Detent on flipper too strong. Any advice?

flatface77

flatface77

Joined
Oct 3, 2007
Messages
987
My ZT 0452CF just came in & I love everything about it except the flipper. If I flip it more than 5 times or so in a row my finger gets sore. Also, applying pressure at anything less than the perfect angle & he blade doesn't open at all, further bruising my index finger & making openings unreliable. Is there any way to fix this or smooth it out? Did I get a lemon? Thanks.
 
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This is how they are doing their flippers now. With use it will get easier and wear in nicely. Most times its a matter of having to change your technique. Many flippers favor being pushed in on where on your knife you would be best served pulling straight back in line with the length of the handle. The detent is set up in such a way that under any realistic circumstances once that detent is overcome it will open completely and lockup. I would use it and it will break in, your technique will improve and your finger will get stronger. There are a couple different approaches to weakening a detent but they have their own drawbacks and again your knife was designed to be the way it is. Any changes could negatively effect lockup and lock strength. If you really really cant stand it I would recommend sending it in and seeing if they can tweak it for you. Usually its a light adjustment to the pressure of the lockbar but it has to be done in extremely small increments. Some like to modify the detent hole but I prefer to perform the least invasive options before permanently modifying and possibly damaging the knife.
 
Some say they will smooth out. Some say they have knocked off the edge of the detent hole. Both with good results. Mine was ridiculously difficult to open. I opted to send it in to ZT. Came back perfect but can understand why folks get upset having to send in a new knife.
 
I'll flip it for a few days & see if it helps. I'm really tired of mailing expensive items back to get fixed lately, though. I really don't want to have to toughen my finger to use this knife, either. The multiple reviewer comments on it's smoothness & the IKBS are part of why I pulled the trigger. It does fire nice once it's out, but every 4th or 5th time I try, it doesn't come out & just bruises my finger as I push in vain. I've had a second one pre-ordered for a while before I spotted this one & I'm thinking of asking them to handle a few & give me the weakest detent of the bunch.
 
flatface77 said:
I'll flip it for a few days & see if it helps. I'm really tired of mailing expensive items back to get fixed lately, though. I really don't want to have to toughen my finger to use this knife, either. The multiple reviewer comments on it's smoothness & the IKBS are part of why I pulled the trigger. It does fire nice once it's out, but every 4th or 5th time I try, it doesn't come out & just bruises my finger as I push in vain. I've had a second one pre-ordered for a while before I spotted this one & I'm thinking of asking them to handle a few & give me the weakest detent of the bunch.
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It's too bad you got that one. I hear it's been happening with that model.

I worry a lot about a dealer sending me a knife that's already been returned a time or two. IMO that's a high percentage. An expensive knife should be perfect though.

Some dealers will hand pick one for you...some won't. Personally, I'd take my chances with a factory-sealed.
 
Don't exert pressure on the lock bar and it'll break in.
 
flip from the very most outside top of the flipper, utilize all that leverage. It isn't silky but make overcoming the detent much easier. I also put a drop of Breakfree CLP on the pivot and detent. I have a Minuteman ZT 0801 that is very tight and this technique helped.
 
flatface77 said:
I'll flip it for a few days & see if it helps. I'm really tired of mailing expensive items back to get fixed lately, though. I really don't want to have to toughen my finger to use this knife, either. The multiple reviewer comments on it's smoothness & the IKBS are part of why I pulled the trigger. It does fire nice once it's out, but every 4th or 5th time I try, it doesn't come out & just bruises my finger as I push in vain. I've had a second one pre-ordered for a while before I spotted this one & I'm thinking of asking them to handle a few & give me the weakest detent of the bunch.
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Sounds like the Lemon I had. Rediculously strong detent that sometimes wouldn't even fire. Sent it back to seller and bought another. Next one was perfect.
 
Just got a 0452cf a week ago and the detent is perfect. The detent is strong which i prefer, but it breaks with moderate force and fires like a champ. I've read of this with other 0452cf's and the reports are that they break in with use. How yours eases up some for you!
 
Is a "flopper" anything like flubber?

flubber2.jpg
 
I suppose it could just be a knife with no detent at all and the blade just kind of flops out...
 
And to keep this somewhat on track OP, my 452CF was much like your s initially, but it broke in nicely and does not cause those issues now. I would give it some time.
 
I'm a much bigger fan of softer detents, about the level that Kizer does them. If the knife's action is smooth enough, there just doesn't seem to be much reason in making the detent so strong. But I guess people like it, and that's fine with me. There is something nice about the knife exploding out of the handle, I suppose.
 
flatface77 said:
I'll flip it for a few days & see if it helps. I'm really tired of mailing expensive items back to get fixed lately, though. I really don't want to have to toughen my finger to use this knife, either. The multiple reviewer comments on it's smoothness & the IKBS are part of why I pulled the trigger. It does fire nice once it's out, but every 4th or 5th time I try, it doesn't come out & just bruises my finger as I push in vain. I've had a second one pre-ordered for a while before I spotted this one & I'm thinking of asking them to handle a few & give me the weakest detent of the bunch.
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See the way i look at it is that nothing really needs "fixing". Look at it this way, just like any other tangible good you can think of these are manufactured products. They are designed with a particular user in mind. There are flippers for those who dont really lean on them (hinderer) and there are those who prefer both stud and flipper opening (my carson boiling is a good example) and there are flippers for those who love a strong, firm detent. That last one is the knife you bought. When we decide to make a new purchase we as humans make a faulty error when we do. We set expectations on how that item should operate which is completely subjective. But no matter what those expectations are an item does not automatically default to being defective or need fixing because it is not in line with our desires. You look at it as something that is needing to be repaired. The people who made it feel its exactly how they intended it to be. At the end of the day sometimes certain products are just not for certain people. I do hope you end up liking the knife at some point but if you dont try not to take it personally or look at it as a improperly designed or made product. It simply is out of the scope of your preferences.
 
I prefer a knife to come a little "difficult" and break into perfection. Rather than coming perfect and breaking into a little slop.
 
PURPLEDC said:
See the way i look at it is that nothing really needs "fixing". Look at it this way, just like any other tangible good you can think of these are manufactured products. They are designed with a particular user in mind. There are flippers for those who dont really lean on them (hinderer) and there are those who prefer both stud and flipper opening (my carson boiling is a good example) and there are flippers for those who love a strong, firm detent. That last one is the knife you bought. When we decide to make a new purchase we as humans make a faulty error when we do. We set expectations on how that item should operate which is completely subjective. But no matter what those expectations are an item does not automatically default to being defective or need fixing because it is not in line with our desires. You look at it as something that is needing to be repaired. The people who made it feel its exactly how they intended it to be. At the end of the day sometimes certain products are just not for certain people. I do hope you end up liking the knife at some point but if you dont try not to take it personally or look at it as a improperly designed or made product. It simply is out of the scope of your preferences.
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It wasn't advertized as having any features out of the scope of my preferences & when see "IKBS" I think "smooth opening". To me, it looked like it might bump my axis AFCK as my favorite edc. I love everything else about it & if it smooths out I really think it will.

That said, I've lubed it with a bit of Nano Oil & have been trying to break it in when I'm home. I think it's smoothing out a little bit, but it's hard to tell. A few more days should break it in from what you guys are saying. If not, ZT will probably fix me up. It sounds like I'm gonna be good either way. Thanks for all of the feedback & I'll give an update in a day or two. This is my first ZT & everything else about this folder has very much exceeded my expectations.
 
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