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Got my District 9A today but I think there is a problem
- Thread starter surhoff88
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2013
- Messages
- 616
Here are a couple hints.....1 loosen the pivot just a touch.....it usually will take the grit out. Then put a touch of oil on the detent ball on the lockbar. Once you oil it open and close the blade while putting some pressure on the lockbar...it will help the lockbar settle int the blade and move more freely. You should notice a difference pretty quick. It should smooth it right up.....you may need a little oil in the pivot as well. Mine was a little gritty when I got it and did this and now.....smooth as butter and flips amazing,
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2007
- Messages
- 8,578
When i get that gritty feeling in a bearing flipper it is most of the time small particles of various crap that get in the way of the detent ball as it glides along the tang of the blade when opening and closing. When you disassemble the knife i would degrease and clean out the hole in the blade for the detent, detent ball itself and every surface more than once. We are talking about particles so small you may never even see them. The only thing you can do is clean it and just when you think there cant be any possible way dirt is still on it clean it again.
When i dial in a flipper i clean every surface. Bearing, pockets for bearings the pivot inside and out literally everything. I prefer to use windex on my knives for most surfaces. I will use naptha for the threads of a pivot to get any grease out. But the real trick is that whenever you wipe down your knife with a rag after using a cleaner that rag should not be used again on that knife until after the rag is washed. Anything stuck to the rag can be rubbed back onto the knife and changing rags frequently as well as having separate rags for cleaning and drying will go a long way to help remove the particles. Pay extra attention to that detent hole though. Anything trapped in there can be picked up anytime the ball goes into that hole. I usually will put a dab of grease or oil in that hole so everytime the ball goes in it picks up lubrication.
Another thing to consider is the finish of the blade. Satin, polished and even coated blades glide relatively smoothly. The district 9 finish is a heavy stonewash. So even if your cleaning was a superlative job you may still feel a gritty feel until the knife is well broken in. Stonewashing is simply a bunch of random scratches and those scratches will feel like grit. The detent ball will need some time and repeated openings and closings so that the ball can naturally polish its track. Like many new knife issues many things work themselves out simply by using them.
When i dial in a flipper i clean every surface. Bearing, pockets for bearings the pivot inside and out literally everything. I prefer to use windex on my knives for most surfaces. I will use naptha for the threads of a pivot to get any grease out. But the real trick is that whenever you wipe down your knife with a rag after using a cleaner that rag should not be used again on that knife until after the rag is washed. Anything stuck to the rag can be rubbed back onto the knife and changing rags frequently as well as having separate rags for cleaning and drying will go a long way to help remove the particles. Pay extra attention to that detent hole though. Anything trapped in there can be picked up anytime the ball goes into that hole. I usually will put a dab of grease or oil in that hole so everytime the ball goes in it picks up lubrication.
Another thing to consider is the finish of the blade. Satin, polished and even coated blades glide relatively smoothly. The district 9 finish is a heavy stonewash. So even if your cleaning was a superlative job you may still feel a gritty feel until the knife is well broken in. Stonewashing is simply a bunch of random scratches and those scratches will feel like grit. The detent ball will need some time and repeated openings and closings so that the ball can naturally polish its track. Like many new knife issues many things work themselves out simply by using them.