How to fix Centering issues on Buck Vantage Pro

[scrimshawcomm]

Hi,

I live in the UK and recently bought a Buck Vantage Pro from bronzemanoutdoors.com... It is fresh from the US but satill has a very off centre blade. I have read throughout the forum that people have been able to correct this somewhat by dismantling the knife and making adjustments.

I have obviously tightened (loosend) the pivot screw but this does not help. The blade is not out of shape etc. The issue (which other people have addressed ) is the lock pressing on the blade.

I can't be bothered sending it to Buck in the US and really just need it to be 1 or 2 mm to the left so it doesn't touch the liner. I will attach a photo, but any help on this matter as in how I can adjust it would be fantastic.

Cheers, also this is my first post but from what I have read on here it looks like a great forum with a lot of knowledgeable folk!

 

[singularity35]

Hi, welcome to the forums. This is centering method I've tried on some other knives. I think it's worth it to give it a try.

1. With the knife closed, wedge a folded piece of paper between the blade and the side of the knife that you wan the blade to move away from.

2. Loosen the pivot screws and the other scale screws. Don't take the screws out, just loosen them.

3. Tighten up the screws without taking out the paper wedge.

4. Adjust pivot to desired tightness.

I hope this works for you.

 

[J_Curd]

How to center a blade on a liner or frame lock:

1. Hold the knife in your left hand with the blade closed, and the spine of the closed blade upwards (handle spine in your palm).

2. Loosen the pivot and scale/liner screws up to where they are still threaded, but everything is loose.

3. Push the scale against your thumb away from you, and pull the opposite scale with your fingers until the blade is where you want it.

4.) Maintain pressure while you tighten the pivot some, then FIRMLY tighten all the scale/liners screws.

5.) Release your "shifting" grips and see where the blade centers. As you add tension to the pivot, the blade will shift towards the right scale. Find a balance of clearance from the liner, but ease of opening.


There is an EXCELLENT diagram for this, but alas I cannot find it.

 

[hoopster]

If the liners can be separated from the handles, all you have to do is either make sure both liners are straight (lie flat on a known flat surface and check for gaps) or lightly bend one or both about 1/2" to one inch from the pivot hole in the proper direction to move the blade over.
Beware, it only takes the slightest amount to make a difference. It may take a couple of tries to get it right.

 

[knarfeng]

Unless the blade is actually hitting the liners, I'd leave it alone.

When you change the angle of the blade, you can change the angle at which the blade hits the lock bar. That angle is critical to the proper functioning of the lock. Changing that angle could lead to insecure lockup.

I have a Vantage Pro. The blade is not perfectly centered. But it functions perfectly and the Paul Bos heat treated S30V is to die for.

 

[RDA]

I just recently purchased one, my blade is about 60/40 so not perfectly centered but close enough and I am not going to mess with it. There is some good advice above worth trying.

I did spend some time with mine on the paper wheels, now it is definitely sharper, it was pretty good "out of the box" but not good enough to shave hair like it does now. The S30V blade with heat treat does take a bit more work to sharpen but I believe it will also hold an edge a little longer as well I hope.

All I will add though is this is a great knife for the money and my EDC currently.

Regards,

Rich

 

[44Magpie]

This seems to be quite a common problem with Buck folders. The only one I've owned that wasn't off center was the Vantage. I had a Waimea that I finally got centered after repeated disaaasembly/assembly while using the pressure methods above. Good luck! :thumbup:

 

[waynejitsu]

A lot of times lightly bending the blade works very easy.
It sounds "bad", but the bend may be there already, ever so lightly, you are just straightening it.
A lot of times, open the blade and push (carefully) in the direction of the bend actually makes it straight, if not, try the opposite direction.

 

[effer]

In addition to the methods suggested you can also open the knife, rest the blade on a surface hold the handle and apply some pressure to the pivot area. In your case you need to be pushing on the side without a clip (opposite to the lockbar side).

A lot of times lightly bending the blade works very easy.
It sounds "bad", but the bend may be there already, ever so lightly, you are just straightening it.
A lot of times, open the blade and push (carefully) in the direction of the bend actually makes it straight, if not, try the opposite direction.

You're not actually bending the blade. You're changing alignment.

 

[flatface77]

I have this problem on a new Buck Odyssey & the handle is pinned. No screws. I'm thinking of shimming the clip side bushing. Any other ideas?

 

[audiopile]

Gotta admit - I care about lockup and either vertical or s2s blade play - but as long as the blade doesn't foul on either side - why is this a problem ?

 

[scrimshawcomm]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your replies.

Audiopile - The issue is IT does just touch the liner when U close it. Which over time I assume shall effect the integrity of the blade.

I do agree that this is a lovely blade - I used to to gut and clean some good sized snapper last night and works like a charm...

I am going to attempt some of the methods above...

