Blade centering, how important is it to you?

Status
Not open for further replies.
It matters to me, but it's not a complete deal breaker.

If your handles/liners are flat and true, your blade tang is flat and true and your blade grind even, then there is no reason for the blade to be off centered.
 
I would point out that while there’s really no excuse, I’ve seen off center blades on $5k+ Knives.
 
Its important.
Its a sign of quality and that everything is correct.

If not something is not right.

I looked at different Laguiole in Paris. Non of them was centered. Many touched the scales. For 120 USD and "handmade?" I demand more quality and CARE.

I also did not buy my ordered Para 3 maxamet because too much off-centering. I couldn't tell it the blade was not straight, uneven milled or whatever.
But not the usual Spyderco quality.
And for 340 USD I insist on better quality.
 
I like the blade to be centered.
But a little offset is OK.

For frame lock knives, slight off-centering can occur easily but can be corrected by repositioning the handle scales.
I am not sure about liner locks but guess that they are similar in this.
 
Haven't read through every response, but...

Centering is important. I have never met a designer who designed a knife to be off center. Therefore, something has failed in the execution of the design, or the design itself is flawed. If it takes a master assembler to get the knife centered, and you are never able to replicate while servicing your own knife, the tolerances of manufacturing are probably off.

In this day and age, if some guy can make centered knives in his garage, your multi-million dollar production facility should also be able to do that without hassle (production companies).

It's all for the sake of discussion though, depending on the price of the knife, I can live with slightly off center as long as it doesn't rub the liner. Once price increases, my expectations also increase.
 
Astronaut FX said:
I’ve always taken it as a sign that most everything else in our lives is spectacular if we allow ourselves to stress over minor details. I can’t help but wonder, for those who admit this being important to them, if we had their bosses here with us, if they’d be able to confirm perfection in their daily duties.

Please don’t take offense. I like to discuss things like this, and poke and prod at both sides of an issue to to make myself (and others) think beyond just an emotion driven view.

We as consumers have been conditioned to have high expectations, sometimes to the level of ridiculous. At the same time, we as employees seem to be heading in the opposite direction at times. Seems an important inconsistency to note.

Full disclosure, yes, I like my blades centered. But as long as there’s no rubbing or other problems with the basic functionality of what is truly a basic tool, then I won’t return it or make a stink about in. Perhaps I might feel differently if it were over a certain price point. In that case, the difference you’re paying for is “bragging rights” more so than actual functional quality differences.

Sorry for the long, philosophical meandering post.
Click to expand...

I like this a lot! I used to never care or even check for blade centering. I never even checked for blade play! I would get a great knife as a gift and I would use it and love it. Cut things until it became dull, sharpen it up, and cut more things. THEN I started reading the forums, watching YouTube videos, looking at EDC posts on Instagram, and it RUINED ME! Knife stores hate me because I need to look at 3 or 4 packages of the same knife to make sure I am getting a centered one. IT IS TERRIBLE.

However, I just recently bought a new Case XX Hammerhead. It was centered in the store, then opening and closing it a few times, it now lands off center when closed. I am keeping it, forcing myself to ignore it, and using the heck out of it as it was intended. It is a tool as mentioned several times in this thread. It is beautifully built, but still a moving parts tool that will wear and get some flaws. I am going to get back to that ignorant bliss I used to have!

Great post Astronaut FX!
 
It's a 200$ knife, with 50+ dollars for cosmetics (smurf blue, etc). It better be centered. Do you think you can sell it as is for $200 + shipping ?
 
WhiteShampoo said:
You must not own any of the carbon fiber scale versions of the Sebenza. CRK has openly admitted that they will go off-center over time.
Click to expand...
My user small carbon 21 Sebenza,centered as always :).
DOB is 2014.
 

Attachments

  • E4273490-701F-4DCB-9A28-8E1A561091FC.jpeg
    E4273490-701F-4DCB-9A28-8E1A561091FC.jpeg
    115.1 KB · Views: 9
  • 8ABE179D-CC03-409B-847F-CBD86187C793.jpeg
    8ABE179D-CC03-409B-847F-CBD86187C793.jpeg
    254.1 KB · Views: 7
I have "slightly" off centered knives from several manufacturers. I really couldn't care less because I can get them centered or at least good enough. Of my Benchmades, only my 908 came way off centered (interestingly toward the show side when all my others were to the clip side) and I easily got it perfectly centered.

I still say that the larger knives (over 3 1/2 inch blade length) have large washers and pivots that pretty well eliminate blade play and centering issues. I also find that my Benchmades all pretty well seem to fix themselves over time. Just use them and next thing I know, "WOW - look it's now centered, WTF!"
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: sv4
Over $100 it's a deal breaker for me. Like others have noted, it's means something has gone wrong.
 
It depends on how bad the centering is as to whether I sweat it or not. I have rarely had a knife with centering so bad it affected it's performance. The only really bad centering I've seen was on cheap junk $10 folders.

My EDC Gayle Bradley 1 has perfect centering so maybe I'm just spoiled.

 
Last edited:
I have a few off center blades. Kershaw Bareknuckle, spyderco pm2 and manix 2. Probably a couple others. As long as they're not scraping the liners and it's only off a little I don't care.
 
Not important at all today.

qmmdiYeh.jpg
 
Yes,it's important but if we're talking about a hairs off center.Not at all for a production knife.

I recently had to return a D2 Ontario Rat 1 because of a poorly ground blade the tip was 80% to one side.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sv4
razorburn said:
Yes,it's important but if we're talking about a hairs off center.Not at all for a production knife.

I recently had to return a D2 Ontario Rat 1 because of a poorly ground blade the tip was 80% to one side.
Click to expand...
I agree. Off center for a production knife is not really an issue for me provided it's not rubbing the liners. Quoting Marchone "have torx will center" haha. However a blade with asymmetrical bevels both sides, and poorly ground blades are not acceptable.
 
To me, it's pretty important. An uncentered blade means that either the pivot is loose, or the knife isn't particularly well made. Neither of those are qualities I find desirable in a knife that I'll be spending money I worked for on. Now, if we're talking about the appearance of being uncentered due to grinds that may be a bit off, then that will be something I'd consider based on what I plan to use the knife on. Is it high dollar pocket jewelry I'll be carrying to my office? Then I'd probably have an issue with the grinds. Is it something I'll be slipping into a pocket on my next camping trip? Then the grinds won't really be an issue.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top