, but I do find the comparisons and experience and comments of others interesting. I'm pleased I started this over here and am learning things along the way. Thanks again for your input and comments.

--Steve
 
Thanks Chazzy! Here's an old post of mine that has a photo of the grease grooves and some other favourite details. I have maybe said all I have to say about the Sebenza 21, but for the record, after using primarily this model, daily, for over three years, I am still no less enthused about what a great product, and great value these knives are. They also still have that special something extra in the design that keeps me coming back even when I switch it up once and a while.

See link for pics of grooves etc:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1251505-Lest-we-forget-Attention-to-detail-defined-in-the-Sebenza-21
 
ChazzyP said:
Another illuminating post, Cody.

My KnifeArt CF large Sebenza EDC work knife is pretty dirty inside. It does get regular wipe-outs, but I can tell there's some build-up in the pivot/tang area. I'll try washing it out with soap and warm water as you had suggested in your earlier post. That knife is lubricated in the conventional manner and I won't disassemble nor add any lube and will see how it seems after.
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Well that didn't go well at all. I washed out the knife with warm water and soap while I was cooking breakfast this morning. The action is now much stiffer. I've used that knife extensively since I picked it up on the Exchange about a year ago and it probably does need a disassembly and cleaning by now. My assertion that it's conventionally lubed is an assumption based on the fact that I've not had it apart myself. It could be that I've put a couple drops of Nano Oil in it over the last year and that this morning's bath flushed it out. I guess I'll have it apart this weekend and decide how to lube it as I go. I'm leaning toward trying the W85 NanoOil.
 
ChazzyP said:
Well that didn't go well at all. I washed out the knife with warm water and soap while I was cooking breakfast this morning. The action is now much stiffer. I've used that knife extensively since I picked it up on the Exchange about a year ago and it probably does need a disassembly and cleaning by now. My assertion that it's conventionally lubed is an assumption based on the fact that I've not had it apart myself. It could be that I've put a couple drops of Nano Oil in it over the last year and that this morning's bath flushed it out. I guess I'll have it apart this weekend and decide how to lube it as I go. I'm leaning toward trying the W85 NanoOil.
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Sorry to hear that. I've never had a problem washing my Sebenzas. I am just using normal pump hand soap, nothing very strong. Sorry to give you a "bum steer". Certainly was not my intention.
 
kidcongo said:
Sorry to hear that. I've never had a problem washing my Sebenzas. I am just using normal pump hand soap, nothing very strong. Sorry to give you a "bum steer". Certainly was not my intention.
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No worries, Cody. I used normal pump hand soap, too. That knife gets a lot of hard use as a carpenter's carry in work jeans and after a year needs a disassembly anyway. The results would suggest that the original grease in it was augmented by NanoOil and the washing took that out. If that's the case, it's something to bear in mind relative to maintenance of a CRK alternately lubed. Tinkering with one's knives is part of the fun of the hobby and is certainly cheaper than buying them to feed the interest. ;)
 
I've heard a lot of people say they wash their CRKs with soap / water, but I've never tried it. If it's really dirty I usually just take it down and clean it. Disassembly and reassembly of these knives is kind of therapeutic. :)

Since making my last post I decided to take down my Sebenza and apply the same technique I used with my Umnumzaan - CRK grease on washers / blade hole, and 85w Nano-Oil coating the center pin. I've done the same to my small and large Inkosi. A tiny bit of oil in the pivot hole's grease makes it wonderfully smooth, while retaining the longevity and lint-avoidance of straight grease on the washers. I'm really enjoying the results with this method.
 
CRK told me to clean the Sebenza with soap and water, the grease will stay in place...and it does. When my sebenza action gets sticky, say with grapefruit juice, a good wash restores it to new.
 
I'm new to CRKs (bought my first a few weeks ago). I have only disassembled a small 21 and a 25. I lubricated both with Slide Glide because it's what I had handy. I can't speak to long term use but the actions are slick on those, especially the 25. Slide Glide has worked great on my firearms.
 
Anarchy84 said:
If it's really dirty I usually just take it down and clean it. Disassembly and reassembly of these knives is kind of therapeutic. :)
.
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So, after having my KA CF Large Sebenza 21 come out worse after washing with soap and water I took it down and gave it a major clean-out. You're spot on, Anarchy84, as I also find tinkering with knives therapeutic, particularly since I'm a bit overtired after a week's work and had been rastling with some paperwork I've been avoiding for far too long. The simplicity of Sebenzas yields a particularly zen-like state of bliss.

Anyway, the pivot/tang area had a black, gunky film--the grease that was in it when I picked it up used a year ago (dated to its March 2013 DOB?) likely augmented by a few drops of NanoOil from yours truly. I Windexed everything, cleaned again with isopropyl and QTips, polished the washers on a green-loaded strop, and used the Anarchy84 method to lube when reassembling--flourinated grease on the washers and bushing and NanoOil W85 in the pivot hole. The knife just seems to flow open and closed now.

This guy goes to work with me almost every day, although it's been sharing time lately with my Wilson Combat Eagle, so I'll see how it goes, but I'm thinking I'm going to be pleased.

