how off center is too off center

T

The Trout

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Jan 14, 2014
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i got a benchmade in the mail and the only knife i had before was one of the taiwanese crkt m16s. id say this one the tip of the blade is off center about sixty forty, and the centering improves moving up the blade, i mean the closer it is to the hinge, the more centered it is. do you recommend exchange, doing something to it on my own, or is it ok to leave it like that?
 
Pics would help. Use photobucket or similar and copy IMG code to thread. It doesn't sound bad from your description. Is it a user? If so I would just use it.
 
if the knife is ground uneven send it back.

If the blade is off center, tighten/loosen the pivot and see it if helps (without affecting lock up).

if it still persists send it in if it bothers you that bad.

As long as it isn't scraping the liners then you shouldn't have any "functional" issues (Merely cosmetic).
 
What benchmade? Griptilian line? Its common and apparently there is a fix. I have bought 4 mini's and a full size and never once got one bad enough I cared to fix.
 
It may also be the liners out of adjustment a bit. Sometimes tightening the pivot some with the blade open, then loosening the liner/scale screws, wiggling the sides of the knife some, and re-tightening the screws a little at a time helps. There are quite a few threads on BF about adjusting blade centering. Just search for blade centering or blade adjustment and see what comes up.
 
Both my mini grip and mini bone collector are off-center and are going strong after lots of use. As long as it doesn't rub the liners I personally wouldn't worry about it, but you could always contact Benchmade and ask. My assisted Benchmades are perfectly centered, though--I'm still wondering if it's coincidence or is typical of the assisted models.
 
I've owned a few Bucks and Kershaws that were slightly off center. Functionally speaking, they worked jus fine. I learned to be a little less OCD about centering and focus more on using my blades. As long as it isn't scraping against the liner, you should be fine.
 
That's like saying lock rock isn't an issue as long as the lock doesn't fail. Or that a missing screw doesn't matter so long as the scale doesn't fall off. It's poor workmanship imo. I can buy a $10 knife from China with a perfectly centred blade. Why should I expect, or accept, anything less from a US maker?
 
Off center blades are a huge pet peeve of mine, I always try to fix them. Try taking out the pivot screw, locktite the screw, then as you put the screw back in hold the blade to the opposite side that is off center and that might fix it. The way I see it is that if you are paying money for a knife (especially expensive ones) theres no reason for the blade to be off center, its not like its hard for knife companies to do that the right way when they can get everything else right.
 
It really depends in my honest opinion.. on one major thing.. and thats just how much money you've spent on that particular knife... (along with which company it came from)....

If it's anything over $100.. in honesty I'd like them to be centered... but if they aren't i guess it isn't the end of the world...

If you are talking about a knife in the $300-600 then i'd expect them to be DEAD CENTER... without a doubt in my mind... if it's off centered somebody will be receiving a call to correct it...

At the end of the day, as long as no part of the edge or blade is licking the side.... it isn't a problem.. but some will have it in the back of their minds.. which will annoy them...
 
It's too off center if it's touching the liners or it's enough to bug you.

For high end folders I expect it to be centered but for more budget oriented knives I just don't want it rubbing the liner. The way I see it is that it's not that big of a deal and can be easily fixed.
 
A rule of thumb for me is: if it's a knife that's over $100 then an off-center blade is completely unacceptable (even if it's just a hair) and you can be damn sure that I will be returning it to the manufacturer.
 
Here is one of my Enlan Bee knives, from China, approx $10. I have two, both perfectly centred and rock solid lockup.
And, mini (ritter) Griptilian $119. I have had three, all off-center. Tried to fix the centering but no luck. Sold all three.

G3b1AVq.jpg
 
banksy said:
Here is one of my Enlan Bee knives, from China, approx $10. I have two, both perfectly centred and rock solid lockup.
And, mini (ritter) Griptilian $119. I have had three, all off-center. Tried to fix the centering but no luck. Sold all three.

G3b1AVq.jpg
Click to expand...


Wow that grip is bad mines dead center
 
Since Benchmade has a price fixing policy,they obviously wouldn't want products out there that aren't up to their high standards. I'd send it back for repair!
 
With the knife closed.
I would losen all the screws including the clip screws
Now snug down on the pivot. Not real tight, just hand tight.
I then gently, but firmly, apply pressure to each side of the knife in opposite directions.
Left side up/right side down or Left side down/right side up; while at the same time seeing what combination gives you the desired results.
While holding the right effect, start tightening screws. If the tightening of one particular screw ruins the effect. Tighten this problem screw last.
Once all screws are tight, adjust pivot.
 
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