Cheers,

Sam

 

[singularity35]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your replies.

Audiopile - The issue is IT does just touch the liner when U close it. Which over time I assume shall effect the integrity of the blade.

I do agree that this is a lovely blade - I used to to gut and clean some good sized snapper last night and works like a charm...

I am going to attempt some of the methods above...

Cheers,

Sam

Post back with your results. They might be of use to some other guy having problems like yours.

 

[Stainz]

This is so sad - the original beef with the 347 was the blade centering - and that was supposedly addressed. My early production example was - and after a lot of use still is - perfectly centered. The recently viewed 347's in stores were fine, too. Then - a week ago - I fondled a new 342, the one with the shorter 171 Mayo Waiimea S30V blade. Sadly, the liner lock would not engage by itself - or stay engaged - totally useless - and very dangerous. One has to wonder about their QC inspections.

I guess I am even more upset about the 171 Mayo Waiimea being off centered. My new 172 Mayo TNT, the one with the S30V blade the same size as the 347 Vantage Pro, was purchased at a great price - just less than half it's last list price - last fall, soon after it was announced as being dropped. It is the most perfect general production Buck knife I have ever purchased - a poor man's CRK Sebenza.

Perhaps my 347 & 172 were flukes - and the mass production/poor QC inspections produce substandard new models. I know the newly introduced 850 Bravo I bought for my son was a dog - the second one sent wasn't much better - scale/liner screws intruded through to scrape on the blade. Their Custom Shop 110's are still museum quality, however.

The worst possible result of less than stellar production uniformity and QC has been demonstrated here - the knife made it 'across the pond' - shipping it back would be excessive in cost. Heck, the last one I sent back to Buck myself, and I live in Alabama, was $10 s/h - that's a lot for a $60 knife.Sad.

Stainz

PS Last month saw the arrival of my first SS retirement check. I celebrated by buying my first CR knife - a Wilson Combat 'StarTac' Umnumzaan, a bit larger than the large Sebenza. Wow! I now know what a 'perfect' knife is... but what a cost.

 

[scrimshawcomm]

Hi,

I will post my results later tonight after I have a play with it.

It is Sad that there are still these issues. It seems this knife is universally loved and hated in equal measure. Loved for its high quality materials and cheap price and loathed for its poor workmanship and cheap liner.....

The worst part of it all is that its NOT CHEAP in the the UK. Most retaliers have the Buck Vantage Pro at £90 thats US$140.... NO JOKE. I managed to get it for £50 delivered ...

I am going to be in New York over Xmas - I am thinking a few folders might be tucked away in my luggage for sale in the UK.....

Sam

 

[audiopile]

Scrim - from your picture it sure does look way off center. At the point that the blade is actually rubbing the liner -that's a problem. My question really is more about a matter of degree - my Strider SNG is not perfectly centred when closed - very smooth opening -very solid lock up -why should i care that it's not perfectly down the middle when closed ? Let me stipulate that if i were a knife collector - I suppose this might matter to me - but I'm a knife user and simply can't figure out why this is such a big deal ?

 

[scrimshawcomm]

Hey Audiopile,

Well I'm not a collector but when I buy something from a reputable dealer and it arrives in a less than perfect condition I get annoyed.

Would be the same if I bough a new Monitor and it had a few dead pixels.. i's only a FEW dead pixels and won't effect the use of the screen but every time I look at the thing I will feel annoyed.

I guess it's an OCD thing.....

Still £50 is £50.....

___________Update - I tried the paper - tightning trick - no luck. I am going to take the scales off and try and correct the liner later tonight....

 

[jvan]

Hi, welcome to the forums. This is centering method I've tried on some other knives. I think it's worth it to give it a try.

1. With the knife closed, wedge a folded piece of paper between the blade and the side of the knife that you wan the blade to move away from.

2. Loosen the pivot screws and the other scale screws. Don't take the screws out, just loosen them.

3. Tighten up the screws without taking out the paper wedge.

4. Adjust pivot to desired tightness.

I hope this works for you.

Thank you very much, my knife looked just like the one in the OP. I followed your instructions and my blade is now dead center; one of the better helpful tips in a long time. Thanks again.

 

[scrimshawcomm]

Thank you very much, my knife looked just like the one in the OP. I followed your instructions and my blade is now dead center; one of the better helpful tips in a long time. Thanks again.

Hey.

did you have the Vantage Pro?

I don't see what loosening the scale screws does as all they do is hold the scales to the liners??

 

[SPXTrader]

There is an EXCELLENT diagram for this, but alas I cannot find it.

I believe it was kneedeep's graphic you are referring to.

Text is as follows:

Blades can be centered by loosening the handles and shifting them slightly in relation to each other on the long axis. This in turn changes the angle of the pivot's axis. A tiny movement of the handles can move the tip of the blade quite a bit.