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My 810 contego has up and down blade play, can it be fixed?
- Thread starter tm1182
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2004
- Messages
- 4,704
How old is it? If it's new you really need to give it some time to break in properly and allow the metal parts to mate to each other and smooth things out.
A little verticle play in an AXIS lock is usually because the lock bar isn't sliding the last fraction of a mm forward which gives it a little wiggle room. Once it breaks in this for the most part disappears. Sometimes there can be a discernable amount if you are really looking for it but is nothing to be concerned about. Even a noticeable amount doesn't hurt anything.
If it's been used try washing it out, blasting the lock with compressed air, and giving the lock bar a drop of oil. Dirt, lint, gummy oil, and general funk can cause the lock to get sticky.
A little verticle play in an AXIS lock is usually because the lock bar isn't sliding the last fraction of a mm forward which gives it a little wiggle room. Once it breaks in this for the most part disappears. Sometimes there can be a discernable amount if you are really looking for it but is nothing to be concerned about. Even a noticeable amount doesn't hurt anything.
If it's been used try washing it out, blasting the lock with compressed air, and giving the lock bar a drop of oil. Dirt, lint, gummy oil, and general funk can cause the lock to get sticky.
A lot of people dont realise when you feel that tiny bit of vertical play in a benchmade axis lock 9/10 times it's not actually the locking mechanism, but the slight tolerance difference in the pivot bolt/pivot hole in the liners. Here's a way to check, pull the axis lock back so the blade is free from the lock all together, then grab the blade (safely) and pull it back and forth as if it was an automatic knife that deployed the blade out in a straight line the way a bullet leaves a gun and see if you can feel the tiny tolerance difference in the pivot and pivot hole hitting back and forth. Usually it's just a tiny machining difference that causes this feel. If so then don't even worry about it, just use the knife and enjoy because it will have no effect on the knife 
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2014
- Messages
- 1,267
I had this problem with my 810 after batoning with it while the lock was engaged. Learned to do it without it locked next time and only in a emergency situation.
Ship it to Benchmade and tell them and they'll fix it. I had them replace everything on the knife except the g10 and blade itself. I only wanted the liners replaced.
All was free of charge and they even sent me an extra deep carry clip.
Ship it to Benchmade and tell them and they'll fix it. I had them replace everything on the knife except the g10 and blade itself. I only wanted the liners replaced.
All was free of charge and they even sent me an extra deep carry clip.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2004
- Messages
- 4,704
If the AXIS lock is fully engaged, the lock bar should be wedged in enough to push the blade down so any tolerance in the blade-pivot interface is taken out. Maybe not at first but if everything is worn in well and as the blade wiggles a bit the lock should creep forward taking out the wiggle. You can press forward on the lock bar to help it along.
If you are that worried about it. A little bit of play is normal and to be expected in a knife that is broken in half in the middle and held together by a bolt that is loose enough for the blade to freely rotate. If you expect absolutely zero blade play you should probably torque the bolt down so the blade is locked firmly in place. That, or get a fixed blade that isn't pre-broken in the middle.
If you are that worried about it. A little bit of play is normal and to be expected in a knife that is broken in half in the middle and held together by a bolt that is loose enough for the blade to freely rotate. If you expect absolutely zero blade play you should probably torque the bolt down so the blade is locked firmly in place. That, or get a fixed blade that isn't pre-broken in the middle.