I screwed up my AFCK HELP!!!

TheBadGuy

TheBadGuy

Joined
Jul 24, 2002
Messages
5,868
Well folks, today I took the Benchmade special tool and decided I would take my AFCK apart and clean it. Well everything went as planned and it was gunky!! When I was putting it back together I somehow stripped the tiny screw that goes on the upper scale. Below is a picture. Now I am sure I have read somewhere before more than once that Benchmade's warranty is void if you take your knife apart. Why do they sell the tool kit then?? Anyway, I am pretty sure I have read somewhere too that they wouldn't send you parts or screws like Spyderco will. So what do I do?? How do I get a replacement screw?? Anyone have any ideas?? Thanks
 
It is hard to tell if the screw is thick enough but if it is consider taking a Dremel tool and cutting two slots across the top in an "X" configuration. Then you could use a standard philips (star) screwdriver. A little shot of flat black Krylon will restore it back to black.
 
Did you strip the threads on the screw, the threads in the liner, or the torx slot in the head of the screw? BTW, you can probably find a screw that fits the hole at a hardware store. You might have to grind down the length of the screw to make it fit though if it is too long.

Mike
 
Originally posted by TheBadGuy
Anyway, I am pretty sure I have read somewhere too that they wouldn't send you parts or screws like Spyderco will. So what do I do?? How do I get a replacement screw?? Anyone have any ideas?? Thanks
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Why ask us? Ask Benchmade. Don't let a rumor spoil your faith in the innate goodness of the manufacturer! :D

All they can say is "NO !!!" -- or, then again, they may send you the screw ... the reason they say your warranty is void if you disassemble the knife is to prevent some nut from totally trashing his Benchmade and then expecting them to make it good.

Give them a chance to take care of you before you panic. :cool:
 
I will drop BM a line and see what they say or give them a call tomorrow. The top of the screw itself is stripped. Not the thread. If they can't send me a replacement, then I will start considering ways to RIG it :)
 
Give them a call, of course they will send the screw, they have sent sent me a couple of things N/C. Good people to deal with.
 
I have read somewhere before more than once that Benchmade's warranty is void if you take your knife apart. Why do they sell the tool kit then??
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The tool kit is a separate product. There is no stated intention that you should use your tool kit to disassemble your knife. The AFCK can be cleaned quite adequately with spray-in solvent cleaners.

And now you know why BM doesn't like customers disassembling their products. The screw you broke is a very fine screw. Your screw probably broke for one of three reasons:

1) you over-torqued it. With such a small screw, this is easy to do. BM probably installs those screws with a torque-limiting tool to an eact torque spec set by their engineer.

2) you got it cross-threaded. With such a small screw, this is easy to do. BM probably installs those screws with a fixture that assures that the screw goes straight in.

3) you got some foreign object/debris in the threads that caused it to bind up. With such a small screw, this is easy to do. My guess is that the the "foreign object" was actually thread locking adhesive residue that you didn't clean off. BM probably would have cleaned the screw and the hole with a Methlyene Chloride-based solvent to remove such residues and then re-applied the approved thread-locking adhesive specified by their engineer.

Special tools and engineering specs and fixtures and specific solvents and adhesives... Wow! Do you have all that? I sure don't.

There are some things you can do on your BM knife using your BM tool kit such as removing and reattaching the pocket clip, even moving the clip to other configurations on some newer models, and tightening or loosening the main joint on many models. But more extensive disassembly should be left to people who have the special tools, engineering specs, fixtures, and specific materials.

Everyone who is anyone knows that BM's warranty doesn't cover disassembly. It's been that way for years. And, it's printed in big, friendly letters right on the box. If you want a knife that you can disassemble without loosing warranty coverage, then don't buy a BM. It's that simple.

I have one of the first AFCKs sold and I've used the crap out of it. Every time it starts to get dirty, I clean it out with spray solvent. That's all it takes. I like a knife that's so well-designed and constructed that I don't have to take it apart.
 
