F ball bearings! OK, maybe not so much now, opinion changing

I've been saying this in almost every related post i can on this forum and almost nobody ever agrees with me, bearings are for toy knives. Washers are for tools.
 
Seems to me like they're a design feature for people who mostly make unboxing and first impression videos.
 
Aldebaran said:
I elaborated why I don't like ball bearing knives. I started this thread to start a conversation and yes I was intentionally being provocative. But seriously, almost all the new knives I like, and most of the old ones, have ball bearings.
Click to expand...

Just pondering which are the knives you like but won't buy because they have ball bearings. Most BB knives are flippers, no?, so you want flipper knives with washers? ZTs are flippers and mostly run on BBs. Same for Shiros, though some of the older ones are on washers. I guess most of the mid-tech and production flippers have ball bearings. Hinderers run on Teflon washers as does my Wilson Combat Les George Eagle.

The majority (I'd say vast majority) of Spydercos and Benchmades are not flippers and also run on washers. CRKs are great knives, not flippers, and proudly sport smooth pivots with oversize PhB washers. So anyway, what is there that you like that you'd buy if it ran on washers?
 
I carry mostly ball-bearing pivot knives, and I also don't carry a compressor around with me.

Are you saying that you could be in the desert long enough to have to clean and re-lubricate your knife without ever getting back to "base camp"?

It is my opinion, after years of experience with bearing pivot knives, that folks who are sure they are not for knives yet have never tried them are all wet.

Nothing wrong with washers, and nothing wrong with bearings.

I prefer bearings, and I also prefer my motorcycles have a suspension, but if someone wants to ride the old-style hard-tail that's just fine with me.

best

mqqn
 
If you have never actually used one of the things you are ranting and raving about, than frankly, it's downgraded to unsubstantiated bitching and whining until you have experience to backup your guesses about performance.

I have a lot of different types of knives and if you get grit in them, they have gritty action. In fact, I think bearing knives might actually get less gritty. The ball bearings have a small contact area and lots of empty space next to them and it seems like the bearings actually push a piece of sand to the side where it's no longer effecting action. But if you drop the knife into beach sand it's going to be gritty no matter what it is.

Knives also don't need to be taken apart and some ritualistic cleaning process that requires delicate tools in the shape of a hexagram so as not to anger the knife Gods where they then demand your blood to be spilled in their name, if not performed correctly and routinely.

Just stick your knife under a faucet or in that running trout stream, open and close the knife a dozen times, shake as much water from it as you can, and go on about your business grit free.

With all those degrees you have I'm surprised you have had time to use a knife outside of school. As a mechanical engineer I know the intense time and studying for even just one degree at a time.

I suggest you get one, use it, and see if it's actually as terrible as you think it's going to be. Then come back and tell us in what ways they are actually so bad. I bet you sing a different time though and that wouldn't be as fun as complaining about something you think you know about.
 
ZT560/561 and ZT801 both use bearings...they seem to hold up pretty well to use/hard use. I don't disagree that bronze washers require a bit less maintenance but bearings are not a design flaw. Match the tool to the task...you shouldn't use a scew driver as a hammer. Learn to appreciate different designs, construction, etc. Personally, I think life (and knife collections) would be pretty boring without some variety...if you disagree and all you want / need is a hard use knife with bronze washers, then buy one and be done with it.
 
I always find the complaints about all bearings amusing. Like somehow Knives that run on washers don't get gritty if you drag them through the mud.

Bottom line: in 95% of normal use bearings are just fine, and also fun. In the remaining 5% a fixed blade the right tool.
 
Meh, i love bearings. If done a certain way it is not problematic at all. I find many of the detractors often admit they havent used them which seems odd to me. Most people who enjoy bearing flippers report no issues. I just feel that the best representation for factual evidence in favor or against would most likely come from those with the most experience with the product. I find much of the talk about bearing knives being problematic are hypothetical arguments.
 
