Gunk in your GB/AR? Try this...

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Colinz

Colinz

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Feb 16, 2001
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I have a GB which had some minor stuff to fix. I contacted Mick about it and got an email where he asked me to adjust the clip (duh). Sometimes I take too much care of my stuff, I even didn´t dare to adjust it until Mick told me it would be OK.

I readjusted the clip that was a little bit off. Worked out great, not in the way anymore.

The gunk (3M?) in between the washers on the other hand...

It makes my GB a bit hard to open/close and it is a bit "bouncy". When I close it slowly the blade crawls back out from the handle about 0.5 cm (1/4 of an inch ?). A little annoying. So how was I going to fix this?

I used a small dental tool and gently picked the washers clean of all the gunk I could find. It became somewhat easier to open/close but was still crawling out of the handle when I closed it slowly.

I have done this a couple of times becaues there seems to come out more gunk all the time.

Today I had some time over from school and work so I decided to fix it properly.

I got myself about one foot of dental floss (no kidding). I started to floss between the washer and the blade on one side and did the same on the other side. It took about 20 minutes. Then i picked out the gunk with my dental tool. You can probably use a tooth-pick. I take great care (too much?) of my stuff so that it can perform the way it´s intended. Therefore you could probably do this in less time than me.

RESULT:

Smoooooooth :D No crawling out of the handle. Still no bladeplay. I´m going to use some Break-Free CLP on the pivot. Now it feels like my friends GB, at last. I can´t stop playing with it now. Great knife.

I hope someone can use this small bit of info.

Have a great weekend,
Colinz
 
Somewhere on BFC I read a post from Mick that gave us permission to dismantle our AR/GB's and do the clean-up properly. Someone even posted a source for spanner wrenches to aid that end.

Larry S.
 
I took apart me old AR a couple of times. Used a spanner wrench the first time and bought spanner bits for the others. Found that using 1/4" bit with a spanner head on a driver made it easier to handle with one hand and use the other hand to turn the pivot bolt. Both get the job done with no problems though......
 
Your families dentist should have everything you need to keep your folder clean and fresh smelling.:rolleyes:
 
This seems to be the right thread to ask this. Were the heck can I find a spanner bit, or wrench. The bit sounds better, for the one handed holding point. If anyone can tell me were i could get one, I would be very greatful. I can't seem to find a store in my area that even knows what I am talking about, and when I do a internet search, I get all kinds if odd tools. Oh, and how much sould I expect to spend? Thanks, Reagan
 
My spanner bits came from the Blackbox IT catalog last year. Their small items selection usually doesn't change so they are probably still in there. They hae several bit sets, and one of them came with four different spanner bits.
 
Hay thanks! Does anyone know off hand what size spanner bit I need to order? Thanks, Reagan
 
The problem with removing the 3M material this way is that it will eventually allow the bushings to pivot. Since one of the bushings is "D" shaped to allow clearance for the liner lock, you really don't want this bushing to pivot and bugger up your lock engagement.

I still haven't figured out the magic "toxic waste" that I created to loosen the 3M adhesive, but it happened to me twice.

I thought maybe it was brake cleaner that did it, but Mick suggested in another thread that it should be OK to use. The only other lube I used was Tetra lube.
 
"Holy cow I need permission to unscrew and maintain a folder?"

Heck, even if you taka a Benchmade apart, it voids the warranty. Most companies forbid it.
 
You've got to admit though that it's gotten a lot better, in regards to manufacturer's views on the subject.
 
<B>Not an Emerson, heck a CQC-7 which I own, can be completly taken apart and rebuilt with regular old screw drivers!</B> I have done complete cleanings in the field of some of my folders. The AR / GB folders I would never attempt to take apart <B>You won't get it back together correctly</B> Trust me go with Mick and send your baby in for a rebuild.

It seems to me that if you spent any time in the field with a GB/AR you would have problems, with degredation of the 3M. HELL the jungle eats everything! Even a humid/salt environment like the Folrida Keys would eat that 3m for breakfast! Who really has time to floss thier freaking folders???? Thats anal. I can hear it now "Hey guys I can't walk point any more, I have to floss my folder"!!!!!! Or.. "can you guys carry the 60 this gunner has to floss his folder".

And as Shane45-1911 stated he had the problem twice if that happened when he really needed the folder he would be SOL and the SHTF!!!!

My 2 cents would be to use a folder you can work on, or get a freaking fixed blade.
 
Take a pill there super hero…

We have over two thousand AR/GB frame knives in circulation right now.

We have heard of problems with fewer than twenty. Those issues were USUALLY too tight of a pivot screw.

I don’t think that is too bad of a record.

Thanks for the attitude though.

Mick
 
Just reading some threads here there seems to be a problem with the glued on washers rotating and the D shaped washer hitting the liner lock bar causing the folder to not open. I am just saying that if this washer degredation of the 3m caused the washers to come free from the liners your folder would cease to work.

Then in that case there is no way you can fix it besides sending it in to Strider but what the hell happens if your in an Afgan rock box, or in the stinkin Philipines Jungle? Your SOL.
 
Here is a thread that supports my view points

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=221932


--Quote--
Adhesive/spacer in S30V AR
I had posted this elsewhere, but I thought I would try it here as well:

On my AR, the asymmetric washer in the pivot does not rotate with the blade. This causes a failure to lock when the blade is opened.
The knife functioned perfectly until I took it on several dives (salt water). After the second, there was what appeared to be rubber cement coming out of the space between blade and washer. Once this material was removed, the pivot was very loose and lock up was sporadic from that point forward.

My question: Is there adhesive or a rubber washer which retains the position of the asymmetric washer?

I will take advantage of your great warranty and send the AR back to you (once my back up AR comes in), but I would like to know in case my knife lube is degrading a fragile spacer/adhesive. I have used everything from Break Free to Tri-flow to 10W40 to Hawaiian Tropic on it with good results, until it hit the salt H2O.

Thanks,
Mark
---end quote---
 
Here is another with talk of spacers moving?


Thread: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=217475



I would be open to discuss a design flaw, the adhesive eventually will allow the spacers to move.

But you can send it in for a re-build by your Strider guys. That seems to be the only answer as I believe that taking apart an AR Folder would be about damn near impossible in the field.

<B>There is a reason the M-16 or M-4 Rifles breakdown for cleaning with zero tools! Less to carry, less to go wrong. Easier to maintain.</B>

Needing special spanner wrenches is a draw back I think. Maybe the Strider guys could put out a tool kit!!!!! That would be cool.
 
Originally posted by swenson45
<B>...The AR / GB folders I would never attempt to take apart <B>You won't get it back together correctly</B> ...
Click to expand...


I've taken my AR apart a couple of times. I had no trouble putting it back together.



MO
 
Originally posted by Mick Strider

I don’t think that is too bad of a record.
Click to expand...

I agree Mick. Even though I was one of the twenty, I don't think you've got a "recall" situation pending.

This situation in no way compromised the reliability or strength of my knife, and it was returned twice for "cosmetic" reasons, more than any other. That, and the fact that I can be incredibly anal about stuff. :p
 
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