Factory folders with the best action on washers?

vanadium

vanadium

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Ball bearing pivots are a lot of fun, but there's something awesome about a knife with great action/feeling on washers. Lately I'm looking for more folders on washers that might be really compelling to own. To start, here are the knives I own (out of some dozens of folders I've used/owned, mostly on washers) that have majorly impressed me this way so far. All of these have a rare smoothness with high consistency throughout the arc of travel, zero play, and are free-swinging with lockbar tension off:
  • Large Sebenza 21 (3/2017). Perforated phosphor bronze washers. Medium resistance.
  • Fantoni HB01. Phosphor bronze washers. Extremeley light resistance.
  • Boker Plus Exskelibur. Teflon washers. Light resistance.
Who can add?

EDIT: Adding a couple more from my collection that I've been reminded of while reading the thread:
  • Spyderco Slysz Bowie. Phosphor bronze washers. Medium/light resistance.
  • Ontario RAT series. Teflon washers. Light resistance.
 
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I had an 0550 zt that was butter.

If you wanna spend more, shirogorovs on washers, especially the axis lock ones and liner locks (like f3) are simply amazing.
 
Low end, my ZT0566 now flips effortlessly since it has been deassisted. I was growing to hate that knife, but now have a new found appreciation fo rit,.
 
vanadium said:
Ball bearing pivots are a lot of fun, but there's something awesome about a knife with great action/feeling on washers. Lately I'm looking for more folders on washers that might be really compelling to own. To start, here are the knives I own (out of some dozens of folders I've used/owned, mostly on washers) that have majorly impressed me this way so far. All of these have a rare smoothness with high consistency throughout the arc of travel, zero play, and are free-swinging with lockbar tension off:
  • Large Sebenza 21 (3/2017). Perforated phosphor bronze washers. Medium resistance.
  • Fantoni HB01. Phosphor bronze washers. Extremeley light resistance.
  • Boker Plus Exskelibur. Teflon washers. Light resistance.
Who can add?
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Hands down Spyderco Para 2 and Benchmade Ritter Griptillian. Not in any order. Both simply superior to anything else I have owned or handled. That includes my 940-1 which if I grip the scales a little I can stall the blade in it's swing similar to my 710 which was just awful that way though a great user.
PS: gripping the Para or the Ritter hard has no effect on the pivot quality. Clearly demonstrating superior design.
 
My ZT0350TS has lovely action. No free-drop, of course, but it has a crisp enough detent that I may try removing the torsion bar at some point.
 
I'm not the authority on various brands that some here are but some of my Spydercos have incredible actions. My new Para 3 Cruwear is ridiculous. My original Para 3, both PM2s, Sage 3, Sage 2, Manix 2 G10, and GBs are crazy smooth too. Benchmade 707 Sequel and HK Mini Axis certainly deserve a mention as well.
 
Spyderco slysz bowie, manix 2 and GB1 are all silly smooth and solid. Same with a Rockstead Kou I just received recently.

Shout out to the XM knives from Hinderer, those are smooth as hell too.
 
Excellent post SE. This is so true. Every single folder with washers I have is so much smoother after carry and use, than out of box.
Absolutely amazing ones.......PM2s, Manix 2s, Millies,
Mini Sub Hilt etc.
Every Benchmade I have on washers is super silky smooth......even stupid ludicrous smooth!
Mcusta Katana, Pro Tech TR-3 manual........could go on and on, but like SE says.......use them & flick them and they will get incredibly smooth.
Joe

sharp_edge said:
All my knives on wahers. It is just a matter of time before every knife on washers becomes butter smooth.
Click to expand...
 
The smoothest washer pivot, heck any knife pivot I have ever had was a well worn Emerson CQC-8. It was like spinning two perfectly smooth ice cubes together.
 
vanadium said:
Is the closure detent still sufficient without the torsion bar in place?
Click to expand...
That's fairly subjective, but to me, absolutely. I'm VERY pleased with it. I also dropped a little Finish Line dry lube in there while it was open, though I doubt it had that much impact.
 
Les George VECP
CRK small Sebenza, large sebenza, umnumzaan
Spyderco GB2, Manix 2
Benchmade 940, 746
Those are definitely up there in pure smoothness.
 
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