Is "slight" blade play/wobble normal on slippies?

CL01

CL01

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Apr 19, 2007
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OK, I had a few slippies & have currently picked up a few within the last couple months. One thing I've noticed is that almost all of them have 1 or more blades that have some slight wobble to them when opened.

It's not all of them, of course, but the more I get, it seems the more I'm seeing this. My '08 BF knife (The Northwoods med. Stockman) has 2 loose blades (The main clip-point & the spey blade). I just picked up 2 GECs & while the Barlow seems just fine, there appears to be blade wobble on both blades of the Scout. Don't get me wrong, I love these knives, but am just curious if this is normal.

As a comparison, my old Ka-Bar (WELL used) has no play, niether does my Daughters' Case Tiny Trapper, or the '07 BF knife I just picked up (Canal Street Cannitler).

Thanks in advance for any info.
 
It is pretty normal to see some wobble on prodution slip-joints. Some companies are worse than others. Unless it is a bad wobble, I wouldn't be too bothered with it, it won't hurt function any.
 
I don't think any wobble is acceptable - customs or productions. If some makers/factories can make slippies without bladeplay, they all can.
 
I have an old Hen and Rooster half stockman I purchased in 1978 that has some noticable wobble in the blade. It's worked fine for 30 years.

I think people get too worried about a little wobble. I look at it this way; It's a slip joint, so it's not going to affect anything as far as using. But it does give a bit more "space" for dirt to drift out with a little care now and then. Kind of like a little slop in a GI issue 1911A1. I actually preffer a little bit of looseness in a using pocket knife.
 
Well, I'm not too concerned, just wanted to know if it's normal. None of the blade play is very much at all, but it's there, however small.

I can't speak for the GEC, but the Northwoods didn't have it when I got it about 1 1/2 months ago. I've used it a little, but nothing major & nothing stupid. I usually carry a frame-lock folder & a small FB on me, so if I really need to "use" a knife, I pull one of those out. The slippie's great for cutting small/light things & not freaking people out.

Some time ago, I pulled out my Emerson CQC-7 to use & a lady freaked out at the sight of it. Funny thing was, she said nothing about the handgun on my hip, lol (I think it was a Glock 26 at the time).
 
I recently started buying a few slipjoints. Of the 3 Buck brand knives that I've purchased, 2 have had some noticable blade movement. I've sent one back to Buck, but haven't received it back yet. Of the 8 Case brand, only one had some very slight blade movement. Case replaced it within a week of me sending it in. The replacement has no wobble. 8 or 10 Victorinox, none of which have any blade play at all. I've been toying with some older Camillus made Remington Bullet knives at a local hardware store, and of the two that I'm most interested in, both have some blade movement.

So to sum it up, I'm thinking that "some" side to side blade movement isn't all that unusual in production slipjoints.
 
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I've used slipjoints for years. Various brands. None of them were high end knives. The vast majority of them had a bit of wobble to the blade. Never enough to affect my ability to use it, but they did wobble a bit if I grabbed the blade and handle and tried to wiggle the blade.

I have a new Case knife and a new Queen. Neither has any wobble at all. I have to admit that when I first noticed that there was no wobble I was a bit surprised. I'd come to expect a bit of wobble.

It's nice to have a knife that is just solid. But to me it's nice, and not a necessity. YMMV.
 
I have a 2004 Schatt Morgan #43 signature congress. I occasionally carry it and it has some blade wobble on one of the main blades. It locks up fine, so I can live with the slight wobble.
 
I tolerate it, but I have to admit it bugs me.

I've bought $100 slippies that had some wobble, but I don't think I've ever seen the slightest bit on any SAK I've ever owned. Same with weak springs. Those Swiss really know how to make a knife.
 
It's called the slipjoint lottery and something we have to tolerate in production knives. I don't think it affects function any, but it is certainly annoying. I personally don't think it's acceptable. Luckily only one slipjoint out of the dozen or so that I've owned had any play.
 
I think it is 'normal', but I don't like it. Some knife brands/models are known for wobble, some brands are hit-and-miss, and others are consistently wobble-free.

How to avoid blade wobble completely every single time? Buy fixed blades. :D
 
This Boker Barlow if a great knife, but it does have quite a bit of wobble on both blades. Doesn't matter much to me unless it is really bad. I don't even notice it on my Boker when using it, only when I wiggle the blades back and forth.
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I don't like wobble at all because I think it could lead to weakening of the pivot/spring.

True enough, no SAK I've had has displayed it, nor 12 CASE knives,nor 4 GEC knives. A Queen Cutlery and 2 Schatt&Morgans I have have wobble a plenty and it irritates me a lot,they are not exactly the cheapest of knives either.
 
Blade wobble drives me nuts. Slight wobble usually gets a knife banished to the old rolling toolchest serious wobble is now sent back to the manufacturer.
 
I would not get to concerned it really has little effect on performance. A little play is fine I also don't mind scratches, a little rust or pitting but that's just me.
 
Yeah, if it's too much I will send it to get fixed. I can take a little bit though. My Case had perfect fit straight out of the box on all 3 stockman blades. My Victorinox has a VERY solid lockup and one of the best walk and talks I've seen. That really impressed me.

Too much wobble just feels rushed and cheap IMO.
 
Yea, never encountered it in a Vic, that's for sure. If you do, it's probably been abused, right?

A little wobble really doesn't matter as far as actual use goes, but like some of the others, I hate it. I feel just a little differently about a knife that has it. I've got an old Camillus "demo" knife that was "rode hard and put away wet" before I got it. When it gets a little sloppy, a few taps with a hammer takes care of it.
 
wouldnt bother me too much but brand new might bother me a little:(
Dunno if it would be an absolute deal breaker, i think each person has their own limit... We need a Traditionals Forum Scale/Chart of Blade Play :)
ivan
 
I've seen on this forum where some folks have blade play on some of the "higher end" brands (new). That would be unacceptable to me, especially since companies like Vic seem to have no problem with it. My 70's - 80's Buck slippies never had it either. It's just a matter of attention to detail, regardless of how "pretty" everything else is.
 
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