Does every 55 feel like the blade is rubbing/grinding on opening and and closing?

Daniel

Daniel

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Oct 3, 1998
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I have bought and exchanged 3 Buck 055's and each one has felt like the blade is grinding or rubbing on something on opening and closing. I cannot see any evidence that anything on the blade is rubbing--no marks. It is the same place in the the movement every time-right when you open it and then it stops rubbing and right before it is closed.

If this is normal, then I guess that I will give up and accept it. But, I will exchange it again if it is not supposed to be this way.

I really like this little knife, but this grinding/rubbing is displeasing to me.
 
It could be excess grit from the assembly process. You could try using an old toothbrush or something similar to clean it out with some soapy water. Then lubricate the pivot with some sort of oil.
 
That's what I was going to say... warm soapy water and a toothbrush... Use a hair dryer and dry it really good then lubricate it...

:)
 
I cleaned them out, but it does not change. I though that it was grit, but it is not. I have had knives with grit in the pivot, but it does not feel like this. The grinding is at the same spot every time on three different 055 knives.

I am starting to think that it is the stamp on the blade rubbing against the liner. This does not really make sense, though, because the stamp feels smooth when I run my fingernail across it.
 
I also thought that it might be the lock rubbing on the tang, but the tang is smooth.
 
If it's like the 110s, there is a bronze bushing pressed into the blade. It's a touch thicker than the blade and keeps the blade from rubbing the brass frame. It'll need to wear itself to the brass frame. It shouldn't take too long to work out.
 
I guess that it could be the washers, but it feels like the blade tang. The weird thing is that three knives felt it at the same exact spot in the opening/closing motion.

I kind of wish that I kept the first one since it had the best finish on the handle and the blade.

I will give this one a couple of days and see if it smooths out at all. Otherwise, I will give it one more shot in exchange.
 
i believe its just the lock bar arm on the blade pivot clearing the flat part to the round part. noticed it on a 501 just now. its right at open as it passes the flat to round blade pivot for a lack of a better term. once it gets to the round part it stops rubbing right?
 
I don't recall if I had this problem with my 55. It's smooth as butter now. I typically just keep opening and closing a knife when I have these issues and in time that does the trick. But, I am constantly opening and closing a knife anyway. It's just what I like to do. I hope your 55 gets better! It's a great little knife.
 
jbmonkey said:
i believe its just the lock bar arm on the blade pivot clearing the flat part to the round part. noticed it on a 501 just now. its right at open as it passes the flat to round blade pivot for a lack of a better term. once it gets to the round part it stops rubbing right?
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I think that this very well could be the answer. Thanks
 
Yes, I really like it. My first good knife back in the early 70's was a 110. I had not even noticed the 55 until a couple of weeks ago.
 
Daniel said:
I think that this very well could be the answer. Thanks
Click to expand...

yes Sir. if it is then all of them have it a bit. even some well worn 110s i noticed it. not really at faster openings but very slow i noticed the rubbing,, but the longer blade and more leverage made it much harder to notice unless done really slowly and on purpose.
 
I just saw your post Daniel. Interestingly enough, I bought both of my daughters a 55 as Christmas gifts a couple of months ago. Both of them had a gritty/grindy feeling when opening. It wasn't noticeable to my girls, but it was to me. I don't feel the grittiness on either of my 110's, Bantam 284, or MiniBucks. The two 55s I bought were this way right out of the clamshell. I just oiled them up a little and sent them on their way. I don't know if the grittiness is still there or if it has gone away, and neither of my daughters live at home anymore, so I can't easily look at the knives right now. Next opportunity I get, I'll check them out and report back.
 
OldSchool64 said:
I just saw your post Daniel. Interestingly enough, I bought both of my daughters a 55 as Christmas gifts a couple of months ago. Both of them had a gritty/grindy feeling when opening. It wasn't noticeable to my girls, but it was to me. I don't feel the grittiness on either of my 110's, Bantam 284, or MiniBucks. The two 55s I bought were this way right out of the clamshell. I just oiled them up a little and sent them on their way. I don't know if the grittiness is still there or if it has gone away, and neither of my daughters live at home anymore, so I can't easily look at the knives right now. Next opportunity I get, I'll check them out and report back.
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I appreciate your response. It sounds like a common occurrence.
 
That should not be happening. I will follow up with the shop and check our stock.
you can send it in directly tome and I'll get it taken care of.

Jeff
 
I decided to return this one to the Amazon- again. Maybe another one will be right. I am not going to accept a knife that is not right.

I decided against sending it to Buck at my cost. It does not make sense for what I paid for the knife.
 
I was going to offer you a diagnostic test and a fix, but since you no longer have the knife I won't. Nice little knives, though. I love the looks of them.
 
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