Foward blade play in a Strider AR

Infi-del

Infi-del

Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
3,572
I have a strider AR. I love it and use the crap out of it. But it seems here lately it has developed a tiny bit of foward blade play. When open and locked if I push on the spine the blade will move forward a micrometer and the liner will shift ever so slightly towards the closed position. Not enough to where I fear the lock will fail or slip out. But it still concerns me as I'm not an expert on blade play with liner or frame locks. I consider the AR to be a frame lock since it's liners are so thick it bascially acts like one minus the ability to hold the lock in place with your grip. But for discussion sake we'll consider this a liner lock problem. Should I be worried? Can it be fixed? Should I even bother if it doesn't worsen with time? Thanks a ton fellas.
 
I just picked up an old (but like new) GB that had the same problem, as well as significant side to side wiggle. I completely disassembled the knife and bent the lock bar a bit to reset the "spring" closer to the opposing liner,(if you get what I mean). Worked like a charm. No more lock bar play, and with a little tuning on the pivot, no side play.
I'm sure if you do the same, your problem will be solved.
 
You can send it back, but I think it's just a bit of breaking in is needed. When I got that (same on I believe ;) ) it had significant slippage when loading the lock. After about a week of flipping it open quite hard the lock had worn enough that it was locking up nice and tight.

Just to point out that when I got it and found that large amount of play I was a bit worried, but it wasn't ever in danger of slipping so much it slid off the tang. Solid knife. :thumbup:
 
Josh K said:
When I got that (same on I believe ;) ) it had significant slippage when loading the lock.
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LOL Slow down, you're talking over my head. What is slippage and what is loading the lock?

After about a week of flipping it open quite hard the lock had worn enough that it was locking up nice and tight.
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So you're saying that it needs to wear inward a bit further to set up right?

Just to point out that when I got it and found that large amount of play I was a bit worried, but it wasn't ever in danger of slipping so much it slid off the tang. Solid knife. :thumbup:
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Nah the thing is a tank. I'm not worried one bit about it failing or coming unglued as it were. It's just a quirk that has developed. Josh dude I don't think you understand just how much I've used this knife since I got it from you. It's already been through Hell and back twice and had a nice stay over in WTF Land.
 
The liner is slipping on the tang... Not much but enough to feel that wiggle.

Try throwing that bad boy open... Very hard! Slam that sucker open. That should reset the lock and get rid of that slipping feeling. My RCC did the same thing, after about ten hardcore openings she is good to go :cool:

Strider recomends "setting" their locks this way. :thumbup:

Finger banged a AR at blade, what a knife :eek: :thumbup:
 
I would also suggest a complete disassembly, and putting a little more bend in the spring. I did my AR this way, though it had no play..I just like a stiffer lock. Afterwards, the lockup still locks where it did before I bent the spring, flush with the left side of the blade tang with a lot of room left for any wear that occurs. Now when locked it takes a strong thumb to disengage .
 
Infi-del said:
LOL Slow down, you're talking over my head. What is slippage and what is loading the lock?

Slippage meaning the liner is sliding backwards across the tang of the knife. Loading is putting pressure on it. In my case I used hand pressure on the spine of the knife.

So you're saying that it needs to wear inward a bit further to set up right?

Yes. :)

Nah the thing is a tank. I'm not worried one bit about it failing or coming unglued as it were. It's just a quirk that has developed. Josh dude I don't think you understand just how much I've used this knife since I got it from you. It's already been through Hell and back twice and had a nice stay over in WTF Land.

Worthless without pictures! :D Nice to know it's getting some use. I have little use for such a tank.
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So-Lo said:
Try throwing that bad boy open... Very hard! Slam that sucker open. That should reset the lock and get rid of that slipping feeling. My RCC did the same thing, after about ten hardcore openings she is good to go :cool:
Click to expand...

Do this! :thumbup:
 
cutter17 said:
I would also suggest a complete disassembly, and putting a little more bend in the spring. I did my AR this way, though it had no play..I just like a stiffer lock. Afterwards, the lockup still locks where it did before I bent the spring, flush with the left side of the blade tang with a lot of room left for any wear that occurs. Now when locked it takes a strong thumb to disengage .
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I wouldn't be one to go around bending the liner like that. May work in your case, but you can also put a permanent bend in it, along with causing it to misaligned with the tang and other problems.
 
I did buy a dissassembly tool for it today. So I plan to take it apart and get to know it better and clean it and maybe add a little blue lock tite to the threads. But I think I will hold off on bending anything. I'd probably send it back to Strider before I went that route. Not that I doubt it can work... I just don't trust myself. I have a gorillas hands... not a surgeons. I'm gonna sling the piss out of it like suggested and then take it apart, clean it, and then tighten it up good. I think even if there is still play... it's not going anywhere. If it gets worse, i'll gice Strider a call.
 
Josh K said:
I wouldn't be one to go around bending the liner like that. May work in your case, but you can also put a permanent bend in it, along with causing it to misaligned with the tang and other problems.
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As long as you bend from the relief area, and do only SMALL bends then it works great. I've done this on several of my liner/frame locks to make the lock stiffer. Do it correct and the only thing you end up with is a tighter, stiffer lock, do it wrong and you end up with what you described!
 
