Hinderers don't flip? HAH.

Nothing to do with the washers, you can always adjust for those ... it's the detent that improved.

I know, that's why i'm finding all the hate towards washers, especially teflon silly.
I've had bearing flippers with less smooth action.

That being said, any decent size hinderer I've had (XM24 :), including some old ones), flips just fine, the weight of the blade helps.

Heavy blades aren't a problem, heck, my Eklipse *flicks my wrist* instead of the other way around, but this is a halftrack :)
 
I don’t remember too many people claiming the Teflon washers were the cause of poor flipping.
 
I don’t remember too many people claiming the Teflon washers were the cause of poor flipping.

Why were people replacing them with PB then?
I doubt it was for the longevity concerns...

And why did tri-way become a thing if not because of people complaining they'd like PB or bearings instead?
 
People like phosphor bronze for a more solid feeling and longevity. The thin Teflon washers can be easy to damage during maintenance.

Only Rick and answer that for sure but I imagine he saw bearings were becoming more popular and people changing out the washers and said I could that better. Also having options appeals to a wider audience. It could have been solely to stop the emails of “when are you going to change to phosphor bronze or bearings.”
 
People like phosphor bronze for a more solid feeling and longevity. The thin Teflon washers can be easy to damage during maintenance.

I get that, but there were people trying to oil and grease teflon washers, and trying hard to get replacement PBs as smooth and polished as possible (on hinderers) on these very forums not that long ago. Then again, what do i know, i mostly just lurk :)
 
I never owned any pre-gen 4 Hinderer XM-18. To this date all six XM-18 3.5s that I have owned all have great flipping action. Ironically, the best among them is a gen 4 slicer on PB washers (I did not try the Teflon washers but I expect the same).
 
This has all been talked about here 1000 times over but Rick put bearing in his knife because the couch flippers NEEDED glassy smooth action no matter the the cost of complication or longevity. Hinderer saw an opportunity for $$$ and went with it. If enough people wanted scratch and sniff handle scales, you can bet your A$# he'd jump on it and probably require and sell a special tool $$$ to install them.
AnXLjwOt.jpg
 
Ordered some skiffmade bearings last week and slapped em in my gen 6 the other day

Extremely smooth

(Sorry for my busted blurry camera)

5ilppuV.jpg


JN90cpd.jpg


JCScMgn.jpg
 
I took the bearings out of my Gen 6 XM-18 and installed the PB washers just to see if they made a noticeable difference, for better or worse, in the action, centering, and/or blade play. With bearings the knife was smooth, rock solid, and well centered. Not drop shut (I don't prefer that anyway). So I considered the knife pretty well set up on bearings. Only reason I swapped was: 1) just to see the difference; and 2) make it a little more lint and dirt tolerant. Also, I have a ZT 0562, which has a known corrosion issue with the factory bearings. I wanted to see if there is any in the Hinderer bearings.

On disassembly I noted there is a bearing track in the Ti, both in the liner and the scale. I was not glad to see that.

With washers the action is absolutely as solid and well centered. It take just the slightest wrist to ensure it opens completely. I think mine has a detent on the weaker side, which may contribute to this. I also have only the tiniest fraction of a turn on the pivot from too loose to to tight.

Verdict - flips great on the bronze washers and I'll keep them installed. The detent could be stronger, and I need to pick up some blue locktite to set the pivot screw.
 
If the blade drops freely when the lock bar is pushed away, it's detent ball drag that causes the issue, and a stronger detent help overcome the drag.

My two gen 1 Halftracks are both great flippers on washers, as is my 3.5 gen 4. I did have a 3" on Teflon that wasn't great.
 
On disassembly I noted there is a bearing track in the Ti, both in the liner and the scale. I was not glad to see that.

With washers the action is absolutely as solid and well centered.

All used Gen 6 (I've seen quite a few) have the tracks. Not an issue though, IMO, as - once the knife is broken in - they "stabilize" (don't deepen, as they get wider).

If you like the Gen 6 action on washers, you might want to try a good/later Gen 4. They are quite affordable now used, can be adjusted like your knife, and have some advantages (stronger tang, you can have knives that don't exist as Gen 6 yet, like the Bowie or Fatty Harpoon Tanto, etc.). An a good Ti on Steel lock is safer than steel on steel.

Roland.
 
Last edited:
Well, they used to, until the supply caught up with the dema....oh...uh...wait, sorry about that. I'll see myself out.
 
Back
Top