Chuck,

I understand there policy and don't have a problem with it. I am not complaining about there policies nor am I unhappy with the preformance of any of there products. I understand that what ever caused the top of the screw to strip was my doing. Oh Yeah, I forgot to mention, the Spacer at the bottom rear of the liner fell apart into pieces one I removed it, However I superglued that back together. That also would not have happened if I had not taken it apart. I am not mad or disappointed in Benchmade, I simply want to know how to get a replacement screw to fix my error. I tried calling and they were closed. I dropped them a line and will call again tomorrow. Thanks guys, I will let you know if I have any luck:)
 
BM got a bad lot of spacers some time ago. They'll be happy to replace that for you.
 
If you have a machine around you anywhere you could probably pick up the correct screw. I don't know what size they use but would think it to be a standard size. maybe a 2-56 or close to it. It is very easy to use a Dremel with a cutoff wheel to cut the screw to size. Barring that use the cutoff wheel and do as rev pete said and cut a slot across and use a micro screwdriver to tighten it up. I've done that before with great success. Be sure to clean out the hole before putting the screw back in as that loctite is what caused you to strip the head in the first place. You can easily fix it yourself and not have to send it off to BM and be without it for a period of time.
 
Originally posted by Gollnick

Special tools and engineering specs and fixtures and specific solvents and adhesives... Wow! Do you have all that? I sure don't.
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With all due respect, isn't this all speculation in itself? As you stated in your 3 things (Benchmade probably does this and probably uses that), we don't even know if Benchmade has all those special tools, fixtures, specific solvents and adhesives. For all we know, and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised, they tighten each screw with a small torx bit by hand to what feels tight enough. JMHO. Still doesn't change the fact that he went against their stipulations.

Anyway, there is a product on the market that you put in the stripped hole, and it allows you to thread the screw (or unthread it since that is what it's made for). I think it can be bought at Wal Mart or Lowes. It is a grey colored liquid from what I can remember. A sales associate might be able to help you. Here is a link I found for this product (or a similar product).

HTH,

Mike
 
Thanks for all the ideas guys, Here is my game plan. I already E-mailed BM and am going to call them tomorrow. My hope is that they will sell me a new spacer and a new small screw. If not, them the spacer is already superglued. And the screw thats stripped goes to an area that I personally don't think takes away from the preformance of the knife. Its right next to the main screw that secures the blade so its not really nessasary. So I would probably try to get something to fill the small hole and still look good. This is a Full Time User, I just want to prolong its life and looks.

Anyway, there is a product on the market that you put in the stripped hole, and it allows you to thread the screw
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Thanks Medic, but the hole is not stripped, just the head of the screw, Which is out of the knife.:)
 
Originally posted by TheBadGuy
Thanks Medic, but the hole is not stripped, just the head of the screw, Which is out of the knife.:)
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It is used to unscrew a screw with the stripped head, not slot, as it might have sounded. You put the liquid into the stripped head, and it allowd your bit to get more "bite" in the head to remove a screw. It could also be used to put a screw back in if you absolutely had to I guess. Anyway, it was just a thought. Hopefully BM will give you another screw.

Mike
 
:eek: Ok I got ya. Yeah hopefully they just send me a new screw :) Thanks though, it might be an option if not.
 
Originally posted by TheBadGuy
And the screw thats stripped goes to an area that I personally don't think takes away from the preformance of the knife. Its right next to the main screw that secures the blade so its not really nessasary
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Doesn't that screw thread into the spacer that acts as the blade stop? I would think it fairly important. I hope BM comes through with the new hardware, better safe than sorry. :)
 
BG had the same problem with mine, screws stripped, now it looks like frankenknife with the extra long screws and nuts behind them, and the spacer did the same thing I've glued it a few times. I think I'll send BM an Email too, it's time to get the AFCK fixed.:)
 
If you call them and ask for the screw, they'll send it to you!! probably free of charge!!!
 
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