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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
F ball bearings! OK, maybe not so much now, opinion changing
- Thread starter Aldebaran
- Start date
This!
stabman
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That would be cool if they did.
Like I said, I don't really care much about bearings one way or the other, so if they went with all washers, I'd be fine.
Of course, I'd also be fine if they went with all bearings.
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According to some folks, I probably should.
The only downside to that knife is that the jimping at the front of the handle can be a tad uncomfortable in very forceful cutting in a hammer-grip without gloves.
For regular use it is perfectly comfortable, and it hasn't really been an issue, but if someone said they found it uncomfortable in very heavy cutting, I could certainly see where they are coming from.
i have that same knife. used it for whittling down wood to cut through larger branches easier. i do know what you are saying. so if ya' tosss it away due to those bearings, toss it my way. ill make sure its disposed of properly and safely.
+1 on washers and Emersons. I just picked up a CQC7V and I'm afraid that I might've initiated myself (and wallet) into the Emerson cult! [emoji12]
The old school nylatron washers are fascinating to me. Not as smooth as bronze phosphorus washers, but not quite as "sticky" as teflon washers. They seem to like running "dry" (at least that's what I've found in my BM 910 Stryker).
I too prefer washers in my knives, but I wouldn't mind trying a knife that runs on bearings some day just to try it. I think I would want to try something that runs on "caged" bearings instead of loose bearings (like a ZT).
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stabman
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i have that same knife. used it for whittling down wood to cut through larger branches easier. i do know what you are saying. so if ya' tosss it away due to those bearings, toss it my way. ill make sure its disposed of properly and safely.
Good to know there's a safe disposal option.
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Ahhhhhhh....your learning a valuable lesson about this forum Daniel Son, there are certain trigger words that set some off
into an emotional tantrum defending there purchases until you either cave, concede or bow to there post count as a measure
of intellect and wisdom of all things cutlery.
Its all rainbows and unicorns here. Having anything negative to say is greatly frowned
upon, no matter how true, no matter the proof, and your education null and void.
One does not simply come here and mutter the words... Bearing knives S^%$@!,
Microtech OTF's are unreliable,
This China produced knife is great! or "Hey look at my new Strider" without dire consequence and ridicule.
Can I say I told you so? lol
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the thing is most people who are like you and have had experience with ball bearings in OTHER products fail to realize that their application in knives is quite different than you will find in any other product. For one many applications of bearings have a high stress loads putting constant pressure on those bearings. And many bearing applications are high speed. Neither of these are present in a folding knife. You only need to support the blade which isn't very heavy and you don't even get a full rotation on those bearings which are not constantly moving generating heat. So most applications where you will have a problem with bearings aren't applicable to knives. As for your friends who had issues with bearing knives we would need to know the details of those issues to know if it is actually a problem with the knife or simply user error.
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the photos did not show failure. One picture showed a race being worn into the titanium This isn't a problem. its an effect of having hard steel balls ride on bare titanium but that race stops forming when the balls deform the titanium enough that it cups and fully supports the ball bearing. That race hardens and the wear completely ceases. What you are left with is a knife that is incredibly smooth, wont wear any more with any significance and will continue to function that way. Seeing a change in the metal is not a failure its just a change. A change that takes place and stops and you are left with something that still is completely operational and has no ill effect. In fact manufacturers of Korth and Ikoma knives invented the IKBS system. And it is created by forcing that race into the titanium exactly as you see it in that knife with the track worn in. Its called "cold rolling" and there is a lot of proof out there that its a very robust system. The only difference between a ZT with bearings and a IKBS knife is that the zt will have that race form with use. But in the end the result is the same. If you were to disassemble any titanium frame lock that lacks a steel lockbar insert (and even many with it) you will note that the lockbar face has deformed and has suffered the same work hardening that the race did. But you wouldnt look at the slight deformation of a lockbar face and call it a failure would you?
Ill be first in line when they start using these.....
They were used once in the first district 9 folder before reate was making them. It didn't work all that well. But if you want a sealed bearing system a good option is the carson tech lab "boiling" flipper. the bearings are completely sealed similar to what you posted a photo of. They use a captured ball bearing in a brass carrier and it is sandwiched between two stainless steel cups that fully encapsulate the system. The only way anything gets in or out is if you completely disassemble the knife. It has great action and looks like a shirogorov had a baby with a sebenza.
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Or if they are " my brothers uncle sisters cousin great twice removed niece had a friend" type situation.
Can someone show me at least one useful advantage of ball bearing knive ? I see only flaws in this design and more cost ? Just do not tell me that someone measure time of opening and he concluded that knive with bearing is faster seven thousandths of a second from knive with washers
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And I stand by every criticism I have ever made in regards to you. The fact that I DIDNT say something in those threads should tell you that I don't ride you as hard as you think I do. Its actually more proof that I don't.
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I am not a fan of bearing pivots just because less moving parts the better for me, and I honestly prefer smooth hydraulic over all out speed.
At the same time, I have used many knives that run bearings and never had any issues.
I haven't even really heard of any serious issues with bearing pivots and they have been around long enough, in so many variations, that if there was an inherent flaw in using bearings in a pivot we would all know by now.
Choice is a good thing, baseless rants maybe not so good?
There are a lot of things I don't like, but I need to try to respect the fact that other people do...
Opinions are great until you start forcing them as fact.
At the same time, I have used many knives that run bearings and never had any issues.
I haven't even really heard of any serious issues with bearing pivots and they have been around long enough, in so many variations, that if there was an inherent flaw in using bearings in a pivot we would all know by now.
Choice is a good thing, baseless rants maybe not so good?
There are a lot of things I don't like, but I need to try to respect the fact that other people do...
Opinions are great until you start forcing them as fact.
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Can someone show me at least one useful advantage of ball bearing knive ? I see only flaws in this design and more cost ? Just do not tell me that someone measure time of opening and he concluded that knive with bearing is faster seven thousandths of a second from knive with washers
Reduced friction at the pivot point. It also completely eliminates horizontal blade play without the need for extra time spent dialing in the tightness of the pivot. Many washer equipped knives can be finicky. An 1/8 of a turn too much can mean the difference between a blade that moves freely and one that doesn't. They however are NOT in any way required. And many makers have shown they can make a folder just as fast or smooth without them. But it is more difficult to achieve. But that doesn't mean bearing knives are a shortcut like some have said in previous threads. Some feel its corner cutting to get a smooth knife. I don't see it that way. in fact bearing knives suffer even more from poor tolerances than washer knives. I have for a long time advocated that manufacturers make models with the bearing system optional. I honestly don't know why they don't. Sure you would have to have custom washers made, but most companies are all ready doing this. Most bearing knives use a captured system that requires a pocket be milled into the handle, blade or both. There really is no reason standard PB washers (thicker than usual of course) couldn't be manufactured to fill those pockets and replace the bearing system.
stabman
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Well, on my ZT 0561, if grit gets in there I can wash the knife, blow it out with computer duster, spray some gun oil in there (or Tuf-Glide), blow it out with the computer duster again, and it's good to go.
On a couple of my knives with washers, whenever they get gritty action, I have to take them apart and clean it all out; pain in the ass. :thumbdn:
I'm not someone who says "Yay, I get to look inside my knife again! Woohoo!!!"
That's about it for advantages from my end.
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I don't much care whether it's washers or bearings, as long as the action is smooth. Then again, I just sit on my sofa, flip them, and admire them as the toy/jewelry they are.
Most importantly - Brandoak, the word is YOU'RE!
Most importantly - Brandoak, the word is YOU'RE!
+1 I have had good experiences with the ball bearings.