Guardian Tactical Helix Nano

Been thinking the same thing Matt!! Can't wait to see PICS brother!!!
Are you still psycopathically tracking it??? I know I would be!!!!
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Joe
 
Glad to see this thread and this knife take off! I'm still carrying mine exclusively and use it every day. Still no play whatsoever. Still want another one. Cheers!
 
Mine is as perfect now as it was out of the box!!
Absolutely love this knife!!
Joe
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palonej said:
Mine is as perfect now as it was out of the box!!
Absolutely love this knife!!
Joe
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Joe, I just bough a full sized Helix off the exchange (all blacked out w/G10 scales). Don't have it in hand yet. On your red handled Nano, does the center of the pivot screw accept a small torx driver...or do you have to use a kind of wide flat head screwdriver to adjust the pivot screw using those outer channels...that sort of radiate out from the center of the pivot screw?
 
since joe hasnt answered yet I will tell you that on my nano all the screws and pivot has been nicely preadjusted by the guys at guardian and loctited so you should not have to mess with it and you may actually do damage trying to adjust it.Just my .02
 
js1badsti said:
since joe hasnt answered yet I will tell you that on my nano all the screws and pivot has been nicely preadjusted by the guys at guardian and loctited so you should not have to mess with it and you may actually do damage trying to adjust it.Just my .02
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Thanks so much js1badsti. I called the guys at Guardian Tactical yesterday and spoke at length with Andy, who was incredibly generous with his time. We talked for quite a while about the Helix, the new pivot system, exactly how they tune each knife, and various ways to tune the knife the way I like it to feel...IF I felt it was still necessary after I receive the knife and feel the action as it comes from the factory. You do need a special tool for the newer pivot. The dot in the center is just that, decorative and not a receptacle for a torx bit to fit into. I did buy the tool set (as you need and get two tools in the set) to access both pivot screws simultaneously. They are red loctited together and he said with the custom tool(s), you won't slip and can use the necessary force to break the red loctite hold...again, IF I felt it was necessary to get into the knife once I had it in hand. Seems like they go to great lengths to tune each knife to perfection before it gets through QC. But many like a stronger or softer detent, so often getting inside your knife to tweak it a bit is a desire. They understand that. They prefer it be sent back to them but know some guys are just going to want to disassemble, thus...the the tool set you can purchase from them. I should have the knife by Thursday (and the tool set) and can't wait. But again, Andy at guardian Tactical couldn't have been nicer and more generous with his time and information...and I also very much appreciate the info you offered up, js1badsti. :thumbup:
 
Sorry Scrim!! Got hit with the flu and haven't been on much.
Have mine for a few months now and find no reason at all to adjust pivot......I would not use a screw driver!!!
Some with Andy a few times as well.....great dude!!
Please post up pics of the tools when they are in hand???
Joe
 
you're welcome scrim and i am not as knowledgeable as Joe^ but tried to help,also would like to see the tools.Hope you feel better Joe.
 
Hey guys, I should have the tools by tomorrow or Friday. I will post pics once I get them. Yeah, feel better Joe!
 
Thanks guys!! Really appreciate that!!
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hey joe just wondering if you knew or have met Coop who has the knife photography company called sharp by Coop?I do believe he lives in the NJ area.
 
Never met him bro. He takes some baaaaad ass pics though, doesn't he???
 