I'm still waiting on the washer fad to die out! The Buck 110 and countless other time tested knives seem to get along just fine without those pesky things. :D
But seriously, so you're looking for a flipper but criticizing bearing users? I enjoy flippers AND bearings, but they are BOTH unnecessary and kind of toy-ish. So basically you want a knife with the fancy features that you enjoy but without the ones that you view as unnecessary?
Go custom or quit your whining! There are plenty of knives out there to satisfy everybody's desires.
 
I have knives with washers and knives with bearings. I've never had an issue with any of them. I've used them to butcher ducks, geese, etc.

But I also take my knives apart from time to time to clean everything.
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
If you have never actually used one of the things you are ranting and raving about, than frankly, it's downgraded to unsubstantiated bitching and whining until you have experience to backup your guesses about performance.
Click to expand...

That is a valid point. I cannot say definitively that a ball bearing knife would not be OK for me. I can say that from my varied experience in other fields that I can make a prediction on my satisfaction.

FlaMtnBkr said:
With all those degrees you have I'm surprised you have had time to use a knife outside of school. As a mechanical engineer I know the intense time and studying for even just one degree at a time.
Click to expand...

I have degrees? When did I say that?

FlaMtnBkr said:
I suggest you get one, use it, and see if it's actually as terrible as you think it's going to be. Then come back and tell us in what ways they are actually so bad. I bet you sing a different time though and that wouldn't be as fun as complaining about something you think you know about.
Click to expand...

OK, if I buy a ZT0562CF and don't like it, will you buy it from me?
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
If you have never actually used one of the things you are ranting and raving about, than frankly, it's downgraded to unsubstantiated bitching and whining until you have experience to backup your guesses about performance.

I have a lot of different types of knives and if you get grit in them, they have gritty action. In fact, I think bearing knives might actually get less gritty. The ball bearings have a small contact area and lots of empty space next to them and it seems like the bearings actually push a piece of sand to the side where it's no longer effecting action. But if you drop the knife into beach sand it's going to be gritty no matter what it is.

Knives also don't need to be taken apart and some ritualistic cleaning process that requires delicate tools in the shape of a hexagram so as not to anger the knife Gods where they then demand your blood to be spilled in their name, if not performed correctly and routinely.

Just stick your knife under a faucet or in that running trout stream, open and close the knife a dozen times, shake as much water from it as you can, and go on about your business grit free.

With all those degrees you have I'm surprised you have had time to use a knife outside of school. As a mechanical engineer I know the intense time and studying for even just one degree at a time.

I suggest you get one, use it, and see if it's actually as terrible as you think it's going to be. Then come back and tell us in what ways they are actually so bad. I bet you sing a different time though and that wouldn't be as fun as complaining about something you think you know about.
Click to expand...

This is exactly how I see it & couldn't have said it any better. I posted a thread on this several months ago except I was asking if anybody had any issues with it getting gritty and gunked up.. Everyone that chimed in had something positive to say and it led to me buying my first ball bearing which was a ZT 0804cf. I couldn't be anymore impressed with the action and smoothness in the action and have used it in many different environments except the desert. I highly doubt it would fail me their either. Needless to say I don't think the bearings need as much lube, grease or oil as many people would think. I can understand how some people think from the car and machinery aspect but at that point the load pressure is alot higher than in a knife causing more friction and why the application of lube, grease and oil is more of an issue.

Either way, why not carry a fixed blade if you're that worried about the action?
 
lol I love the intense hatred for a blade interface...

Bearings absolutely have strengths, and are an extremely legitimate interface.

If heavy duty dirty-as-f@ck work environments are where you need your knife, bearings are simply the wrong tool for the job. Strider and Hinderer specifically make knives to sort you out here.

I'd also like to point out that if you aren't worried about smooth action, what is a little grit anyway? Hardened steel races (ergo ZT is excluded here) and extremely hard ball bearings will certainly be fine pushing it out of the way.

Hell, a little oil and air and the thing is clean in two seconds anyway


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
ChazzyP said:
So anyway, what is there that you like that you'd buy if it ran on washers?
Click to expand...
Zero Tolerance ZT0562, ZT0560, ZT0450/2, ZT0220, ZT080x series, Stedemon D01, Steel Will Cutjack G10, Spyderco Bradley Advocate, Spyderco Domino, are some examples.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top