how do you adjust the ti lock bar?

bullet08

bullet08

Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
294
so i got my ZT0550. love this knife. most expensive knife i ever got. i know some of you have knives over 4 times this one, but i'm more used to something under $100.. anyway.. there is a very little vertical blade play. i read the forum on all the vertical play posts. it seems there really isn't much that can be done other than sending it in. however, i also noticed that sending it in does not resolve the issue (i did send an email to ZT CS. i know they are great, but all the post indicates they do what i used to do when i used to work with hardware.. replace the part.. sometimes that works, but sometimes that doesn't).

playing around with it, there are two things that's going to fix the issue. elongate the tang on the blade, or bending the ti lock bar just a hair.. obviously, i can't extend the tang on the blade. i read that you can hammer it.. i guess sort of like doing body work on the old car which thins out the metal and at the same time will extend the length. but i really don't want to do that. it's more or less irreversible.

other option is to bend the ti lock bar just a hair. how do i go about doing that? i read ti has rather good memory as to where it's supposed to be?

slainte!

Guinness.jpg


Guinness2.jpg


pete
 
Take the knife apart, put the titanium slab in a vice, and use a torch to heat the cut out for the lockbar(the thin part of the titanium where it bends) and SLIGHTLY bend it in with pliers.
 
bullet08 said:
won't that discolor it?

pete
Click to expand...

Yes, but it's pretty easy to buff out, but then you might have to redo the whole chunk of titanium. You could just put it in a vice and push on it firmly, you should be able to bend it enough to get rid of blade play without heating it up.
 
greetings all,
okay, don't laugh but this is what i've done too many times to count on knives that have vertical play. on this model where the thumb studs hit the liners, you can build up the liner by ever so slightly "painting" crazy glue where they contact each other. right in that notch on the liner. just a little at a time with a toothpick. let it dry a good 24 hours and that slight build up will take out any play. if you use too much, just take it down with a jewelers file. i will admit it probably won't withstand heavy duty "flipping" but mine have lasted on some for years with normal use. works on knives where blades contact a stop-pin. same deal only i build up the blade area of contact. hope it helps.
mike
 
great suggestions guys. i don't want to send in my ZT0550 if i don't have to. i want to work with whatever resouces i have before sending it in. it seems like something that can be resolved without replacing parts and so on.

i mean, i jumped on this knife because i didn't want the deep carry clip and cutout on the outside. i don't want to end up with something other than what i have. :)

i'll wait for ZT CS contact to see what i possible at my home without voiding the warranty.

pete
 
problem solved. just some torx bits and bit of tuning, now it locks up at 60-65% solid.

pete
 
Glad to hear your knife got sorted out.

Just so you all know, there is never a situation where you need to heat the lockbar to bend it - the titanium can just be bent a little further by hand.


Mind you, I don't endorse this, I recommend sending it in if you have an issue.
 
thanks jimmer. no bending was needed. just had to make sure the lock bar is moving smoothly. for some reason, the lock bar did not fully engage the blade tang before. i took the folder apart, clean it out, and worked the lock bar few times. now it's engaging the blade tang fully.

pete
 
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