Benchmade disassembly?

S

SycoticSamurai

Joined
Jun 29, 1999
Messages
267
I've noticed alot of people talking about disassembling their Benchmade knives. I was under the impression that the bearing pack is really hard to reassemble, and thus you shouldn't do this. Am I wrong?(and if so, how do you disassemble/reassemble the damn things?)

Joe
 
Sycotic,

That 'bearing pack' consists of only one pivot screw, one pin, and two washers. It's almost impossible to screw that thing up.


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Reynaert

[This message has been edited by Frantium (edited 27 July 1999).]
 
SS,

There are a few of rules to remember

1. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

2. Practice on something first.

3. have a BFH (Big F...Hammer) when all else fails
smile.gif


4. 'JUST DO IT'

Now how many of use have taken your knives apart? Me...?!@# - most of mine can't come apart
smile.gif
That is a good deterent.....lol. :0
 
Hi Syc.,

Which model are you referring to, specifically? An AFCK would probably be quite straightforward (don't own one myself, but from what i hear the construction doesn't differ much from an EDI Genesis), while an automatic knife or an Axis is a little more complex due to the springs involved.

Actually, I was just about to launch a thread on the subject myself, regarding the Axis (BM 710).

I have had this knife for only a short while and havn't really carried it around that much, so there is at present no real need for disassembly, except, of course, to satisfy my curiosity
smile.gif
(and to add a touch of lube).

Last night I took the pivot screw-side G-10 scale off of my Axis to reveal the 'Omega' spring. Didn't take it any further from there, but it looks like one could simply (and carefully!! - elsewhere in this forum (I think it was 'Shop Talk') I read someone tried to bend the spring and thereby broke it) pry the spring from its seat and the rest should be simple. Wouldn't expect any trouble with reassembly either.

Soooo, who has disassembled their Axis and did they experience any unwelcome surprises?

Oh yeah, I'm not in the US and will probably never send the knife back to BM for any reason (too much hassle/expenses in international shipping/customs...), so if BM considers the warranty void, so be it (even though I think that any maker should feel confident enough abot their product to allow field stripping/servicing by the owner... - sorry, different topic).

That said - great knife!!

Best regards,

Thilo Corts
 
I take apart all my knives (hat come apart) all the time to clean them out and reapply 3 in 1 oil to the pivot area. The action can get screwed up very easily with like dirt or grit in there. It's not really a bearing either, it's closer to a bushing then anything. As to say it's like pure friction on the things, it's not like the kind of teflon sealed ball bearings you will find on finely tuned RC cars (a hobby of mine) or Tom Kuhn yo-yos (another of my hobbies). Just go for it, but do NO take apart your AXIS-Lock, that is one knife I use a can of compressed air on to clean.

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Robert Joseph Ansbro

If it can be written, or thought, it can be filmed.
-Stanley Kubrick, 1928-1999
 
Can anyone tell me if a benchmade can be taken apart and reassembled like my Sebenza? If so I'm goin for it. The only trick is depressing the liner lock when putting the blade back on, right? I'll try it on my Stryker first, does anyone think it would help the opening speed?

YO Mercury, I got a silver SB2 for my son, but play more with it than he does, how about you?

TIA
Clint


 
You won't have any problems. I've been taking them apart since the 970 days. It's not quite as easy as a Sebenza, since they are more simple and the G10-handled BM's have several layers, but it's not hard either. Be careful not to damage the inner diameter of the bushings when you replace the pivot pin. The BM axis is a piece of cake too. If you've got one of these, you'd better familiarize yourself with how to do it since you might end up having to replace the omegas yourself (if you're like me and don't want to wait for it to go to Oregon and back). I've asked this a gagillion times, but does anyone have a source for omega springs other than BM?

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Professor

Ever notice no other candy tastes quite like Pez? Oh yeah, and the BM Axis rules.


 
Be careful removing the screws!

They are locktighted in place, and they strip relatively easily.

Disassembly voids the warranty, so if you screw something up, be prepared to pay to get it put back together.

I've messed around with them enough to come to the conclusion that it is better not to mess around with them.

Harv
 
I'm sure I've taken apart over a hundred, but not all of the new models... yet. It's no big deal, especially now that they're using torx-screws that don't round off the drivers like the old, tiny hex-screws did, and there are metal inserts that won't strip their threads like G-10. It is voiding your warranty... but what the heck. If that doesn't bother you, there's nothing to it but to do it.

For the first couple times, take them apart over a nice white or metal tray so that no bits get lost and you can lay all the pieces out. Later on you may become more casual and start disassembling them in moving cars and such...
wink.gif


Regarding the Axis, I can find no way to remove the "studs" on the locking bar (just like the thumb-studs on the blade). They have a small hole in the side, but I could not find any set-screw or pin in there. Maddog2020 made the excellent suggestion that the hole engages a special driver of some sort, and that the studs are locktighted down. Sounds good, but I haven't had a chance to put this to the test yet.

Without removing the locking studs, there is no way to pull the liners apart and complete disassembly. I have removed the scales, spacer, blade, and washers, though. Lining the washers and blade up for re-assembly takes a little doing, but it's no big deal. The knife suffered no ill effects, but I'm holding off on customizing one for the moment, because it would be easier if I could get the liners apart.

Good luck!

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-Drew Gleason
Little Bear Knives
 
I don't think it will help you in opening speed unless the knife is like dirty or something. The nature of ATS-34 leads me to use 3 in 1 oil all over the place on my knives. Remember, it (and I am reading from the bottle here) "Lubricates, Cleans, Prevents Rust". I use it to drudge up all those little unseen dirt particles, it reacts to it and makes that easy to wipe of black slime. If your knife is dirty, dry of lubrication, full of nasty friction, or has rust in the pivot area, going in there and cleaning with 3 in 1 oil and a rust cloth will make the knife open faster.

On the SB2: I love mine! If for nothing else then to be able to buy those fancy designer strings and not have to worry about them breaking, because there is literally NO friction on the SB2. Just kidding, I like it because I can carry just that and have basically every type and size yo-yo on the market, with the gap adjustment I can set it for different types of play and reaction time. Your son is lucky, that yo-yo is by far the best one I have ever played with. I just wish those speed rings came with extra material on the edge I could use to get them out easier. Mine is silver too, what a cool yo-yo.

------------------

Robert Joseph Ansbro

If it can be written, or thought, it can be filmed.
-Stanley Kubrick, 1928-1999
 
Thank you, but I left a few things out. At one point in my life I did a breif stint as a machinist. I've never disassembled my AFCK because the instructions that came with my knife said that there was a 'bearing pack' in it, and that it is really hard to reassemble(trust me folks, some bearing assemblies are F***in' impossible to reassemble without a special tool from the manufacturer).
However, now that I know that this is false, I am going to disassemble the damn thing and replace those bushings with Teflon, or maybe Farronite (I've got some scrap pieces from a job that I did, any machinists out there know about this stuff? It's a self lubericating composite metal-I think it's metal?- that I think would work really good for knife bushings.)!

Any way, thanks all for the advice


Joe
 
Cordury,
The axis lock bar is threaded on both ends and the "studs" just screw on. They are locktighted down.
Two 1/4" sockets, a hacksaw and a paper clip are all you need to make the tool to unscrew the studs. Cut slots into each socket. The paper clip goes though the slot and into the stud hole - twist. I think you can figure out the details.

Chi
 
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