How do YOU check for blade play?

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

How do you all check for blade play? For the 26 years i've owned knives, i've always checked for blade play with the lock disengaged. My thinking is with the lock influencing the blade only at the end of it's travel, if i set the pivot tension under lock tension there will still be play throughout the blades travel. I've seen in some "review" (are they really reviews or initial impressions?) videos adjusting the pivot with the lock open. I've had other people around me who own knives and say their knife has no bladeplay tell me i'm wrong for checking it with the lock disengaged and that their knife is solid. To each their own, i don't claim to know everything and obviously this subject is somewhat a matter of opinion.

 

[jux t]

I find it’s easier and quicker to tune the side to side play out when the lock is disengaged.

Edit: to answer your question, I check for play in both positions.

 

[kreole]

Both

 

[ferider]

Open and lock the knife. In open position disengage the lock and check for play. If you don't disengage the lock, it can "hide" play under lock pressure.

 

[Danke42]

I find it’s easier and quicker to tune the side to side play out when the lock is disengaged.

Edit: to answer your question, I check for play in both positions.

Ditto

 

[mercutio99x]

Open and locked. Does that mean I have some blade play during the travel of the blade? Probably. But the part that matters to me is if it's going to wiggle when I'm using it, which is open and locked.

I certainly wouldn't fault someone from doing it any way that makes them happy though

 

[elevator man]

I set pivot tension to allow drop shut with no play I can detect with fingers while the locks disengaged. I find the lock will hide a loose pivot

 

[David Mary]

I check for play in both positions

Option 4 for me as well.

 

[Ilikesharpstuff]

I check with the blade locked as in my mind it's the only place that blade play matters. If a knife is tuned in such a way that there is no play when it is open and locked, and the blade is centered when it is fully closed, I'm not going to adjust away from that condition to address play that exists in a state that the knife will never be used (lock disengaged/partially opened).