Lock-Tite?

Joined
Oct 15, 2002
Messages
751
What is this stuff? im guessing it keeps tension on the pivot screw but im not sure. Is it like a permanent cement? Im looking for something for my emersons. They are adjusted where i want them, yet the pivot screw still gets loose on its own. Should i use this stuff on my folders that have this problem?
Thanks
 
It is sort of a glue that keeps your screws or bolts from unthreading on their own. There are different strengths from easy to remove with hand tools to permanent applications that require power tools and high heat to break loose.

Mike
 
Loc-tite and similar products are mild adhesives that you put on the threads of screws to keep them from backing out. There are different grades--blue is semipermanent, and I'm not sure about the others. I've used it on the screws holding the pocket clips on my Benchmade and a few CRKT's. I don't know if Emerson recommends the use of such products on their knives or not-- you might want to e-mail them or post this on the Emerson forum.
--Josh
 
Nugg3t,

Only use the Blue locktite on your knives, otherwise, you will damage them trying to remove the screws in the future.

Mike
 
Blue can still be removed by hand, but i know they have lower strength formulas (colors). I'm sure a search would give you more information.
 
Originally posted by Steven Roos
Blue can still be removed by hand, but i know they have lower strength formulas (colors). I'm sure a search would give you more information.

Yeah, I just know that blue is the only color I've seen on my knives that have it (Benchmades). It was also the color on the Al Mar Shrike clip screw.

Mike
 
Lock-Tite is the manufacturers name and they make a ton of adhesive products. Thread Lock is one of them. They have kind of become the Popsicle of the thread lock world.

Although I prefer the low strength blue product many makers and manufacturers do use the high strength formula.

Thread lock comes in any number of colors, you can special order it in any color you like. The retail products are pre-colored though.

The orange/red thread lock is a high temperature product and needs to be heated to greater than 600 degrees I believe to break it loose, then it comes undone quite easily. The blue product can be undone by hand but is also easier if you heat it to around 150-175 degrees.

Masters of Defense reccomends the red/orange
Darrel Ralph used to use the red on his pivots, not sure if he does any more
Deryk Muroe also uses the red/orange stuff

I think there is a green out there as well...

The best way I've found to break the high strength stuff without messing up the knife with a flame is to set a soldering iron on the screw to be removed, works well.
 
Gollnick,

Excellent write-up. Very informative. I didn't know how the lock tite actually cured, and have a question about it in the tube. You mention that the tube is only ~2/3 full to leave oxygen in contact with the compound to prevent it from curing in the bottle. Wouldn't the oxygen in the top of the tube only touch the very top "layer" of the lock tite? What prevents the Lock tite in the middle or bottom from curing, since it isn't in contact with the oxygen directly?

Mike
 
I tried two different Loc-Tite products and found the number 222 to be very good. It's actually designed for threaded fasteners less than 1/4" in diameter, which most pivot pins are.
 
i used the loctite red before i found out about it here
seems to work fine
i could still break it loose to readjust the pivot pin
all it does is help to keep it still, not deadlock it
 
Something else you guys might want to try that I get good results with is clear fingernail polish. It works great, is much cheaper, doesn't require heat or power tools to undo, and doesn't require toxic chemicals to clean off (only acetone). Plus it is colorless, so it doesn't show up around the tips of those screws that go through the handle to the other side like some BM knives (806 comes to mind). I have used this several times from keeping carbeurator mixture screws at a certain setting to keeping knife screws in place. Once you try it, you won't go back to using expensive lock tite. At least I haven't. Granted, I wouldn't use it on a structural application where a permanent application was needed, that is what the red and green is used for. It does work well on knives though.

Mike
 
Blue = good
red = nasty
gree n= pure evil

For standard use, at home and around the shop, blue should be fine. My boss had a habit of using the red on pieces that weren't fully tested, so we started using red nail polish to throw him off. Saved us a lot of headaches in the long run, and just having the vibration resistance of the polish filler does help with that.
 
Nugg3t: Since your question pertains mainly to the pivot screw on your Emersons, I have another suggestion. I do use blue locktite periodically, however, for your Emerson pivot screws try using teflon tape. Works much better than locktite since you can still adjust the pivot tension if you use teflon tape. Simply wrap the treads with about 2 - 3 wraps of tape, cut off the excess, and reassemble. The screw will stay fixed, but you can still adjust it without having to start over.
 
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