PS: I just realized that I forgot to trace the detente ball track with a taste of grease, so I put a tiny dot on the ceramic ball after the fact. Even smoother now. :thumbup:
 
I think that black film is a result of dirty fingers during initial assembly. I've purchased 10 brand new CRKs direct or from dealers, and a lot of them arrived that way. Some had fingerprints in the black smudges, so it seems the assembly people's fingers get dirty after a hard days work.

I'm glad you decided to give it a shot! I've been really impressed with the results so far. I think you'll find it become even better after a couple days.
 
kidcongo said:
the single biggest factor is not the grease at all: If your knife feels "gritty", clean your detent track. Run the whole knife under water with hand soap and forget the disassembly. When you break down your knife to lube it, you are likely cleaning the detect tract while you are at it, which will give you the impression the grease made all the difference.

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Are you talking about rinsing the whole knife assembled? Heard from someone else they used liquid soap and toothbrush and viola. Clean knife and it functions fine .

Has anyone put their sebenza in the dishwasher? Can a dishwasher cause any damage due to the high heat or power wash jets sprays? I have been thinking about trying this because I do this with 4 of my Spyderco H1 knives and the heat somehow keeps the blades tight (maybe the heat expands the plastic) and free from side to side wobble (it actually fixes blade play on the Salt series Spydercos. Not to mention the knife is super clean. My H1 Spydercos are quite old and get used for kitchen duty every day. Only negative is the dishaswer takes the color out of the plastic grips -which to me they look better that way

So, I want to try this on one of my 21 Sebenzas but would like to know if the dishwashing method or the heat dry cycle can be a bit much and cause some wear on the titanium or other things. Sounds weird to some I am sure. But I like simple ways to do things. If it is safe I will try it and see how much it effects the opening and closing since the grease would be removed and probably end up with a very dry perforated washers. But still it would be cool to just throw one in the dishwasher. Probably a dry sebenza that is opened and closed will polish out the washer and moving parts causing them to be more slick.

So has anyone run their assembled Sebenza through a few cycles in the dishwasher before?
 
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Anarchy84 said:
I'm glad you decided to give it a shot! I've been really impressed with the results so far. I think you'll find it become even better after a couple days.
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Well, this thread's been dark for a while, but I wanted to follow up on the Anarchy84 lube job I did on my Knife Art large 21, using fluorinated grease in the usual manner but adding w85 NanoOil at the pivot hole. As I mentioned above, in the immediate aftermath of cleaning and lubing the knife seemed to just flow open and closed. Unfortunately, and for reasons unknown, the action seemed to be balkier and sluggish the next day. Bit of a head-scratcher, there.

I carried the knife a day or so with no considerable improvement and put it aside to work on it another time. A bit over a week later I got the knife out again and, lo-and-behold, the action was extremely smooth and way looser. Anarchy84 mentioned above that the action becomes better after a couple days. Cody has written that fluorinated grease is actually meant to dry out, so maybe it achieves its maximum lubricity after the liquid has evaporated. So it goes from good to worse to better without doing anything to it--ya got me! All I know is my EDC is pretty much better now than it's been since I've had and used it, and that's a good thing. Go figure.
 
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It's good to hear you're getting the results you were looking for, ChazzyP. Since this thread went cold I've cleaned / lubed all 10 of my CRKs with Reeve grease and a drop of 85w on the pivot pin. I've found it to be very clean and extremely effective.

It's interesting that the action became sluggish the day after application. I can't really explain that one. Glad it straightened itself out!
 
Has anybody tried this stuff...XF-7 lub. Saw it at a gunshow this weekend, searched it,mainly for auto weapons.
 
sorry for digging up an old thread, but i was looking for an alternative for the CRK grease and found the Christolube MCG 111 mentioned in this thread. so its pretty much the same? Right now im using the grease and based on price the Christolube seems to be cheaper...usually i put 1-2 small dabs of grease on both sides and a small amt in the pivot hole and the syringe that the christolube would come in very handy...I also have some Daiwa Reel Oil inbound as well so i MAY try that in conjunction with the grease...
 
rabbivj said:
sorry for digging up an old thread, but i was looking for an alternative for the CRK grease and found the Christolube MCG 111 mentioned in this thread. so its pretty much the same? Right now im using the grease and based on price the Christolube seems to be cheaper...usually i put 1-2 small dabs of grease on both sides and a small amt in the pivot hole and the syringe that the christolube would come in very handy...I also have some Daiwa Reel Oil inbound as well so i MAY try that in conjunction with the grease...
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I believe it's the same stuff, but I'm not 100%. Another good alternative is Finish Line Extreme Fluoro, very similar to CRK's lube.
 
I use the afore mentioned christolube because it is readily available here in Germany. I think it is the same stuff as CRK-lube.
Go for it, if you can get it cheaper!

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I have not seen anyone mention Super Lube in any of these threads
I use it in most knives and in shop and house it is foodsafe, also available in a oil
I think maybe once in a CRK but usually just us the CRK grease because I have lots of it
and it's in the box with the wrenches
The oil is what I mostly use in XM 18s and emersons though it works very well
 
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