Do you disassemble and oil your newly purchased knives?

I trust the brands of knives I buy so I don't need to sharpen them or lube them or otherwise mess around with them when new; I get a lot of tool steel stuff so I'll need to add some lube but it's normally a needle tip oiler and some compressed air.

I take the "If it ain't broke don't fix it" road.
 
Danke42 said:
I'd field strip a firearm. I wouldn't be hammering pins out or the like.
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What he said.
Firearms are designed to be field stripped for cleaning. Knives really aren't. Some outfits consider any disassembly to void the warranty. I don't disagree with their policy.
"just because you can, does not mean you should."
 
knarfeng said:
What he said.
Firearms are designed to be field stripped for cleaning. Knives really aren't. Some outfits consider any disassembly to void the warranty. I don't disagree with their policy.
"just because you can, does not mean you should."
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Roger that!

I always felt that those were the companies that didn't want you to see how they handle business under the hood. :)
 
I’ve had only one new knife I had to disassemble and clean. About 2/3 of the time when flipping the blade out it would bind and stop at half open. Upon disassemble I found a small piece of cloth/ paper fabric wadded up in the pivot and stop pin track. I cleaned and oiled it and reassembled it. Then it flipped out easily every time.

I’m thinking that when they finished the knife and wiped it down the cloth or paper towel snagged it the pivot unbeknownst they flipped it open a couple times and boxed it up ready to ship out. It’s no biggy for me to disassemble a knife or tool if it’s designed for take apart. I’ve worked on much more complex and delicate items than a knife in my professional career.
 
It was not too long ago where Spyderco would use locktite on their hardware and discourage owners from disassembling their knives. Couple that with somewhat soft fasteners and you are asking to strip out the fasteners especially if you did not expect the loctite. In that case I don't think it is wise to disassemble a knife to lube it. Spyderco has since changed their policy on loctite for the more current knives.

Look at CRK that likes for their customers to maintain their knives and that includes disassemble for cleaning and lubing. If the knife is hard to open and you feel the lube is dried out then by all means disassemble this knife as the risk of stripping the hardware is less likely. These knifes are easy to disassemble and go back together without issue.

I stripped a screw on a Sage 1 so I am less likely to disassemble them, but I enjoy working on the CRKs. :cool:
 
Brand new , I do nothing , unless needed .

Almost always, just some light spray lube with break-in , if necessary .

Hardly ever really take apart a knife , unless it's got to be junked otherwise . Nothin to lose then ! 🤷‍♂️

Will adjust the pivot or tighten loose fasteners etc , as needed .

Most of the folders, I use hard / dirty , are Cold Steel Tri-ad locks . Don't normally need much, except simple cleaning , no disassembly . :cool::thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
Knives only get taken completely down to deal with problems or to replace parts. Other than that, sharpen and lube as needed.

Firearms... new ones get a field strip, safety inspect, maybe a touch of oil if needed. Used, well, depends on source. Unknown gets a solid inspection and cleaning. Known sources determine the level that I am willing to tear things down.
 
I will, if necessary, or if I'm going to customize it. I have no problem with disassembly and respect those who don't. "A man's got to know his limitations." Not everyone needs to make stuff "better." I have found that some knives need adjustment to get a perfect lockup. When I get my Manix 2 XL's locked up tight with no wiggle and drops shut smooth with no wrist flick, I'm happy and carry that knife more often. It appears I'm OCD though and tend to want to improve everything. We're all wired differently and enjoy a hobby at different levels, and it's all great. However, I think there can be a benefit to learning how a knife is made and how it functions even if it's not necessary to disassemble.
 
ronaldvo said:
I do this on used knives I buy but curious what everyone does for brand new knives straight from the factory? I bought the CJRB Pyrite recently, wasn’t happy with how it felt so I opened it up and oiled the bearings. Still wasn’t a fan.

Just picked up a Bestechman Dundee and this thing feels like a dream (a $40 dream) out of the box. I don’t think I’ll take this one apart for a while.
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no
 
I only take apart a knife when I want to do scale swaps. Otherwise I just put a drop of oil if it needs it and move on.
 
Im sure there are some here that are not as skilled in mechanical issues and have problems with fasteners and such but I know there are some that do have the skills to easily work on a knife to disassemble and reassemble properly. I’ve taken thousands of screws out and put back in on all kinds of small equipment/ machines and yes it can be tedious. I think it’s been around junior high since I last stripped a screw. Lol if you have difficulty with screws or fasteners and alignment issues then it’s probably best if you don’t venture into the disassembly or service of delicate items.
 
I don't take them apart, they are all slip joints. When I get a new knife i start rounding sharp corners and breaking edges if needed ( not the blade edge - I am basically creating a pocket - user friendly knife ), I adjust the kick if needed, touch up the edge to my liking and giving it a good rinse under HOT running water. after drying it off good I oil the joints with mineral oil. Last I start developing a patina by cutting up some strawberries or apples if carbon steel.
 
I have never taken apart a new knife. I have taken apart used knives to clean them up, AND if I am confident I can reassemble it. I like purchasing used knives that need a bit of maintenance, and enjoy the transformation of them back to a nicer piece. Usually, I get right into it, and half way through putting it back together it dawns on me that I should have taken a before and after pic. Oh well, the finished work is almost always such an improvement.
 
Peened together slip-joints hardly ever (I have though), but screw construction knives I almost always end up taking apart. I may use them for a while without disassembly, but sooner or later I take them apart for inspection, cleaning and usually de-burring and adding a swedge, etc. Spydercos, for instance, usually benefit from polishing the bronze washers and the inside of the liners where the front pocket clip screw holes are. I will take off any sharp corners of the blade and handle that contact my hand, too. Makes a big difference. I pretty much do the same with firearms, too. To me, taking them apart and getting to know them is half the fun!
 
I have had issues with Cold Steel AUS8A blades. I put them in a box and carry them occasionally, but with several of them I have situations in which, for reasons I can't explain, I pick them up and find one side to have some corrosion. It's always the one side, mostly the right sides, even with black finishes. It's only one knife in the box. I have stainless guns, but no issues.

Always lubricate your knives, regardless of the steel. I use BreakFree CLP now on all my knives, as well as on all my guns. It's great stuff.
 
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