Emerson combat karambit is very stiff

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Emersonman91

Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
22
Hey guys I was just servicing my Emerson combat KaramBit that is now 6 years old when I noticed that compared to almost all my other knives it has a lot more resistance when trying to open it. And to be fair it always had this problem where I could never really open it one-handed and I always had to use the wave feature

To put this in perspective by Spyderco can be open with one finger using the thumb hole as though I’m shooting a marble with my thumb or can be opened by the wave.

however the Emersons thumb hole can basically not be utilized because you can’t flick the blade open with just your fingers.


The only way you can truly open it is by starting it with your thumb and then whipping your hand.


I’m wondering if the lubrication has become an issue or maybe my pivot screw is too tight.


All I know is that at this point you either need to use two hands to open the blade or if you’re doing it with one hand you need to start it just a little bit by hand and then flick it open the rest of the way.


Based on other peoples posts I think I may have done some thing and it’s early days 4-5 years ago and might’ve adjusted the tension By tightening it loosening the pivot screw.


but somehow I always remember that even when I used to loosen the pivot screw up almost all the way it’s still never really loosened up to the point that I wanted it to.


Either you can loosen the pivot screw to the point where I just falls open or you can tighten it and then it becomes very stiff

Any
ideas ?
 
Take down the knife, clean out any gunk that may be there. Then apply some grease or oil to the washer. Tighten the pivot to the point where there is no blade play, but still as loose as can be.
 
tokerblue said:
Take down the knife, clean out any gunk that may be there. Then apply some grease or oil to the washer. Tighten the pivot to the point where there is no blade play, but still as loose as can be.
Click to expand...
So most likely my issue is the years of build up ?

cause I’m not sure the pivot screw was ever as loose as I wanted it.


What oil would u use.
Is balistol ok ? Or even 3 in one oil
 
Emersonman91 said:
So most likely my issue is the years of build up ?

cause I’m not sure the pivot screw was ever as loose as I wanted it.


What oil would u use.
Is balistol ok ? Or even 3 in one oil
Click to expand...
It could be anything. I know mine gets a lot of pocket lint in there. I usually take all my knives apart when they feel gritty or when they don't open smoothly. I find that Emersons can be finicky on how tight the pivot screw can be. I usually use a drop of Blue Loctite to make it stay where I want.

I like Nano Oil for lubricating knives, but any decent gun lube should work.
 
Emerson knives use nylatron washers where as most Spyderco knives use phosphor bronze washers (sometimes paired with teflon washers) or bearings. While this makes Emersons inherently stiffer to operate, it also adds a bit more corrosion resistance since the washers aren't metal. Unless you have an early 2000's Emerson that's well broken in, its unlikely you'll ever get it as smooth as a Spyderco.

Pivot tension could help things a little. You can add some teflon tape or blue loctite to the pivot and adjust the tension where you like it without fear of it loosening. As far as lubrication, I personally use Chris Reeve flourinated grease. Just two small dots on each side of the blade will make things smoother. You can also buy flourinated grease at bicycle repair shops in larger quantities for a cheaper price.
 
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