blade play on traditionals - cosmetic or mechanical problem?

CapitalizedLiving

CapitalizedLiving

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I have a slipjoint that has blade play in all four directions (up, down, side-to-side) when open. It doesn't bother me, but I am wondering if it will get worse over time or lead to any mechanical issues, such as breakage or an instability that compromises precise and therefore safe cutting.

I would name the knife but I don't want to seem like I'm bashing the maker or the model. I will contact the company that made it regarding repair or replacement if I can find a reason to care, otherwise I'm willing to live with it if the issue is only cosmetic.

Thank you all in advance for your input!
 
if it is an old knife, like a pre- close Camillus or Schrade, I regret to say you should do nothing.
However if the company is still in business, send it back. A new knife should not have play out of box, at least quality knives.

If it's on the cheaper side, then play is, a lot of times, unavoidable.


Tell us more about it perhaps?
 
Yeah play out of the box is no bueno. I only have one knife out of maybe 50 that has developed play (careful with slip joints, they aren't prybars). Unfortunately, it is my Scout knife, from actually being a Scout. I guess I did something dumb with it, don't recall. Unfortunately it is a Schrade Ulster with Swinden key construction so nothing I can do about it. Unless someone has a hint for me.

Although I don't think existing play makes failure more likely, I think some play is inevitable, so it is more likely to develop into something you can't easily ignore. For knives of conventional pin construction a careful padded vise squeeze or gentle raps with a soft mallet can tighten it up.

Up and down play, which is somewhat endemic in lockbacks, is a less fixable problem. I've never had it.
 
but I am wondering if it will get worse over time
Click to expand...

One thing is for sure, it won't get better on it's own.

I have a few that have a bit more play than others. None have effected performance, so I just leave them alone. To me , how much I am going to overlook depends on price.
 
Can't tolerate it, myself. Learned here how to fix it here on this forum and have been successful every time I've come across it..
 
Side to side play means the pivot pin wasn't peened tight enough and, while not okay in my book, is fixable with a few taps of a hammer and a vice. Up and down (vertical) play is normally not fixable. Vertical play means the knife doesn't fit together correctly.
 
Well I see where OP is coming from, my favorite knife, a Camillus TL-29, has devoloped side to side.
A fault of my own, I was cutting thick cardboard with my baby.

I would send it in, but Camillus closed a number of years ago...
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Cjz, a tl-29 by Camillus is an easy fix. I've got one I messed up by cutting drywall with it. If the fix goes well, maybe I can do a thread on it. Shoot me an email with my screen name at gmail dot com so I have your contact info.
 
medicevans said:
Cjz, a tl-29 by Camillus is an easy fix. I've got one I messed up by cutting drywall with it. If the fix goes well, maybe I can do a thread on it. Shoot me an email with my screen name at gmail dot com so I have your contact info.
Click to expand...

E-mail sent. Please do make that thread :)
 
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