I cleaned my Sebenza for the first time, and now it's hard to disengage the lockbar

knife2Agunfight

knife2Agunfight

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Jan 11, 2012
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I took apart my Sebenza, cleaned everything, put Tuf-Glide all inside the knife, and now the lock is hard to disengage (it wasn't before). Any help is appreciated, thanks!
 
I took apart my Sebenza, cleaned everything, put Tuf-Glide all inside the knife, and now the lock is hard to disengage (it wasn't before).

Any help is appreciated, thanks!
 
I would follow the directions to take it apart from the sticky area up top. Ted does a perfect explanation for disassembly and assembly.

Hope that helps.

Dan
 
It sounds like you may have gotten some lubricant on either the lock bar or the tang of the blade. Take a Q-tip with some Isopropyl alcohol and clean those areas and see if it helps.
 
Make sure you didn't pinch the phosphor bronze washers, that'll change the geometry of the pivot in turn changing the lockup but before you check that do what rycen said and clean the lube off the tang and lockbar.
 
rycen said:
It sounds like you may have gotten some lubricant on either the lock bar or the tang of the blade. Take a Q-tip with some Isopropyl alcohol and clean those areas and see if it helps.
Click to expand...

I'll try that...

It helped a very little bit, but not much.
 
T. Erdelyi said:
Make sure you didn't pinch the phosphor bronze washers, that'll change the geometry of the pivot in turn changing the lockup but before you check that do what rycen said and clean the lube off the tang and lockbar.
Click to expand...

Pinching them? By tightening the pivot too much?
 
Take it back apart and try it again sometimes that helps. Also dont take the handles apart this time just slide the blade out and back in after you clean it.
 
I hate to say it, but take your time in putting back together. Sometimes I have moved a little fast and skipped a small step, and gotten right lock up. You have a precise piece of equipment. When in doubt, take it apart and slowly put it back together. Did you over tighten the first two screws before trying to put in the pivot by chance? That is usually where I epic fail.
 
knife2Agunfight said:
Pinching them? By tightening the pivot too much?
Click to expand...

The pivot bushing should prevent you from over tightening the pivot, if the washer are correctly aligned over and around the bushing it should slide between the scales with little resistance.

If you take it completely apart it can be difficult to get the washers to sit right on the pivot bushing, the tolerance are so right it's possible to sandwich everything together and put the scales together and have the washer on one side just off a little bit and when you tighten everything you could catch a piece of the washer and leave the gap in between the scales a little bigger throwing everything out just a little bit.

Is your arc when you thumb the blade open buttery smooth or is there a hard spot?

The best way to reassemble is to assemble the scales, spacers and stop and lightly snug down the screws, put the blade and washers together making sure to put the appropriate washer on the correct side a drop of oil will hold it all together, now slide it into the scales making sure to thumb the lock bar outta the way, when the holes all line up slide the pivot in, if everything lines up it'll pop in with no effort.

Finish assembly and try it out, if everything feels right start at the end farthest from the pivot and finish snugging up the till you get to the pivot.

The tolerances on this knife are so tight that if there's any change in the gaps it affects lockup but on the other hand if assembled correctly, (and I'm not saying you did it wrong) it should be like it was when you got it originally.
 
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I've disassembled and reassembled Sebenzas countless times and what works best for me is laying the non lock side down, putting the washers and blade on by stacking and then putting the lock side on last. Then, screw the knife together partially, close the blade so it's sitting centered and tighten all the screws, pivot first. Now, give the blade a good snap into place. Works for me every time.
 
If what you mean is that the lock bar is sticking to the blade, then take some alcohol on a q tip and clean the lock faces on the handle and blade and get all the oil off. I've heard that does help. The oil lubes up the lock and lets it slide further over than usual and because of that it sticks.

I can't back this up though, I don't own any Ti frame locks and none of my steel ones have ever had a sticking problem.
 
Per instructions from CRK, upon assembly, after cleaning, a little grease goes on the lockbar face.

You are not supposed to use Tuf-Glide on a sebenza. It is a wax. You are supposed to use the Chris Reeve lubricant, which is a grease, dramatically different from Tuf-Glide.

That's why it sticks.

Get the correct lube and redo it, or send it in to CRK.
 
I agree with Brownshoe :thumbup: don't use Tuf-glide on a Seb. CRK grease with a dash of Nano Oil is what I use and recommend.
 
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