Got a question about the pivot screw on my new 940-1

G

Gnarlin

Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
9
Question:

Pivot screw out of the box was so loose that I could press my fingertip on the screw cap and unscrew it out.

So I get my 1/4" drive Snap-on torx bit socket and without using a driver, just holding the torx bit socket between my fingers I snug the pivot screw down very lightly.

After doing this I have to pull the blade out the blade is so tight. Can't flick it open with my thumb.

What I discovered it that when tighten down the pivot screw I have to pretty much stop as soon as I feel any resistance otherwise the blade will be too tight.

Basically I can't "snug" the pivot screw down without the blade being too tight. Again, I'm just talking about turning the bit socket with my fingers, not using a nut driver, and stopping a hair after I start to feel any resistance.

The screw had no signs of any Loctite from the factory.

Is this normal? That the pivot screw can only be lightly finger tightened just a hair after you feel resistance before it's too much?

Of course my problem with this, is that since the screw is not really "snugged" down, it's almost sure to be loose in no time.

I know a lot of people are using blue Loctite on the 940's but is it normal to only be able to tighten the pivot screw down until you barely feel any resistance before it gets "too right" and you can't flick the blade out?

First Impressions on the 940-1:

This knife is incredibly lightweight.

Blade seems pretty well centered (a hair off).

I was hoping the 940-1 would be really sharp out of the box and while it is "sharp" but it's not are sharp as my Volli was and I don't think the 940-1 was as sharp as my Barrage or mini-barrages either.

Even with he pivot screw loose it's just not as easy to flick the blade out as I thought it would be. I know a lot of people don't like Assisted opening knifes but within a few minutes after opening my 940-1 I unlocked the blade and it fell under it's own weight (something my Axis-Assist knifes won't do) and caught the tip of my finger and drew blood. Just a nick but I had only had the thing out the box for a couple minutes!

I think I'm spoiled with the Axis-assist. This is my first NON Axis-assist Benchmade. I have a couple mini-barrages, a barrage, and a Volli.

I was hoping I was going to really love the 940-1 but honestly I still like my Volli better. It feels better in my hand and the blade opens so easily.

I think I may end up putting the 940-1 on EBAY and wait for a Blue / Black G10 handled Volli that I KNOW Benchmade is going to make any day now because they want my money:)
 
Hard to say.

The only pivot system where you really get to crank down on the pivot is when there is a bushing involved that is properly fitted.

Most knives, the precision of the fit is not so exact, so the natural state of the knife is "loose" so to speak. So when you tighten the pivot you and squeezing the scales and liners together until the space between them matches the blade+washers. The resistance to squeezing is what provides that feeling that you are cranking down on the pivot.

If the tolerances are just so where there is not a lot of extra space, then you really don't have to tighten the pivot much at all, and there is not much resistance to tightening, if that makes sense.

If the knife is already too tight, then you may not really be able to tighten the pivot at all without the blade binding.

Loctite is your friend.
 
I don't think that's abnormal. I don't think any Benchmade Axis lock knife I've had in the last 15 years would stay adjusted without using Loctite.
 
Completely normal just use locktite. Apply a small amount to the pivot screw threads with a tooth pic, screw it back in, adjust to your liking then let it cure for 24 hours and your set.
 
This is what I did:

(This is assuming the blade centers when it's slightly tight - if not, then you have to adjust before Loctite)

I tightened it and worked it open/closed a bunch over the course of a week and it smoothed up (sometimes there are machining/tooling marks in the pivot area on the liners/tang/washers).
Then I loosened the pivot screw a touch, added lube to the tang and let it seep into the pivot-area, and finally, removed the pivot screw and add just a bit of Blue Loctite to the pivot screw (careful not to get any in the pivot area) and adjusted it to perfection.
 
