Interesting Buck/Strider Repair Story

Lenny

Lenny

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Oct 15, 1998
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About 2 months ago, I purchased a Mini Buck/Strider Spear point in BG-42.
I absolutely loved it from the start. However, several things were not quite perfect with it. There was a bit of blade play in both the vertical and horiz direction when fully locked, the lock bar travelled almost all the way over to the opposite liner, and the blade was not centered when closed. A careful look at the pivot indicated a strange setup. The liner lock side had 1 brass washer; the other side had the same washer, with an irregularly shaped brass piece behind it (between it and the other liner). I thought this was strange, why 2 pieces on one side, and 1 on the other. It was obvious that this was the cause of the non centering blade when closed. I also wondered if this caused the blade wobble and excessive travel of the liner lock. Since I'd heard so many great comments about Buck's customer service, off it went to them for a look see. Three weeks later, yesterday, I received the knife back. Rock solid lock up with no blade play in any direction, liner engages the tang at its very beginning with lots of room for wear (don't worry, it passed the spine wack test perfectly), blade perfectly centered when closed, 1 round washer on the lock side of the pivot, and the 1 irregularly shaped brass piece on the other. Huh? What happened to the other brass washer?
Does Buck use the extra washer to make up for bad tolerances in some knives? Does it have some other purpose? How many of you have the extra washer on the non lock side? Actually, it doesn't matter to me, because my knife is now perfect (just a little stiff action that will probably smooth out with usage)
Let me know how yours looks please.
Inquiring minds want to know.
Hey Joe Houser, feel free to jump in here.
Thanks,
Lenny
 
Hi Lenny

Upon examining my B/S, I counted three very thin bronze washers on the non-lock side, and one bronze washer on the lock side. The ending thicknesses are equal, due to there being three thin and one thick. The blade sits perfectly centered, and my lock engages its full width across the blade tang.

I have a large tanto version, and enjoy it very much. When mine was new, there was a rough area in the opening arc. I loosed one of the pivot screws (both sides will accept a driver) and it became very smooth at once.
 
On my large SP there is two thin ones on the thumb stud side and one thick one on the lock side. I also noticed that the thin ones are a larger diameter than the thick one. Blade centering and lockup are perfect with no blade play.

Alex
 
Come on guys, I know more of you have the Buck/Striders.
What do the pivots look like?
How many washers on each side?
Inquiring minds.....
Lenny
 
Lenny,
I have 2 Small Buck Strider knives with spear points and are of BG-42. One will become my everyday knife. They both have 2 small washers on one side and a larger washer on the opposite side. One is back with Buck right now because it did not center in the handle and came within 1/32 of touching the side rails. The other is fine. I really like the size, style, blade material, and other characterists of these knives. I have ordered a Buck Strider Solution in BG-42 and am looking forward to receiving it. Hope this helps. Take care. Tony
 
Doesn't anyone else think it's strange that each of these knives has a different number and configuration of washers supporting the pivot?
Lenny
 
I have a big spear point in ATS-34. It has 3 thin washers on the thumb stud side, and one thick washer on the lock side. Is this a standard configuration?
 
My Buck/Strider 880SP also has the thicker lock-side washer and the two thinner washers on the other side. The two thinner washers combined equal the width of the thicker one on the other side and this arrangement should not IMHO really perform any differently than would two equally thick washers, one on each side.

This same question arose in late May and early June of last year in the following threads:
Questions: Buck Strider Tanto and
Buck/Strider questions ....

The question was addressed by Joe Houser on June, 4, 2001.

The Buck/Strider, both large and mini are great knives, no matter what the washer configuration.
 
Lenny,
Glad to hear you like the knife. It is late friday and the engineers have gone home for a long weekend so I can not ask them about the evolution of this issue. From what i do remeber, we have a standard way of assembling them and there is a reason for that one odd shaped washer. If memory serves, they go together best with two washers on the one side. You really wanted your knife to have one on each side so our rework department fiddled with it until he got it right.
I am not if the office much next week but will try to get a better answer for you on the issue.
 
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