How to maintain ball bearing/kvt?

G

Gideons

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Dec 9, 2015
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Hey BF,

I have multiple knives that are KVT/Ball bearing instead of washers. I am wondering how do people maintain them? I feel one isn't as smooth as it use to be, I cleaned it, do people still use lube/oil on them? If so, what lube/oil do you use/recommend?

-Gideons
 
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Yes I use lube. However lube on ball bearings doesn't really change anything IME. Lube on the detent ball/track is more important, if smooth action is the dragon you chase :D
 
kniferbro said:
Yes I use lube. However lube on ball bearings doesn't really change anything IME. Lube on the detent ball/track is more important, if smooth action is the dragon you chase :D
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The detent has already warn in that it is no issue at all. But, the blade just doesn't "drop" into place anymore when I close it and when I open it it just feels sluggish.
 
If you take pressure from the lock bar off (ie the detent) I bet the blade will be flip floppy smooth. The detent ball/track/pressure is the bottle neck so to speak.
 
kniferbro said:
If you take pressure from the lock bar off (ie the detent) I bet the blade will be flip floppy smooth. The detent ball/track/pressure is the bottle neck so to speak.
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Thank you for your suggestion. But it has nothing to do with the detent.
 
Gideons said:
The detent has already warn in that it is no issue at all. But, the blade just doesn't "drop" into place anymore when I close it and when I open it it just feels sluggish.
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OK. Keep dumping lube on the bearings :thumbup:
 
I generally just spray my knife down with some CLP, or WD40, and blow it out with an air hose. I have never really had the need to disassemble a knife for lubrication purposes.
 
I use red n tacky grease. I put a dab on my index finger and rub with my thumb. Then roll the ball bearings with my greased fingers. Just enough to get a film on them. My bearings are caged.
 
Gideons said:
Thank you for your suggestion. But it has nothing to do with the detent.
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Smoothness has everything to do with the detent. Take a toothbrush and stick the bristles between the handle and blade tang and scrub out the detent path.

Lube is unnecessary, trust me. I know exactly what the problem, and so does kniferbro.
 
Blues Bender said:
Smoothness has everything to do with the detent. Take a toothbrush and stick the bristles between the handle and blade tang and scrub out the detent path.

Lube is unnecessary, trust me. I know exactly what the problem, and so does kniferbro.
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Very interesting. The knife I am talking about is the ZT 0560. I did recently clean the knife so there is no gunk etc around the detent ball or anything in its path.
 
Gideons said:
Very interesting. The knife I am talking about is the ZT 0560. I did recently clean the knife so there is no gunk etc around the detent ball or anything in its path.
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You'd be surprised how little amounts of dirt/dust effect the smoothness drastically.

Slightly off topic- Ceramic detents can become especially stiff since the ceramic ball is harder than the steel and can cause swarf to pile up on the detent path. Don't believe me? Take a ceramic detent knife and open and close it (don't lock it) repeatedly for a few minutes and you'll notice the smoothness slowly disappear. The toothbrush trick will instantly restore smoothness.
 
[video]https://youtu.be/Bt0FAHDc4gQ[/video]

Lube or scrub the track and ball. I use a lube infused toothbrush.
 
Blues Bender said:
You'd be surprised how little amounts of dirt/dust effect the smoothness drastically.

Slightly off topic- Ceramic detents can become especially stiff since the ceramic ball is harder than the steel and can cause swarf to pile up on the detent path. Don't believe me? Take a ceramic detent knife and open and close it (don't lock it) repeatedly for a few minutes and you'll notice the smoothness slowly disappear. The toothbrush trick will instantly restore smoothness.
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Ceramic? I thought the ZT 0560 was metal/steel? Sorry if I am not understanding your statement correctly.
 
You're right, Gideons. It is metal. BB said it was off topic, which it is. But he is right. The detent and its track are everything when it comes to smoothness and drop of your 0560 blade. I'd also make sure your pivot isn't too tight. From my experience, the KVT system generally doesn't require lube.
 
WadeWilson said:
You're right, Gideons. It is metal. BB said it was off topic, which it is. But he is right. The detent and its track are everything when it comes to smoothness and drop of your 0560 blade. I'd also make sure your pivot isn't too tight. From my experience, the KVT system generally doesn't require lube.
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I detent and its track today I am pretty sure haha. So it is clean. Interestingly, if I want it to deploy amazing you're right, I do loosen the blade, but then the blade is no longer centered. And if I want the blade to drop freely, I loosen the pivot the blade centering becomes horrid. It seems to be random however, without clean, or sometimes with... this smoothness and blade freely dropping sometimes changes randomly and it does drop freely and sometimes doesn't. Maybe if you flip it a lot it because less smooth because of friction(the bearings rubbing against the steel creates heat and maybe friction slowing down the deployment)? I think that may be what is happening?
 
Washing isn't cleaning. It is possible to wash an item, without getting it clean.
Have you performed the test knifebro described in post #4?

100 times more friction at the détente than the bearing.
 
mtangent said:
Washing isn't cleaning. It is possible to wash an item, without getting it clean.
Have you performed the test knifebro described in post #4?

100 times more friction at the détente than the bearing.
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Yes, I have. BTW, When I said clean, I specifically and thoroughly cleaned the detent ball and the area it travels.
 
mtangent said:
:thumbup:
In that case, I have no idea. Let us know how it turns out.
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I quickly put it in sightly warm water with some soap, took it apart, dried it and man it is perfect again. Maybe so dirt got into the actual bearings. Who knows. but, problem solved and no lube needed.
 
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