I have a strider AR. I love it and use the crap out of it. But it seems here lately it has developed a tiny bit of foward blade play.

It's made of metal. Metals are all malleable to some point, regardless of heat treat, alloy, or finished shape. They are not indestructible.

Beat on anything long enough - even a anvil - and you will move metal. I have seen an anvil flattened from 80 years of hard use - the step at the horn flattend back and the anvil itself swaybacked and useless.

Striders are great, I have a SnG, and I guarantee if you beat on one long enough, you can turn it into junk. It's great to have a knife that could take the abuse, but that doesn't mean it should or can take it for repeatedly for years.

In the day, even the best knife had a working life of 42 months. I suspect many modern knives can go years longer - but not forever.
 
tirod3 said:
I have a strider AR. I love it and use the crap out of it. But it seems here lately it has developed a tiny bit of foward blade play.

It's made of metal. Metals are all malleable to some point, regardless of heat treat, alloy, or finished shape. They are not indestructible.

Beat on anything long enough - even a anvil - and you will move metal. I have seen an anvil flattened from 80 years of hard use - the step at the horn flattend back and the anvil itself swaybacked and useless.

Striders are great, I have a SnG, and I guarantee if you beat on one long enough, you can turn it into junk. It's great to have a knife that could take the abuse, but that doesn't mean it should or can take it for repeatedly for years.

In the day, even the best knife had a working life of 42 months. I suspect many modern knives can go years longer - but not forever.
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I don't baton wood with it or use it as a chisel or anything. I'm just saying that I use it and I don't treat it like it's made of glass. I think it should at least be far more durable than a 50 dollar folder, and it is.

To update I took the above advice and really slung it open hard about 15 times. It is already starting to lock stiffer. There is still a tiny bit of slippage when I open it regularly with the thumb stud. But when I sling it open it's rock solid. So I guess I just need to use it yet more.
 
One last question. I know with lots of regualr folders they say it's rough on the knife to fling it open. What about Striders? Since it is suggested to slam it open to set the lock... would regular flipping hurt the knife. Or will it get to to an optimal lock place and then start sliding the other way gradually.
 
Infi-del said:
One last question. I know with lots of regualr folders they say it's rough on the knife to fling it open. What about Striders? Since it is suggested to slam it open to set the lock... would regular flipping hurt the knife. Or will it get to to an optimal lock place and then start sliding the other way gradually.
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Another thing you might want to check is for excess lube in the lock area. Lube will sometimes cause the lock to slip.

IMO if the lockface is properly fitted to the blade it will naturally break in from normal use. I have one knife ( an expensive one too) that is not properly fitted. I can rock the lock loose by tapping the spine of the blade, it will not close but it causes the kind of play you describe. When locked open If I force the lock over a hair it will set properly ,but the angle of the tang and the lockface do not meet properly

Although some disagree, I would not slam a knife open to break the lock in. If you feel it slips too much send it to Strider...one of the reasons I buy Strider knives is because of the warranty.
 
Infi-del said:
One last question. I know with lots of regualr folders they say it's rough on the knife to fling it open. What about Striders? Since it is suggested to slam it open to set the lock... would regular flipping hurt the knife. Or will it get to to an optimal lock place and then start sliding the other way gradually.
Click to expand...

Striders are beasts. A small amount of slippage is normal and to be expected of a brand new folder. Most of the time it's also an indication of use. If it still has it's "new car smell" (or in this case, new knife break in) then it hasn't been used much.

Use it harder! :D

Or send it back. Can't hurt, might help, but if it doesn't show being used a ton they'll laugh at you. :p :)
 
Kids.

A liner lock with any of the leaf under the blade tang is locked, and I doubt most of us could break it by hand if it was sticking out 50% on either side.

When you think about it - and it's been discussed in other threads - the only reason we want it to lock up low on the ramp is think we have plenty of years left in it as the metal peens, abrades, and the lock up keeps moving.

Again, if the leaf is anywhere behind the blade it's ok. 25 years from now somebody may be inclined to pay more for a NIB Strider with almost no wear - but what does that get you in the meantime? Clipping a M-tech in your pocket?

Makers have to abandon a style or pass away to make a knife collectible. It's a tool, just use it responsibly.
 
tirod3 said:
Again, if the leaf is anywhere behind the blade it's ok. 25 years from now somebody may be inclined to pay more for a NIB Strider with almost no wear - but what does that get you in the meantime? Clipping a M-tech in your pocket?

Makers have to abandon a style or pass away to make a knife collectible. It's a tool, just use it responsibly.
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Good call :thumbup:

If it's a user, just use the damn thing. I understand wanting a rock solid lockup [especially on a $400 folder], but a little forward play is fine. You've probably already tried doing light spine whacks or tried pushing on the spine to get the knife to close and it didn't. I don't know how long you've had the knife, but it sounds like since you've already "used the crap out of it," a little play has developed. That's normal. I accept it on my users after a period of time and it no longer bothers me. Neither do chips, dents, scratches, rust, or stains. Lock failure would bother me, but I haven't had it happen yet because I buy from quality manufacturers.

Also, nice AR. The closest thing I have to it is a Buck/Strider 880, which the design is based off of the 1st gen AR. It still ain't no Strider though.
 
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