Is it smooth, or is it free?

A

anustart

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Jul 12, 2015
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I have been thinking about people talking about how their knives are so unbelievably smooth when it drops closed on its own weight. Granted, it may be smooth, but I think it's free more than smooth.

Let me elaborate.

You can have a knife that has sand in the pivot. You feel that sand grinding around in the pivot when you open the knife. However, when you press in the linerlock, the blade drops on its own weight and hits your thumb nail. This means the knife is free, but it's not necessarily smooth.

The same thing applies to smoothness. You can have polished washers and when you open it, it's like the blade is riding on glass. No grittiness or hiccups in its movement. However, when you press the lock, the blade doesn't drop one bit, meaning it's smooth, but not necessarily free.

In summary, a free dropping blade doesn't necessarily mean a knife is smooth, and a smooth action doesn't necessarily mean a free dropping blade. At least that's my take on it. I see people saying how their knife is so smooth when the blade drops freely, as if a free dropping blade defines smoothness. In a way it does, but it doesn't. I don't know. I just offered my thoughts above.

Do you have anything to add, or any differing thoughts? I'm interested to hear what you guys have to say.
 
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One of those things might mean your pivot is a tad loose and needs a 1/4 turn or so.
 
I agree with your thoughts. I don't like it when my knives feel smooth only because they're "free" (i.e., there is side-to-side blade play). The smooth ones IMO are the ones that will fall easily with no play.
 
I like good balance between both. I spend a good bit of time tuning my knives. Especially those I make scales for. Personally with the Benchmades, I prefer if the blade will not fall under its on weight. I find if it does, blade play usually is a result. I polish the washers to 2,000 with paper and buff with a micro-compound. This gives a very smooth action and allows the pivot to be tighted to remove all blade play. The blade will move some under its own weight, but does not fall freely. Holding the axis bar back, a slight nudge from your index finger will sling it to the closed position. This is how I prefer to tune. I can usually get them all satisfactory. I have a couple that are incredible. I have and do own customs and I am satisfied with many Benchmades for the price point.

My answer is smooth amd not totally free.
 
This confuses my simple mind.

It doesn't really matter what exact word you use to describe something as much as that something doing what the majority call "smooth" or "free"

If a blade closes under it's own weight (your example) that's generally excepted as (use whatever word you want)
The semantics of trying to precisely describe that is strange...
 
Of course it matters. Precision of language helps to convey meanings of more nuanced ideas. So I appreciate the distinction of a free moving blade from a smooth travel.

Accuracy vs precision, ya know. :)
 
I like this distinction. I've got knives that have no chance of being thumb-flicked open but which are super smooth, while others flick open easily but have a choppy and slightly stiff action when you open them slowly.
 
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