Cuda Max 5.5 problem

shane45-1911

shane45-1911

Joined
Aug 5, 2001
Messages
4,306
I just received my Cuda Max yesterday from 1SKS. Great knife - but.....

I noticed a SIGNIFICANT amount of side-to-side blade play. I did the customary tightening of the pivot pin, to the point where I couldn't tighten it any more. The blade was still "wonky". I then dis-assembled the pivot pin, slid the blade out, and noticed that BOTH nylon shims had a slice completely through them, so they were not whole anymore (picture a split-washer).

Upon compression of the pivot pin, the shims would open up at the split, allowing this blade movement.

I really don't want to return the knife to SKS, as the shipping from Canada, would be worth more than the shims themselves.

What is the best way for me to order just spacers only?

TIA.
 
Shane, due to the size of this knife I'd strongly recommend
you send straight back to Camillus. Side to side play on this
knife is a no go owner fix.
 
Normally, I'd agree - but I KNOW that the broken shims are what is causing the problem. If I tighten up the pivot to the point JUST before I can feel/see the shims split open, the blade wobble is all but eliminated.
 
Will is awesome about taking care of customers . . . drop him a note and I am SURE he will work something out!
 
Jason- Of course Will will get this worked out. He'll see this thread soon enough. He always gets it worked out, that's one reason I bought Camillus!

Shane- My knife only had one washer. I didn't think that maybe there should be two different sizes. What sizes were in your knife, and which side did the thicker one go on?
 
Wirebender, I had two washers, one on each side of the blade (obviously). The smaller one was on the frame-lock side. Smaller to allow the frame lock to move inward to engage the blade, no doubt.

Upon further examination of the washers, it appears in addition to them being split, they are also out-of-round on the O.D. They appear to have been "squished" on about 1/4 of the diameter, allowing lots of blade play. If I rotate the washers so the squished area is towards the blade, the play diminishes somewhat, but is no where close to being eliminated.

Sorry to go on and on about stupid nylon washers....
 
Well, the washers are not as stupid as I am. Of course the lock side washer has to be smaller. I took my knife back apart this evening to polish out the tool marks on the hooks. When I put it together with two large OD washers, the lock bar just pushed one washer off center and sort of ovalled the ID hole out. The knife seemed to work, but obviously that wasn't right. Sorry for the bad advice. You ended up straightening me out. Thanks. Jason Burns gave us both the best advice.
 
...and as expected (and appreciated!), Will comes through as usual and is offering to ship me some spacers to tighten things up.

Thanks Will. :D
 
.....I would love to see phospher/bronze washers used. I don't know for sure but suspect that a set of Sebenza washers would work on the Cuda MAXX seeing as how both are integral locks. Don't know the exact thickness of the washers for either but will know tomorrow when my new MAXX arrives:D Will let you know how the Sebbie washers work. I think CRK sells them for about $1.00 a pair!:cool:
 
Art- You're reading my mind. Let us know how that works out. I've put a couple of DDR kits together, which is what gave me enough ignorance to try to fix this knife myself. This knife strikes me as an exellent platform for a few modifications that would make it even better. I spent my lunch hour today polishing out the tool marks on the edges of the flippers. I used a Dremel mounted in little router table made for it. It came out pretty good. The appearance of the knife will be considerably better.

I also found a smaller OD washer that will miss the lock bar by about .010" or .015". It came out of a DDR kit, I think.

Oh, by the way, when I took the knife apart to polish the edges of the flippers, I noticed marks on the standoffs where the blade edge had hit them. There were a couple of small chips in the blade. The stop pins were also loose, not even finger tight, so keep an eye on the stop pins to make sure they don't loosen up. Possibly these two things are connected, or maybe I just didn't get something else right when I put the knife back together the first time.

I also figured out a good way to reprofile this big blade. I took a couple of DMT benchstones, threw away the black plastic base, and bolted a piece of aluminum to the end of the hone. This aluminum piece is about .375" thick. I then drilled and tapped it to accept a Lansky rod and a set screw. I've now got "Lansky" hones two inches wide and made by DMT. They made short work of that reprofiling job.

Shane- I wonder how your washers got split and smashed? If you figure that one out, let us know. I can't understand what would do it. Thanks again for pointing out the obvious to me. It's not the first time I needed a little help seeing something right in front of my nose!
 
