Cleaning the pivots...

M

MateenCleaves12

Joined
Nov 26, 2001
Messages
148
Well I've been flippin' the heck out of my 43 since I got it, must say It was all I expected and 300% more from benchmade. I thought I would just buy the 43, dink around with it and be at that. Well I'm hooked. Im placing an order for a 31 tomarrow and have a 42 comming.:)

I havent gotton my shipment of Miltech yet, so all I'm using is my good ole' white lightning knife lube. I really like this stuff for my folders, and it did help the 43 a bit, it just gets dirty quickly.

What I want to do is give the pivots a good blast of WD-40 to clean all the old lube out and flush the dirt away. Then re-apply some white lightning.

Is there a problem with this? If I let it dry on my handles/blade will it stain them? Might it hurt the washers on the inside?

I dont see how it could, I'm just asking before hand.

Thanks!
 
White Lightening is a wax-based product originally sold for bicycle chains. While it does tend to attract dirty, being a soft wax it tends to coat the dirt and make it non-abrasive. Then, the coated dirt is supposed to work its way out of the mechanism naturally. This self-cleaning affect may work on bike chains, but it doesn't seem to work so well on knife blades as far as I've seen.

Your idea of cleaning out the dirt is a good one. WD-40 would work, but I'd suggest a solvent spray cleaner that doesn't include a lubricant. I use flux remover spray that's sold at Radio Shack and other electronics supply houses. You want a can that, like WD-40, comes with a little plastic tube so that you can direct a high-pressure spray into the joints. The mechanical action of the spray will remove the solid dirt and stuff. The solvent action will break down the old oil, wax, grease, etc.

Another good product is called Gun Scrubber and is available in "sporting goods" ;) stores.
 
Thanks chuck. The White Lightning I have is made for knives, and I really like it on my folders. But as I said, it cant handle the use of a bali.

I'll see if I have some gun scrubber with my shooting supplies, if not, I'll have to use the WD-40 for now. Its all I got, I dont drive, and a radio shack isnt very close to me. Plus, I want is clean NOW!:D
 
I've used Gun Scrubber on my 42 since I got it, and the results speak for themselves. The only thing I can't take without an open window is the scent of the stuff. If you like hanging around a swimming pool and just adore chlorine, then you can use the stuff in your closet, if you're into that sort of thing... :D:D I always keep a fan going, with an open window or door nearby, just in case. After the Gun Scrubber, I heat the joints, put a drop of Militec-1 on each side of each joint, work the stuff in, then heat the joints again. I work the thing for a little bit, then clean up the excess. After sitting for a few hours (I usually clean mine at night), it's good to go. Of course, I do a lot of pocket carry (bosses won't let me carry in plain sight; actually, they won't let me carry at all :D:D ), and that attracts lint like a magnet. Mine's due for another cleaning, but I'll hold off for another couple of days. It's getting cold here in Oklahoma, and that means turning the furnace all the way up if I want to clean my bali. :D:D
 
Has anyone tried compressed air to blow all the dirt out? I used a plain light lubricating oil on my 42, and I am getting some black oily residue. I'm planning on giving it a few blasts of compressed air and switching to something cleaner, like miltec.
Could the residue be from breaking it in? What are the washers made of? They look silver, like steel.
 
The washers are metal. A tiny fraction of the solids in your joints might be from initial break in, but I suspect that the vast majority of it is just dirt.

Compressed air is good, yes. If you've got a compressor handy, lucky you. A compressor would be especially good to blow pocket lint out of the handle channels.

But, I still like a solvent to break down the oil that might be tending to hold stuff in there. It gives a good washing action.

The nice thing about a solvent such as flux remover or Gun Scrubber is that it evaporates quickly and cleanly. So, you get that nice mechanical washing action, the solvent chemical action, and you get a nice, dry joint a few minutes later ready for your favorite lubricant such as Militec-1.
 
Carb cleaner works great. It's cheap and not damaging to plastic or other sensitive materials. It's what I use to clean all of my knives and guns. Do not use brake cleaner! That stuff will disolve any Loc-Tite you are using and is very harsh.

Mer
 
Well I'm gonna go with some WD-40, followed by a wipe down of rubbing alcohol and some lube. Then I'll tuf cloth the blade and she'll hopefully be ready to go:)

I couldnt find any gun scrubber, I forgot I left all my gun stuff at my grandpas.
 
One more comment on gun scrubber. Open window positively. The stuff can be toxic. I've been using it for years but only in a very well ventilated area. Read the warning on the can. Its great stuff if used properly. It leaves no residue. Kind of like the old tuner cleaner which I don't think is available any more. When I spray with gun scrubber I do it over old news paper to catch the run off and dispose of the paper to keep it away from pets, etc.
 
Random Mutant:
Compressed air is very effective, especially when used with Tri Flow. Just one word of caution though, keep your hands out of the direct stream of the air lest you embolize yourself. This, along with eye injuries from flying particles, is one of the most common injuries suffered from use of compressed air.

Bill
 
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