Microtech Quality

larry1096

larry1096

Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
181
Hello,
I just got my first Microtech (manual mini-SOCOM)from Bestknives.com (great service, BTW), and I have a question:
Is it common for M/Ts to have a sort of rough opening feel? Although mine seems to have smoothed up considerably with only 20-30 openings, it is not as smooth as the quality of the knife suggests it should be. Is this a 'known' thing with M/T?

(For reference, it's rougher than a Benchmade Elishawitz, a CRKT Apache and a Benchmade Spike)

Appreciate any info,
Larry
 
I've not experienced this with my Microtech's. And continual opening and closing isn't the answer. It could be that the knife has sat for an extended period of time and needs to be lubed. Seeing that this is a "mini-SOCOM". . .I highly suspect that this is the case (considering Microtech uses "Rem Oil" as a lubricant and "Rem Oil" is a very light/thin liquid lubricant and has settled to areas other than where it's needed and it's been several years since they were last made).

If you decide to lube the knife first. . .there are several lubes on the market; Rem Oil, Tuf Glide Hi-Slip Grease, White Lightning, etc. I've been using "White Lightning", on most of my knifes, for the last 6 - 8 months. . .and it's awesome ! The other option is to send it back to the seller, in your case Bestknives.com, or to Microtech for a look see.

:D
 
Larry1096, is your blade black Ti N coated or bead blast? I have 2 Microtech LCC manual actions, one black bladed and one stonewashed. The stonewashed one feels like it's on bearings, really really smooth, the black bladed one feels like it has sanding disks for washers in it. I have since looked at some other Microtechs and it seems that ones with either black coated or bead blasted blades all feel pretty rough opening. I cleaned mine really well and lubed with Sentry and it feels better but I don't think working the action has smoothed it out at all, I sat on the couch every night for a week driving my poor wife crazy opening and closing the blade, click click click click click! My stonewashed one felt perfect right out of the box. I have heard some guys loosen the pivot screw a little to make them smoother? voids the warranty though. I'm thinking about sending mine to Microtech to have them look at it.
 
I'm with everyone else, I think that you should lube the knife good and then if it doesn't get any better you should send it in to Microtech. I only have one Microtech knife and its also the only one I have ever handled and it is an LCC with the black blade and it is as smooth as my Sebenza when I open it, it always has. Not to dispute chadinMI but like I said mine has been fine since I got it. Maybe I just got a REALLY good one :D .
 
I think John Puckett has it right. Lube and play with it. BTW, adjusting a pivot screw is not going to void your warranty. Taking the knife apart may, but simple adjusting is a basic user function.
 
Actually it is common for the aluminum handle MTs to have a rough or gritty opening the first few times you open them. It will pass but lube it as suggested to speed up the process :)
 
Thanks for your replies.

After about another 200 openings, the action has smoothed out very nicely-it will now respond to an inertial snap, and I have received the requisite "new knife cut" already. (Is that just me, or does everybody else get bitten at least once by a new knife?)

For the record, it's a silver nitride (?) coated blade. This particular knife has got way more blade, when open, than it looks like it ought to from the size of the handle. Very nice.

Larry
 
larry1096,
I have a Socom and a Mini Socom, silver, and they both behave this way.
 
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