How do I fix this?

Cosmic Superchunk

Cosmic Superchunk

Joined
Jan 28, 2001
Messages
3,709
Hey guys, I need a little help. I bought a used Benchmade Pinnacle from a Pawn Shop yesterday for $50.00. The knife was used slightly and has a few minor scratches on the handle and the blade, however, the blade does not align down the center of the handle when I close it. I know this has been discussed before, but I couldn't find the thread. I tried loosened the pivot and bend the blade away from the direction of the locking bar, but it doesn't seem to help. every time I close the blade, it leans toward the left side of the handle (where the locking bar is). How do you guys correct this? I have other knives that are the same way, but I figured I'd try to fix the problem on the Benchmade before I do it to my other knives.

[This message has been edited by el cid (edited 06-19-2001).]
 
You might want to check the REKAT forum-- I know this problem has come up before with the Sifu, but the construction on the Sifu is fairly different from the pinnacle and the same fix might not work for both. Good luck, sounds like you got a really good deal on the pinnacle.
--Josh
 
Culter, I tried it, but it doesn't seem to work. I loosened the pivot screw in the open/locked position and I bent the blade towards the side of the handle it leans to and I tightened the pivot screw, but it didn't work. What am I doing wrong? I even tried it on my CRKT Crawford/Kasper, but it doesn't work either.

[This message has been edited by el cid (edited 06-19-2001).]
 
Go ahead and tighten it to the position that you will be using it in and then apply the pressure to it. I have been doing this since the mid-80's on this type of knife and more often than not it works. Remember to apply the presure at the base of the blade, near the pivot. It may take more pressure with it already tight, but as I said I have done this for quite a while with good results. Let us know.

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Art Sigmon
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"
Php. 4:13

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword"
Heb. 4:12
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by artsig1:
Go ahead and tighten it to the position that you will be using it in and then apply the pressure to it. I have been doing this since the mid-80's on this type of knife and more often than not it works. Remember to apply the presure at the base of the blade, near the pivot. It may take more pressure with it already tight, but as I said I have done this for quite a while with good results. Let us know.

</font>
Click to expand...

Artsig1, since the blade leans towards the lock bar side, do I push the blade towards the opposite side, or towards the side it leans to?



[This message has been edited by el cid (edited 06-19-2001).]
 
push towards the side it leans to when closed. This seems like it wouldn't work but it will. BTW, how tight is the lock? If it is really pressing over when closed that could be throwing it off center.

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Art Sigmon
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"
Php. 4:13

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword"
Heb. 4:12
 
The lock up is good with no play whatsoever. I loosen the pivot pin, open the knife, apply pressure to the blade, pushing it towards the the side of the handle the blade leans to, in this case the side where the lock bar is, and I tighten the pivot screw, but it still ends up the same way. I tried it first on my Pinnacle, then on my CRKT S-2.
 
Try to tighten the pivot first and then apply the pressure. You may have to lay the blade against a hard surface to get the needed pressure. I once used the floor to accomplish this, placed the blade flat against the floor at a 30 degree angle or so and applied downward pressure at the base of the blade and the pivot to get it to realign. Worked.

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Art Sigmon
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"
Php. 4:13

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword"
Heb. 4:12
 
I have no experience with the Pinnacle. With my Starmate it was quite easy. I loosened the pivot placed it on the carpet and put one hand on the handle the other on the blade and just pushed down hard with some of my body weight behind it. There was a ugly cracking noise but afterward everything was perfect.

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Seek simplicity, and distrust it.
Whitehead, Alfred North (1861 - 1947)
 
Keep at it as it just may require more pressure but be careful not to snap the blade and/or cut yourself.

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Art Sigmon
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"
Php. 4:13

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword"
Heb. 4:12
 
Trying to bend something is usually my last resort... usually the problem lies elsewhere.

In your case, with the Benchmade pinnacle (i had two, both lined up good), I have two other strategies you may try (and are safer then bending it).

1. Benchmade has a glue of some kind to make sure the pivot area is flat where it touches the Titanium. I sanded that glue off and polished that part. I also replace the plastic looking washers with bronze washers. Both the pinnacles seemed to like that..much smoother.

2. Turn around the washer on the liner sides, so the other side which touched the blade before, now touches the Ti (or the glue stuff the covers it).

In case nothing helps, and you can't seen any malfunction when you flick all parts in the light to see if they are perfectly flat, Get out your dremel, and turn the pivot pin around. This seems to be a weak spot in Benchmades, as they use blackened steel, which seems fairly soft.

Or have someone make a new blade !.

Greetz, bart.


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Okay, I tried it on my CRKT Crawford/Kasper and it's not completely centered, but it's better than it was before. I removed the blade on the Pinnacle and looked at how the pivot pin makes contact with the hole in the titanium slab and it appears a bit off. I'll try to take the hole thing apart and reassemble it to see what happens.
 
Ha!!! It finally worked. I took my Pinaccle apart and reassembled it and then followed your advise. It worked! Special thanks to Artsig1 and Culter. Thanks a million guys.
 
GREAT! I can tell from your post you will sleep well tonight!

------------------
Art Sigmon
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"
Php. 4:13

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword"
Heb. 4:12
 
cool.gif


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Wayne.
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
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I'm not sure about this, since I do not own the Pinnacle, but I do have the Sifu and did something similar to it. My thinking is that you need to look at the handle as that is usually the softer part of the knife. I bent my handle to centre the closed blade. Not a great fix, but it worked. Don't know how long it will hold up though.
 
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