Dominator woes...

M

Mikjk

Joined
Oct 31, 2003
Messages
895
hi all,

i have been using my early production Dominator at work, hard, but not abusive. i have two issues with the knife.

first, the blade has become very uncentered, to the point where the blade almost touchs the inside of the scale.

the second is the lock up. i did try and fix a problem with lock up after i used the knife to cut some plastic hose at a location i was helping knock down (think green stuff and basement). i thought that due to some slime getting into the grooves in the blade lock up surface caused slippage in the lock. i have used the knife a few times after, and the lock slippage is now a chronic problem... the blade can be moved back and forth on the frame lock. unless i push the frame lock hard into the blade, i get a loose blade. this happens when i use the flipper. i don't want to bend the frame lock further in as i am not sure if this will work since the lock may have a temper.

any suggestions? should i try and fix the problem by bending the frame lock inwards or should i send the knife back to Camillus?

love the knife, but with the loose lock up, i have retired this blade. want to put it back into rotation.

TIA

Jon
 
I agree with Dirk. Mine came centered but I played with the pivot anyway :rolleyes: , and noticed right away that if the pivot is loosened the blade begins to move away from the lock.

I recommend using some loctite on the pivot screw. It appears that Darrel Ralph applied blue loctite to the pivot screw when he installed bronze washers on mine. I can see how the Robo opening of this knife could really shake up and loosen the screws.
 
no joy.... tightened up the pivot screw, but i still have movement of the blade against the lock. i'm thinking i'm going to have to send it back to Camillus. some issues with that since i am in Canada and Canada Customs is on a rampage in regards to knives... afraid it will be "detained" at the border. hopefully my other Dominaotr won't develop this problem.

any other suggestions for fixes would be appreciated.
 
It could be also that the washers have broken down some. the nylon tends to do that on heavier knives over a period of time. the blade grind, where it engages the lock is ramped and if the blade is not secure (has lateral movement) it can cause the lock to not engage correctly. This could very well be the case. You have to figure in also, that although the frame lock is titanium it does wear like anything else (just not as quickly), that could be a factor. The best thing is if you could send it in to them to have it looked at.

Have you checked the backspacer screws to see it they are tight? Any loosing of their screws on the back spacers could cause it to be off also. I use to make walker style locks and the tolerances of all parts, pivot, backspacer, lock, blade, etc. have to be so well adjusted that if any one is off it causes the lock up to really be off (loose, etc.).
 
thanks guys,

i think i have "fixed" my Dominator for the short term... hopefully forever. i took the chance and put pressure on the titanium part of the lock and bent it inward. i used moderate pressure, but flexed the scale for 15 min, hoping that the titanium will take a set. so far so good, but i would think that the temper of the titanium will reset the lock in time. i do not have any horizontal/lateral play on the knife, only vertical. all backspacers r in place and screws r tight. pivot screw is tight too...but loose enough so that the assist function works. theblade is still off center, which bugs me, but i hope to fix that problem by replacing the washers with bronze-phospher ones in the future. if the blade play returns, i'll repost.

thanks again!
 
Mine had flatten the nylon washer and I replaced them with bronze. Now the knife centers nicely. Lockup WILL be improved if u tighten the pivot and blue loctite it at the same time.
 
Kevtan,

thanks for the reply. can u tell me what size of bronze washer u used in ur Dominator? i would like to order some, but i'm not sure which one fits. i am assuming u bought the washers at knifekits.com. thanks!

the lock seems to be holding. i gave this knife to a friend who is in classes right now and he will put it through a workout. gave him instructions to get back to me if the blade gets loose.

Jon
 
Not sure of teh size. Just email the persons in knifekits and they will send it to you in regular airmail if u are not in the US. Or u could email Darrel Ralph about it.
 
Just checked, had to open the damn knife, but its the same size as the ones for the typhoon balisong.

No need to open the whole frame.
open out the blade but do not lock it.
put some coins so the lockbar do not press the blade
undo the pivot screw and push the pivot out with a smaller than the screw rod
wiggle the blade abit and push the washers out
try an unused credit card to pust out the washer
use the same type of manouvering to put in the new bronze washers
align the blade and washer in the pivot hole
put in the pivot
clean out the screw and use some loctite BLUE on it
or use some nail polish ( clear )
tighten screw until set and reverse 1/8 turn
try the firing
if too tight or too loose reverse or tighten until smooth but a bit tight.
 
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