I waited several months for Knifeart to get CF Small Inkosi Insingos back in stock. I was very lucky to get one before they sold out again. When it arrived I immediately noticed the blade was off center towards the CF scale. I decided to live with it...but...it started to bug me. I have a lot of knives, all cheaper than the Inkosi, and none are off center. I finally took it apart, cleaned and lubed it, then reassembled it. It went back together exactly the same, which would’ve been great had it been centered originally. Any suggestion? I never expected to be disappointed with a Chris Reeve knife.
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First CRK is off center
- Thread starter BeerGuy
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Hate to say it but this is not uncommon that CRK CF models exhibit blades a hair to the CF scale. Back when they were a current model this was discussed more. I don't recall the prevailing theories as to why. Now that it's been disassembled, returning it seems off the table.
Try to tune it out like any other knife, or contact the mother ship.
Photos to show how far out it is?
Try to tune it out like any other knife, or contact the mother ship.
Photos to show how far out it is?
BD_01
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As
TRfromMT
says, off center CF models are a topic that has been discussed here previously--though it hasn’t come up for a while.
I was never able to get a true feel for how prevalent the issue is. I even started a poll about it.
Ultimately, I called one of the guys at KnifeArt to discuss. All he could tell me (or all he was willing to tell me) is that CF 21 & Inkosi returns were rare, and occurred about as frequently as any other knife of similar price (including the other CRK’S they sell). He assured me that if I purchased one and it did not meet my QC expectations, they would stand behind it. I didn’t go into further details.
I subsequently ordered a CF Lg Inkosi and it arrived perfect.
B BeerGuy , I would try giving KnifeArt a call first, to see what they say. If you‘ve had the knife a while and taken it apart, it might limit what they feel responsible for (legitimately IMO).
Assuming you’ve tried the usual fixes, my second call would be to CRK. If they don’t have a good solution, my last choice would be ordering extra washers to see if I could take one down enough to center things up.
Incidentally, I have a wood inlay Lg 21 that went back to Bosie for centering. It returned much better, but still barely just enough off to be noticeable by a massively obsessive individual (such as me
).
TRfromMT
says, off center CF models are a topic that has been discussed here previously--though it hasn’t come up for a while.I was never able to get a true feel for how prevalent the issue is. I even started a poll about it.
Ultimately, I called one of the guys at KnifeArt to discuss. All he could tell me (or all he was willing to tell me) is that CF 21 & Inkosi returns were rare, and occurred about as frequently as any other knife of similar price (including the other CRK’S they sell). He assured me that if I purchased one and it did not meet my QC expectations, they would stand behind it. I didn’t go into further details.
I subsequently ordered a CF Lg Inkosi and it arrived perfect.
B BeerGuy , I would try giving KnifeArt a call first, to see what they say. If you‘ve had the knife a while and taken it apart, it might limit what they feel responsible for (legitimately IMO).
Assuming you’ve tried the usual fixes, my second call would be to CRK. If they don’t have a good solution, my last choice would be ordering extra washers to see if I could take one down enough to center things up.
Incidentally, I have a wood inlay Lg 21 that went back to Bosie for centering. It returned much better, but still barely just enough off to be noticeable by a massively obsessive individual (such as me
).
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rileybassman1
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- Aug 12, 2012
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I had a small 31 that came a little off center - I took it apart and cleaned it and I think it was assembled with a slight pinched washer... I stropped it lightly on the pinched side of the washer and it corrected the centering about 80% to the point where it doesn't bug me anymore.
FWIW
FWIW
BTTLBRN
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Can you post a pic? The Insingo blade can play tricks with the eyes sometimes. Not saying this is true in your case, but I have one where the blade is perfectly centered, but the false grind isn’t perfectly symmetrical and it makes it appear from certain angles that it favors the lock side.
Update...I took it apart, cleaned and lubed it again. After reassembly it was still very off center. After about 10 minutes on YouTube I found a solution, tried it, fiddled with it some more, and now it’s almost perfectly centered. It still amazes me that a brand new $475 knife could leave the shop that off center. Thanks for all your replies and suggestions,
Blackdogfinn1
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What was the solution that worked for you?
I modified the method I saw on the Best Damn EDC YouTube channel (How to Fix Blade Centering on Your EDC Knife).