I've experienced trouble with nylon washers when I've tightened the pivots to my liking. I like for the blade tobe tight as most of the time it is no problem for me to flip it. Been doing it since the mid 80's so I've got it down pat now!:) Anyway I tightened the first Cuda Maxx I had to the desired tightness with no problems from the washers, but I have had them to tear before in other knives after repeated openings and even cause the blade to bind up. I think the phospher/bronze washers will allow for less play ( Not that it had any to begin with ) but should allow the blade to be more stable. One problem I just thought of with the CRK washers is the I.D. of the washer. The pivot on the Cuda MAXX is not as large in diameter as the CRK pivot with bearing, so this my present a problem. I will see. I may go to alocal supply hose and see if they have any washers on hand that will work or at least that can be "modified" to work!:eek:

Will let you know!
 
Cuda MAXX just arrived and I'm getting ready to go out the door. Just some quick observations;

1. The action seems to tighten up a bit more than my first one ( a good thing):D
2. The washers are in place and seem to be whole.
3. The lockup is better than my first one in that the lock seems to gall a little ( again a good thing ) :D
4. action is buttery smooth. Not like my Sebbie, but not $415.00 either;)
5. handle finish is much darker a very deep blue with some indigo and violet down the middle. Remember ROY G BIV ?

Overall I am tickled pink with the MAXX. I may still try the bronze washer thing but sometimes you don't fix what ain't broke! With the action and lockup I have I may just leave well enough alone.

BTW, UPS not only brought my Cuda MAXX but also a Sure Fire M2 Centurion into which I have already put the P61 lamp assembly. Just waiting for the night to fall!!:D :cool: :eek:
 
Well, of course I couldn't stand it until I took it down. I did and just finished putting it back together and it is even smoother than before!:cool: I used my Dremel with nothing but the polishing wheel on it and used Flitz on the blade tang, pivot, and inside the ti frames. I put it back together using something I picked up at work last night, Zebco Reel grease. It has apparently done a good job as it is now just gliding open and I have the pivot tightened down securely. Takes a good flick of the finger but I like it that way and it does open up and lock with absolute authority!:D

So now I am just working on the blade itself using Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish to bring out a satin/mirror finish on the blade. With the stonewash finish it looks real good after a few days of daily polishing. Sorta has a metal flake appearance.:cool:

NOTE OF CAUTION:

I just took off the stop pins/thumb lugs in order to polish them and then I put them back on, using loc-tite to hold them secure. The "problem" if you want to call it that is that the lockup is affected by this. When I received the MAXX lockup was about 50% of the blade tang covered by the lock bar. After replacing the stop pins I now have about 25% of the blade tang being covered. It does not seem to be a problem as the lock is TIGHT against the blade. Guess it will just allow for extra wear. Just thought I would mention it.
BTW, All of my Sebenza's lock up at about 25% to 40% of the blade tang being covered. This is just the way I like it. Don't know why but would guess there is some anal reason:eek:
 
bender, we are talking about the stop pins/thumb lug looking thins, right? I assume so so this is what I did. I used a 5/64 hex to loosen the lockside lug while I held the other with my fingers. It came right off. I then used my Dremel tool with a wire wheel to clean the threads of the male side and sprayed disc brake cleaner into the female side and compressed air to blow it out. This makes it easier to reassemble. Then holding it with my fingers again I applied the loc-tite and tightened it up. Again it tightened right up with me doing nothing but holding it.

I have had some knives where I had to use a small pair of pliers and a thin piece of leather to unloosen. In fact I use a crimping plier that has small grooves in eac side and a thin strip of leather around the lug and have had good results.

You also mention standoffs causing some blade chipping. Are you referring to the three spacers along the top edge of the handle? Have you had any more trouble there? I checked mine out and I can't figure how the blade could hit these.
 
Art- Yes, by standoffs I meant those spacers. I first noticed a chip in the blade and a definate mark in the spacer at the thinnest part of the handle. I took that spacer out and put the knife back together, and the blade started hitting the spacer nearest the pivot. I didn't notice the stop pins being loose, so they couldn't have been too loose. I finally decided to take the stop pins off so I could lay the blade flat on a router table. The pins weren't even finger tight. All I can "figure" is that the pin shoulders which fit inside the blade hole are not perfect cylinders. The outside diameter of the shoulder is smaller toward the edge. As the pins loosen and move away from each other, it allows the blade to close a couple thousandths further, which translates into a few thousands movement out at the belly of the blade.

If this explanation ain't right, I have no other! At any rate red loctite should fix it. Just keep an eye on those pins with all that flipping you're going to do. I haven't got the knife back together yet, other projects intruded, but I'll figure this out yet. Maybe I'll put a nice recurve on the blade ( just kidding, this stuff is too hard to grind with a Dremel). But it's also just crying for a Spanish notch. Those ideas are too big for my equipment though.
 
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