Chaves Ultramar Redencion Street detent too strong

Eric5273

Eric5273

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Joined
Mar 30, 2018
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93
I just received this knife yesterday from BladeHQ, and the detent is way too strong. At first I figured the pivot was too tight, but once the knife is open, it will fall shut under it’s own weight when I remove the lock bar. So the pivot is obviously not the issue.

One of the reasons I got this knife was for the great action that all the reviewers claimed it has. However, it’s so tight now that I cannot deploy it one handed. Instead I must open it two handed like you would open a slipjoint, and even then it requires way more force than your typical slipjoint, to the point that the thumb studs dig into my fingers.

I played with the knife for about a half hour last night, and just kept opening and closing it, and it did get a slight bit easier to open during that time, but it’s still a long ways from being able to open one handed.

Will this break in over time or should I send it back? Or is there anything else I can do to adjust it without damaging it. I’ve never disassembled a knife, so that’s not really something I’m comfortable doing to my new $300 knife.
 
Just return it. If you end up keeping it and then selling your gonna take a bad hit on the secondary market. Return and exchange or get something else.
 
If ceramic detent ball I would not hold my breath of it getting much lighter any time too soon. That ball may never wear down. The detent being strong seems to be a combination of how high the ball sits and how deep the detent hole is cut. I have a 456 with a shallow detent hole and it is quite soft. Have ZT 0900 with barely any ball showing but the hole is deep and it is hard. But at least those are steel and might wear down over time, but ceramic is so much harder. My thoughts any way. Me, if way too hard for my liking, I would move it along or return. Life is too short for uncomfortable or irritating knife.
 
I called BladeHQ and they told me it should loosen up over time. They said as long as I didn’t use the knife to cut anything, I can return it within 60 days. So I think I’ll just open and close it regularly for a couple of weeks and see if it loosens up. Otherwise I’ll send it back.

It’s a shame because I love the design of the knife. It kind of reminds me of a small Medford, but at a much lower price point. The quality is definitely there.
 
Well, I just sent it back. It never loosened up. I think I’m going to buy a Medford, just trying to decide which one. I don’t want something too huge, so I was thinking either a Praetorian Genesis, or maybe a 187F.
 
I’m in the same boat I just got mine today and there’s no way I can even come close to opening it with one hand or use my thumb to flick it open. I watched a couple reviews and I was so excited about the action. I always wanted Adam a thumb stub with great action and I thought I had found one with this nice but I guess it wasn’t meant to be.
 
If you like to tinker, you can chamfer the detent hole. Careful, it's a one-way street.
 
you can put a tiny amount of diamond stropping paste on the detent hole with a toothpick and work the blade for a while only the initial opening movement to chamfer the detent hole, then when it gets softer clean all the paste residue off and add a small drop of oil on the detent hole
 
Man I wish I had read this thread before I got mine today in the mail! Buyers remorse big time.
 
Mine works like champ. It did need to be broke in. Make sure the screw that hold steel/detect ball is very tight!

Mine wasn’t all the way tight, once firmly secured the action was way better.

925Geek 925Geek
 
Chaves ultramar redencion's are manufactured to have a strong detent. Being as such, this knife is not your typical slow roll thumb stud knife, like a sebenza for example. With such a strong detent, proper thumb placement and abrupt force pushing up and out is neccessary to make the blade fly open. My favorite opening method is the middle finger push (not flick), but both opening methods definitely require proper form and isn't for everyone. That being said, I absolutely love my redencion, and somewhat take pleasure in knowing no one will want to borrow it from me to cut anything since they cannot open it :)
 
Mine has a strong detent as well but I can open and close one handed.
If I were you, I will just return it to BHQ for replacement because it is such a great knife.
 
925Geek said:
Man I wish I had read this thread before I got mine today in the mail! Buyers remorse big time.
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There is light at the end of the tunnel. If you work it like crazy eventually it does get better. You will have some soar thumbs but it will be worth it
 
While I have never gotten one of these I too have experienced several lately where the detent was ridiculous. A Koenig, Hinderer, Reate, CRK. All with detents painful or impossible to break. Sold or shipped back the next day. Used to like strong detent, but anymore I have come to appreciate a milder feel. As long as blade does not drop from handle with reasonable shake, I am sticking with the 5/10 detents from now on. I like being able to control the speed. With softer detent I can flip it hard or soft by altering pressure. With strong detent it rockets out like it wants. Done with that. Funny how tastes change.

But glad to have seen this thread because was considering one of these. Thx.
 
I just got an alert on EBay. They have them for a steal at $290 free shipping from one seller. I’ll just suffer through two handed opening for now and hope the detent ball or recess wears some to make this a one handed opener as designed. I’ll also adjust the detent housing screw to see if it makes a difference either way. I’m used to difficult ultratech Microtech springs but this one is easily 15+lbs force to open. My thumb can handle the strain but not the form factor of the thumb stub in conjunction with the force.
 
Ok I feel stupid. Once I was holding the damn thing the way it wants, it opens like a dream. If you have any pressure on the frame lock prior to opening you are working against yourself. A bit tricky but hey it’s worth the hand adjustment. I’m in love.
 
925Geek said:
Ok I feel stupid. Once I was holding the damn thing the way it wants, it opens like a dream. If you have any pressure on the frame lock prior to opening you are working against yourself. A bit tricky but hey it’s worth the hand adjustment. I’m in love.
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Yeah I just put my middle finger on the tip of the clip and puts the pressure to the butt of the knife and the blade flies out effortlessly
 
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