I opened the knife, loosened the pivot screw a bit, then pressed the blade towards the side it was off center to with my thumb while tightening the screw back up.
I opened the knife, loosened the pivot screw a bit, then pressed the blade towards the side it was off center to with my thumb while tightening the screw back up.
Peter Hartwig
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Sometimes when this has come up it is the grind at the tip that is off , giving the appearance of the blade being off center, rather than the blade not being centered.
My blade was close to the carbon fiber scale with a large gap on the lock bar side. It was definitely not the tip in this case. I’m totally happy now that I fixed it. It’s a great little knife. I removed the clip and replaced it with a CRK clip insert. I carry it in a Hitch & Timber Proper Slip.
Agree. $400 should deliver a well put together piece.
I would ask if you made you adjustment, is it just until you service the knife and have to do it again. That’s not a fix, it’s a compromise.
It’s ok, but if the knife is truly off center enough you should send it in
I would ask if you made you adjustment, is it just until you service the knife and have to do it again. That’s not a fix, it’s a compromise.
It’s ok, but if the knife is truly off center enough you should send it in
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As you tighten the pivot, the blade in the closed position will begin to move away from the show side of the handle slap. Just tighten the pivot until the tip of the blade is perfectly centered by measuring it with a good ruler. My new Small Inkosi (made Feb 2021) was just the same out of the box and wouldn't even deploy as the assembly was really messed up (the blade was resting right against the show side handle slap).
I strobed the washers with the ceramic sticks from my Spyderco Sharpmaker. Once everything is carefully reassembled and adjusted the blade deployment action is super smooth with bank vault lockup. I had to clean out the white loctite they used at the factory off the pivot screw and on the handle where the screw head rests. Upon reassembly I used the included grease and purple loctite on the pivot screw. The press fit stop pin also has a screw that had a lot of white loctite on it. I needed a metric Wiha 2.0 hex bit to remove the screw (almost had to whip out the torx bit lol) and again cleaned out the white loctite. Bought a replacement body screws kit and now it's good as new.
I figured I will try and fix this myself as I have nothing to lose, and I wanted to remove the lanyard anyway. The blade turns out to be a "45" and not CPM-35VN like it says on the box and card. So I guess we're even.
CRK was very apologetic and told me they had some turnover at the fitting department. I would imagine they use white loctite for ease of assembly by holding parts into position (e.g. Seiko does the same thing with their Spring Drive Tuna when fitting the shroud at the factory, so cleaning this stuff off is nothing new to me but requires some finesse).
Not a very good initial CRK impression for me haha!
I strobed the washers with the ceramic sticks from my Spyderco Sharpmaker. Once everything is carefully reassembled and adjusted the blade deployment action is super smooth with bank vault lockup. I had to clean out the white loctite they used at the factory off the pivot screw and on the handle where the screw head rests. Upon reassembly I used the included grease and purple loctite on the pivot screw. The press fit stop pin also has a screw that had a lot of white loctite on it. I needed a metric Wiha 2.0 hex bit to remove the screw (almost had to whip out the torx bit lol) and again cleaned out the white loctite. Bought a replacement body screws kit and now it's good as new.
I figured I will try and fix this myself as I have nothing to lose, and I wanted to remove the lanyard anyway. The blade turns out to be a "45" and not CPM-35VN like it says on the box and card. So I guess we're even.
CRK was very apologetic and told me they had some turnover at the fitting department. I would imagine they use white loctite for ease of assembly by holding parts into position (e.g. Seiko does the same thing with their Spring Drive Tuna when fitting the shroud at the factory, so cleaning this stuff off is nothing new to me but requires some finesse).
Not a very good initial CRK impression for me haha!
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I am not surprised about the CRK being subpar, I received a CRK 21 as a gift
and I had soft spots in the blade and washer issue from day one
the customer service seemed very arrogant and it spent more time in the factory and in the mail then being used, issues where nevEr fixed, so the dealer gave us a credit $400 = $75 loss , it is probably living as a safe queen, and one day someone else will try to use it and be disappointed
and I had soft spots in the blade and washer issue from day one
the customer service seemed very arrogant and it spent more time in the factory and in the mail then being used, issues where nevEr fixed, so the dealer gave us a credit $400 = $75 loss , it is probably living as a safe queen, and one day someone else will try to use it and be disappointed
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Isn't that worse in the big picture?