Is this normal on my Buck 501?

S

sunandsteel

Joined
Oct 23, 2013
Messages
1,633
With the knife closed, the right part on top is slightly above the scale and on the left side it's a hair below the scale. Is this normal?
I sent this knife in to Buck to be centered because the blade was rubbing, and they sent it back perfectly centered. Now I'm looking at this and wondering if it's normal.

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I have a 503 that's just like that. I always wondered the same thing. Please keep us posted.
 
I sent a 503 in for warranty repair with the same issue. Haven't heard back yet, it's been over a month.
 
From what I've seen on here and in the examples I've bought, this is an ongoing "issue" with the 501. I put issue in quotes, because though it's only cosmetic, it's still annoying as can be to get a knife with a backspring like that.
 
1st things first is brand new from the factory? you'll be surprised how a fleck of metal can get caught up inside during the milling processes with anything!
We bought a brand new Wood Chippper the owner of the power equipment store came out and gassed her up! as they turned it over gas started spilling all over the pavement, My first response the float needle was stuck open! they got their repair guy up an he took off the float bowl an checked the Needle Valve sure enough during maching a "flec of metal" got in between the Needle Valve the orfice it fits into, causing it to remain OPEN!

If the knife is old? Sometimes grit and grime can hold up that locking bar release. If it was me I would first blow out with my air tank using about 110 P.S.I. then if that doesn't clear up the issue I would clean it with some safe solvent My favorite is for firearms Birchwood/Casey for recievers an trigger mechanisms and their newer one is also safe for [synthetics] and leaves no residue. That usually does the trick! but If your still having the problem, you can manipulate the blade so it exposes the locking bar mechanism and take some 4-0000 steel wool to the brass part of the frame an the bar...if that can't gettrrr done try some high grit sand paper 2,000 an above an lightly work the locking bar that is exposed and the brass frame......then oil it lightly with machine oil, my favorite Singer Sewing machine Oil no harsh chemicals an very safe and has been used by ARTIST to treat cherry wood & others for a century, and excellent light oil for guns too....WAL*MART sells it cheap...
 
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Update: Just got my 501 back from Buck and I'm not even sure they did anything with the knife. The top still isn't flush and i've seen other 501's that aren't customs, that are flat with the rocker not exposed. Here are the updated pictures. I don't know what to do with this knife but it annoys me with the top not being flush.

Not sure what this means but on the receipt that came back in the box it says,

Picking Notes: 501RWS - Rocker not aligned.
See Attached not necessary repair.

I'm wondering if they did anything at all and maybe I'm just looking at what I had before?:confused:

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I'm almost at the point where I'm giving up on this knife as a pocket carry and just making it a garage knife to scrape the underside of my lawnmower.
What good is the 25% off coupon they included if I'm losing confidence in buying another Buck.
 
If it was me, and if it bothered me.....
I would take a belt sander, or disk sander, and spend a couple seconds to sand it flush with the frame.
Super easy and fast.
Then you could carry it around and use it like you wanted to.
 
DesertChris said:
If it was me, and if it bothered me.....
I would take a belt sander, or disk sander, and spend a couple seconds to sand it flush with the frame.
Super easy and fast.
Then you could carry it around and use it like you wanted to.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the idea and I'm going try the belt sander on it. Hopefully I won't mess up the scales.
I guess the more you pay the better quality you get but it shouldn't come to this. This is the second time I've sent this knife in and I just don't want to waste anymore
time and money sending this back so I'm going to go with the belt sander.
 
DesertChris said:
If it was me, and if it bothered me.....
I would take a belt sander, or disk sander, and spend a couple seconds to sand it flush with the frame.
Super easy and fast.
Then you could carry it around and use it like you wanted to.
Click to expand...

Used the belt sander and it worked out perfectly. Nice and flush than took the 150 grit sandpaper to bring back the shine and went right into my pocket. :D
Thank you sir for your advice. :thumbup: They need to hire me for quality control.
 
I wonder if the rocker isn't perfectly concave. Before I sanded it flush, I noticed when I pushed down on the lock back side to make it flush, the opposite side would be slightly above and vice versa.
 
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sunandsteel said:
Used the belt sander and it worked out perfectly. Nice and flush than took the 150 grit sandpaper to bring back the shine and went right into my pocket. :D
Thank you sir for your advice. :thumbup: They need to hire me for quality control.
Click to expand...

Awesome!

Sometimes it is easier to take matters into your own hands :)

I suspect they didn't change the rocker because even though the fit and finish were not perfect, the knife was perfectly functional.
Now it is both :)

Here is a 501 that I modified to my liking a while back.



And yes, post a photo. We all love photos!!!
 
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