Is “centering” in a folding knife important to you?

Which of the following best describes your position on “blade centering” on a closed folding knife?

  • Not important at all, no matter what.

    Votes: 2 1.7%

  • It’s okay if it’s slightly off-center, but not rubbing on the scales.

    Votes: 64 54.7%

  • It’s okay if it’s off-center to any extent, so long as it isn’t rubbing on the scales.

    Votes: 5 4.3%

  • I don’t care if it’s off-center at all, even if rubbing on the scales.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • If it’s rubbing on the scales, that’s the only time it’s an issue.

    Votes: 10 8.5%

  • Other: Discuss in comments

    Votes: 10 8.5%

  • It has to be perfectly centered

    Votes: 26 22.2%
  • Total voters
    117
  • Poll closed .
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King of the Cheese

King of the Cheese

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Note: If your choice differs based on knife cost, don’t pick “other”, pick the option the best suits you given your entire collection. For example, if you buy 100 knives for $20 and don’t care about centering, and have one knife worth $500 in which you do, pick the option that best reflects the majority of the knives you buy.

This is a poll/discussion on the topic of the centering of the blade on a closed folding knife. There are different extents of “off center”, ranging from being slightly off center all the way to rubbing on the scales. So my question is, what are the deal breakers for you? If you have special conditions not described in this poll, feel free to discuss them in the comments.

The reason I created this poll is that there are times I’ve had buyers reject a knife or return it to me because the blade has been slightly off-center. Is it an OCD issue, or a valid concern?

What are your thoughts?
 
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I think it's ocd for a buyer to send a secondhand knife back for any reason that's as cosmetic and irrelevant as minor off centering.

It's more reasonable for a new and high dollar knife, but again I'm not about to send an irreplaceable knife back over centering, and I like to buy exclusives when I can, since my budget is limited and those often offer the coolest package for the money.
 
Never okay for me.

I understand this is a matter of my personal taste rather than a functional issue. I have one knife - a Native Chief - that I cannot bring to center and do not carry it because it is so frustrating to me.

I realize how silly this must seem to some people because the Native Chief in question is an awesome cutter with a great design, the blade does not hit the scales, and it is functionally sound. My particular obsessiveness just cannot overlook the off-center blade.

Edit: All being said, I would not return a knife for this issue.
 
cmfkdragoon said:
Never okay for me.

I understand this is a matter of my personal taste rather than a functional issue. I have one knife - a Native Chief - that I cannot bring to center and do not carry it because it is so frustrating to me.

I realize how silly this must seem to some people because the Native Chief in question is an awesome cutter with a great design, the blade does not hit the scales, and it is functionally sound. My particular obsessiveness just cannot overlook the off-center blade.

Edit: All being said, I would not return a knife for this issue.
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Sorry I missed that option, it has been added: “has to be perfectly centered”
 
Prefer centered, but slightly off is not a deal breaker. My AD20 is just slightly off, but bought it used and knew that going in. If I loosen the pivot just a hair it straightens out, but pivot tension trumps centering for me.

ETA: I tried loosening everything, wedging the blade over, and re-tightening...didn't help on this one. Kind of funny that my 2 AD20.5s are perfect.
 
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It depends on the knife for me, if it’s over about $100ish I expect the blade to by pretty perfectly centered (if it’s not absolutely dead centered I can tune it to be perfect) but if it’s just a $40-$50 beater as long as the blades not rubbing it doesn’t have to be perfect.
 
Paratrooper06 said:
The reason I created this poll is that there are times I’ve had buyers reject a knife or return it to me because the blade has been slightly off-center. Is it an OCD issue, or a valid concern?

What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...

RgH5GFal.jpg
 
i chose other.😁


on a high dollar as in 400 + dollar knife id prefer it was close to center and not rubbing on scales. the higher dollars kinda demands tolerances are better. on a 50 dollar or cheaper knife I dont care if its off center at all.

on a low dollar user thats gonna get very ugly anways, I dont care if it rubs the liner.
 
jbmonkey said:
i chose other.😁


on a high dollar as in 400 + dollar knife id prefer it was close to center and not rubbing on scales. the higher dollars kinda demands tolerances are better. on a 50 dollar or cheaper knife I dont care if its off center at all.

on a low dollar user thats gonna get very ugly anways, I dont care if it rubs the liner.
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Well as a consensus on frequency of knives you buy, which would you pick?
 
WedgeAntilles said:
The particular knife, price point etc make a difference. In a 30 dollar Kershaw, it bothers me little. In a 500 dollar CRK, my standards are different.
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But if you could average with all the knives you buy, which would you pick? Do you buy more CRKs than $30 knives, or opposite?
 
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