Ok guys, tools arrived, I disassembled my Helix. It was still VERY DIFFICULT even with the custom pivot tool(s). I did put some tiny scratches on my pivot screws due to the somewhat-unfriendly design of the pivot screws & pivot tool (but this is a keeper/user for me, so that's ok). I think they really don't want you to take these knives apart. During my talk with Andy at Guardian Tactical I told him how I disassemble almost all my edc's (only knives I carry & use, not my more "collectible" pieces) because I'm really picky about detents. I have a definite "medium" range sweet-spot I really like, not too hard, not too soft...but like Goldilocks...what I consider to be "just right". So...even though he tried to discourage me, I told him I likely would disassemble it unless it was just the way I like it once it arrives, as set up by Guardian. Plus I really like to get into my knives for cleaning/maintanance, etc. Then he told me they sell the correct tool needed to open the newer pivot screws with 6 lines that radiate out from the center. --- So I got the Helix yesterday along with a Spyderco Advocate I purchased several days ago. They both happened to show up at the same time. What knife nut doesn't love when THAT happens. I digress. -- I spent a lot of time yesterday getting to know both knives. Don't know if you've heard about the issues with the Advocate, especially via The ApostleP's 3 videos on the knife, a new Gayle Bradley designed Spyderco. A truly beuatiful knife with bearing pivot issues. Back to the Helix...I finally figured out a way to use the 2 bits/tools to get the red loctited pivot screws apart. I suppose it wouldn't have been so bad if I owned two socket sets because you really need to use two tools and two 9/32 sockets (simultaneously) to have any chance at getting these 2 pivot screws apart without destroying the knife. I had one set and had to get creative. Don't want to write a novel here so I'll just post the photos so you all can see the inner workings of the Helix. --- BTW, my main reason for going through all of this was to alter the detent. The knife was smooth when I got it...but after 5 or 10 flips my index finger was aching because of so much lockbar pressure combined with a "sharp/pointy/agressive?" flipper tab. Sure the knife flipped like a rocket but, like my ZT0452 when I first got it, it was a finger killer. Remember how hard the detent was originally on so many 0452's? It was brutal. So I did get it all apart, reduce lockbar pressure by about 20% (guesstimate), cleaned out all the gunk inside (and it was sold to me as new and unused, uncarried, etc.) and I believe it...but it still had some gunk in there. Reassembled it (with blue Loctite this time. Now...still rock solid, zero play in any direction, fires open like a rocket, slowly & smoothly drops closed on its own weight...and is now in that "Goldilocks...I can enjoy flipping it all day now if I want to with ZERO finger pain" zone. OK, the pictures...:)

the tools, $38+shipping from GT


They showed up together, yesterday...


Finally got the pivot screws apart...and one scale off


fully disassembled


a closer look at the pivot assembly...


thoroughly cleaned, lubed, lockbar & pivot tension adjusted, reassembled...relieved...MAJOR IMPROVEMENT!...(now I need a beer...and maybe a shot). PS. I screwed up the date on the Post It note in the pic. It was in fact done today, 1/19/2017
 
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Back with an update over a year later. I'm still carrying and using this knife every day, and it is still as smooth and tight as the day I got it. The Helix Nano is still my favorite knife ever made. It's perfectly ergonomic in my hand, has great style, and has all the features I want in a knife. In fact, last week I thought I lost the jade green unit shown in the OP and was devastated. I panicked and immediately ordered a two-tone CF version as replacement:

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Well luckily I found my original one and it has re-claimed its place as my literal EDC. However I am very glad to have this beauty as a backup. The flawless build quality, exotic handle and unique blade scheme make it feel like a custom.

I can't say enough good things about the Helix Nano. Since acquiring mine, my Benchmades, Zts, Chris Reeve, etc. really haven't come out of the drawer. I will note that I have no affiliation with GT whatsoever, and nothing to gain by raving about this knife. I am just giving it the credit I feel it is due, and an update for those interested. Cheers!
 
Received my Helix Combat yesterday and was really pleased with the handle and opening/closing action. Great knife to play with. Got a couple concerns. Mine came with the blade slightly off centered. Off centered blades drive me crazy. Found out the pivot and clip screws are red loctited in whereas the other frame screws are not loctited at all. Also, the pivot screw requires a $35 tool to use to break the red loctite. I went ahead and loosened the non loctited frame screws and was successfuli in eliminating almost half the problem. I can live with it now although it is still not quite perfect. The two big problems for me are the red loctite and the requirement of a pivot screw tool.

Received my Helix Nano yesterday. Beautiful knife with blade centered perfectly. Great flipping action, beautiful red handle, perfect in every way except the before mentioned pivot screw and red loctite issues. Also, one other issue with this smaller folder is that the flipper tab is tiny and has some sharp edges. Personally, I wish the tabs on both knives were larger and a bit smoother. I actually had to use my sharp maker rods to file down the sharp edges on the Nano. With that all said, both knives are beautiful, have great flipping action and are ergonomically comfortable. Were it not for the issues I’ve mentioned above, these two knives would exceed my ZT’s, Spyderco’s, Benchmade’s, and Microtech’s in my 25-30 folding knife collection. As it is, they are still full equals and I will be playing with these often. Correcting these issues would clearly put them above the other competitors.
 
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