Benchmade Griptilian 551 BK Getting Scratched UP

cziv

cziv

Joined
Nov 24, 2005
Messages
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Hi Everyone,

I purchased a new BM 551 BK and it came with some blade play (side to side).

For the life of me, I have tried to adjust the tension 20 times but if I remove the play, I can barely open the thing. Pulling back the axis lock to release the blade - it won't even fall down into the handle.

If I open it up a bit, it has a lot of blade wobble. I can't find a sweet spot.

I'm a right hand opener, so the opposite side of the blade has wear marks and some small scratches from the blade rubbing the grip as it's deployed. (right through to bare metal btw)

I'm beginning to hate this knife, I expected better from Benchmade than this.

Any advice is welcome please. :)

Thanks guys!
 
Mines the same way. What i did was put a little blue loctite on it. Then i turned it so slightly. I'm talking about such a small amount you cant even feel it, you need to imagine it (not even kidding). Then check the blade. Push hard into the screw and then just barely turn it, like enough so you cant feel it. Check the tension again. Keep doing that. You don't want to be able to feel the turn. My benchmite II was like that also.
 
Thanks SuzukiGS750EZ,

I did that myself and lok-tited (blue) the adjustment. I had to accept some wobble or the blade wouldn't even move.

Now when I push against the thumbstud, I can see the opposite side of the blade, laying against the handle.

Meanwhile the rubbing and scratching continue. I just registered my 940 Osbourne, and thought about calling their customer service on Monday and maybe shipping the Griptilian back for them to fix or replace.

I'll let you know what they say.
 
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Did the blade come all the way out of the knife. There are two washers in the knife right, one on either side of the blade?
 
SuzukiGS750EZ,

No way, I just got it the begining of this week brand new. The bushings are siting in there just fine. I just tightened it until the blade deploys w/o rubbing the opposite side. It's almost like a fixed blade now! lol
 
Try loosening it ever so slightly. And by slightly i mean not even 1/1000000000 of a thread. It will work, i promise you!
 
Drop some oil down there too. The black coating will wear off eventually so you just made your knife closer to being the same color as my blade is all lol. I use hoppes oil.
 
Thanks SuzukiGS750EZ,

You're alright dude! I've got it just right now but I'm sure in time (later today) it will work itself loose again. I don't care - you're right it's going to wear off anyway. I'm trying to forget about it. :D
 
Nah, if you used blue loctite. Let it sit an hour or two then play with it. As long as you feel no play youre good. As the knife wears in the tolerances will smooth out and adjusting it will get easier. I took mine all apart, lubed it and retightened with loctite and its stayed so far since a couple months ago. If you grab the handle and the tip of the blade and wiggle for a few seconds, shut it open it and do it again youll see its going to stay. Also, if you pull back the axis lock and wiggle the blade youll be able to feel the slight wobble if there is any that the lock masks sometimes. Oil helps a lot! I switched out the clip on my grippy to the old style powder black ones, i like the look better.
 
I take the pivot torx screw out and put blue loc-tite on the threads. Give it about an hour and put the screw back in. Put it in about as far as it goes, then gradually back it out in micro-increments until you get it where you want it. That blue loc-tite makes all the difference. Do your clip screws too, that will keep them from working loose also.
 
Thanks,

I've got it dialed in now. It's been setting up for a couple of hours now and I think it's going to be great this time out. Just snapped it open again and no wobble, with or w/o the lock engaged.

I'm going to leave it be for the recommended 24 hr cure time before touching it again. :)
 
Hi SuzukiGS750EZ

I forgot it was 24 hrs! Yes, it has no blade play and still opens well. I hope the loktite holds it. I have to oil it now that I have got your reply.

That part you told me yesterday about "pulling back the axis lock and checking for play" really helped. It did hide some play, but it's really firing now and no more rubbing on deployment!

Thanks again for all of your help! - :)
 
No problem. I had to same problem, glad i could save you the frustration and sending it out. Any more problems, ask. I know the knife inside and out.
 
That's a nifty idea Slowstarter - I'll give that a try in the future.

I do use "blue" loktite (spelling?) I just warm up the area with a hair dryer and it lets go very nicely. That is an interesting idea though.

Next thing I want to learn is how to put a better edge on my knives (right now they're all sharp). That should be a whole new pursuit in itself.

I'm not buying another one of those kits with the rods and angle slots and clamps. I dinged up one of my Beretta gentleman's folder with that system.

I would like them to be razor sharp at all times and there's so many systems out there that it makes my head spin. I can probably find whole threads on that if I use the search function.

It's a heck of a lot easier to maintain a pistol 100% than a knife - for me anyway.
 
Hey man consider getting a spyderco sharpmaker they are really awsome and easy to use.

-alex
 
Hey bigbre,

That's the one I keep hearing about. I also hear two caveats.

1. That if you're not careful you take too much metal off the blade.

2. You need the two diamond (I think) extra rods to do a real nice job.

So, I'm a little put off to laying out $100 for a knife sharpener - it seems like to much for a little kit and some sharpening stones. :confused:

Thanks for your advice!
 
No worries, No way could you take to much off the blade with the sharpmaker, unless you used it for hours. It's more for touch ups, (it should be called the sharpkeeper) than actual sharpening. That's why you need the diamond rods, to try to re bevel with the included stones is insane.
 
That's why you need the diamond rods
Click to expand...

So, samhain73 what you're saying is you do or don't need the diamond rods to keep an already sharp edge - staying sharp?

Say, if I start cutting up boxes with my Spydercos and Benchmades (which I never do btw) and feel they need a little tune-up, then the "Sharpmaker" standard kit w/o diamond rods, is all that I'd need to keep them razor sharp?

Thanks guys!
 
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