I just picked up my 940-1 #32 the other day and it was very tight out of box, so much I couldn't open it one handed and it was very sensitive to the slightest adjustment, I think that can be worked out with a little tweaking or a trip back to Benchmade. The blade was also shockingly not sharp, there is even a burr half the length of the blade that is easy to feel and can barely be seen. I could sharpen it on my Wicked Edge but I wanted to keep it prestine until I decide what I want to do with a low #. In general the knife looks like a beast, weighs nothing, and has s90v!
 
bikedaddy75 said:
I just picked up my 940-1 #32 the other day and it was very tight out of box, so much I couldn't open it one handed and it was very sensitive to the slightest adjustment, I think that can be worked out with a little tweaking or a trip back to Benchmade. The blade was also shockingly not sharp, there is even a burr half the length of the blade that is easy to feel and can barely be seen. I could sharpen it on my Wicked Edge but I wanted to keep it prestine until I decide what I want to do with a low #. In general the knife looks like a beast, weighs nothing, and has s90v!
Click to expand...

I am starting to think something is seriously wrong with QC at Benchmade. How are they letting stuff like this out the door?
 
Maybe I'm just an idiot, but the fact that you even need a thread like this for a new $250+ knife if just amazing to me.
 
Gnarlin said:
I am starting to think something is seriously wrong with QC at Benchmade. How are they letting stuff like this out the door?
Click to expand...

I won't bore the regulars by repeating comments I've made in the past about Benchmade's inconsistent quality control as there are three recent, very long threads that go into it in excruciating detail. However, what I will say is that only once have I seen a comment about our QC concerns from Benchmade and I will post it below for those who have not seen it. If other members know of additional posts by Benchmade about their concern relating to QC please post. It is obvious that they do clandestinely monitor this forum based on other topics that have been answered by them.

To me it seems as if they believe it is not an inconvenience for buyers to evaluate a new defective knife, contact Benchmade or a dealer, repackage it, travel to a location for shipment, and then wait weeks for it to return for a defect that should not have left the factory in the first place.

The only comment from a Benchmade Moderator about QC that I have seen is below:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1143322-Benchmade-s-QC-Problems/page4
Post# 75
01-24-2014, 05:43 PM

"Hello,
At Benchmade we hold ourselves to a higher standard and we want to be clear that these issues are not acceptable to us.

We are accountable to our customers, not mention ourselves, and we stand behind the quality and performance of our products. For those seeing quality issues in their knives I encourage you to send them back to our factory through our LifeSharp Program and give us the opportunity to fix the issue you have. We want to make this right for you.

We value your comments and feedback and will strive to deliver the quality in every product that is expected from Benchmade. Thank you."

Derrick Lau
Benchmade Knife Company
dlau@benchmade.com
 
Well, i just got a 2nd Benchmade in today. 300-1 flipper with black and blue G10 handle. Blade is so tight it's impossible to "flip" at all either with the thumb stud or the flipper.

It did however make me realize just how dull my new 940-1 was. I'm going to have to send the 940-1 back to be sharpened.

At this point, i really am going to start telling my friends to expect to have issues with new Benchmades out of the box.
The pivot screw may be so tight you can't flip the blade out or so loose the screw will be about to fall out. The blade? Who knows. May be sharp, may not be. May be centered, may not be. In short, it won't be any different than a $30 knife except for the Axis lock which is the only reason imho that makes the Benchmade worth buying.
 
Gnarlin said:
Well, i just got a 2nd Benchmade in today. 300-1 flipper with black and blue G10 handle. Blade is so tight it's impossible to "flip" at all either with the thumb stud or the flipper.

It did however make me realize just how dull my new 940-1 was. I'm going to have to send the 940-1 back to be sharpened.

At this point, i really am going to start telling my friends to expect to have issues with new Benchmades out of the box.
The pivot screw may be so tight you can't flip the blade out or so loose the screw will be about to fall out. The blade? Who knows. May be sharp, may not be. May be centered, may not be. In short, it won't be any different than a $30 knife except for the Axis lock which is the only reason imho that makes the Benchmade worth buying.
Click to expand...

I kinda stopped buying new benchmarks a while ago for this very reason. Inconsistency.
 
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