Ball bearing diameter for southard, zt, etc...

[spketch]

Today I rescued 100+ ball bearings destined to be recycled. They are 1/8" steel balls. I know the official ikbs size is 1/16" but will these work in other production knives such as the zt0560 series or spyderco southard?
If anyone has lost bearings while dissasembling a knife send me a pm and I'll mail you a few.
-Steve

 

[bpeezer]

1/8 is very big. I've been researching bearings for knives (hoping to add some to mine), and 1/16 is the most common size I've seen.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Very cool of you!

The Southard uses bearings that are installed in a washer, in other words they aren't loose like the ones in the IKBS system. I think you'll see most bearing systems move in this direction. They are cheap and there's very little chance of losing them. No more so than losing a washer anyway.

 

[jwblack911]

i also see cagged bearing systems taking over. at just over a dollar too they are way easier for knife makers to work with too

 

[spketch]

Very cool of you!

The Southard uses bearings that are installed in a washer, in other words they aren't loose like the ones in the IKBS system. I think you'll see most bearing systems move in this direction. They are cheap and there's very little chance of losing them. No more so than losing a washer anyway.

Thanks for the explanation. I didn't realize the ball bearings were held securely in the washer, and had envisioned an explosion of ball bearings if I opened my southard. Now that you have given me the courage to open it I see that they are much smaller.