Need advice on a Twith II

[Squashfan]

Got a Twitch II today from a pawn shop. There is a lot of blade play and it sounds/feels gritty when closing. I have monkeyed with the pivot but it hasn't help the grittiness or play. Should I try to disassemble it? Or can I send it back to SOG?

 

[Robbie Roberson]

Why dont you just wash it out with very hot soapy water while moving blade back and forth. Make sure water runs inside handles near pivot and depress lock while doing this to enable the debri to wash out.

After a good washing, tap knife gently on a towel or paper towels then let dry fully in an upright, still open position for at least 15 20 minutes. The key to doing this is to use very hot water so it will evaporate even inside where spring is and you might want to put a piece of scotch tape or similar on sharp edge before starting to make sure you do not get cut.

I can say from experience, soap and sharp blades do not go together..........

After you are all done and it is very dry, add light oil to pivot/spring area and you should see a big improvement without taking your knife apart.

Hope this helps.

Robbie Roberson.

 

[Squashfan]

Well, I now know the gritiness is coming from two sources. First, the lockbar rubbing on the tang. Second, when the flipper goes into the handle when closing, the flipper rubs on the insides of the lockbar. I discovered this because when I lift up the lockbar there is no grittiness until the flipper got into the lockbar. But I have solved the two major problems: crazy blade play with tightening and not opening. I had to change my technique because my finger was resting on the lockbar and causing the blade to not open.

 

[9blades]

for the love of god don't take it apart.

Trust me, I took mine apart, I tried to put it back together 2 times......two months later I fish the the thing out of my tool box and after about 2 hours (and a couple C clamps) its back together lol...just so you know it has 24 pieces

so I'd just use it, eventually you'll work the grit out!

 

[craytab]

I would be wary about washing the whole thing but without taking it apart or sending it to sog that might be your best option. I took apart my Flash II to clean and oil it. It was not that difficult. Don't know how different the Twitch would be be but I can't imagine it is that much different. Do a google search on it, I am sure someone has taken one apart before.

 

[Robbie Roberson]

I have worked on knives for about 30 years and washed hundreds with hot soapy water with no problems.

The most important thing about doing this is you need to use very hot water so it will clean well and dry inside very well then light oil and you are good to go.

You never have to worry about rust, especially now days since 99% of knives like this are stainless except for springs.

Robbie Roberson.

 

[wildmanh]

Robbie know's what he's talking about!

I too wash my knives in hot soapy water. Shoot, I'll go so far as to fill a small mixing bowl with hot soapy water, open the knife or multi-tool then dunk it in the water and leave it for a while. Wiggling it around every once in a while. The combination of hot water, soap and swishing it around seems to help. My Powerlock sometimes gets gumed up and the only thing that really helps is soaking it in hot soapy water. . . . Been doing this for years! After the knife or tool comes out of the water, I rince in Hot water, dry it as best as I can, then leave it open over night, just in case. . . .Normally I do this at night before bed, so that it can soak while getting ready, then it dries over night while sleeping.

 

[craytab]

I have worked on knives for about 30 years and washed hundreds with hot soapy water with no problems.

The most important thing about doing this is you need to use very hot water so it will clean well and dry inside very well then light oil and you are good to go.

You never have to worry about rust, especially now days since 99% of knives like this are stainless except for springs.

Robbie Roberson.

If I am not mistaken, the twitch does have springs and other stuff related to the SAT, just like the Flash II I have dissembled to clean.

Personally I wouldn't soak it but you and others who have more experience then I would. Perhaps the OP could also employ an old trick I used when cleaning computer keyboards. After completely washing it out (in the dish washer no less), put it in the oven on the lowest setting for a bit, just to make sure it got completely dry on the inside. I don't know if I would do this on a knife but I also wouldn't completely submerge it in soapy water. Took me less than an hour to take apart the flash II and completely oil and Tuff cloth all the parts inside. To each their own though...

 

[kelpie]

great advice, 24 peices!!!!! unbelievable

 

[craytab]

great advice, 24 peices!!!!! unbelievable

Doesn't seem that unbelievable to me. In fact it wasn't difficult at all to take apart the Flash II. 24 pieces is nothing compared to other things many folks take apart everyday. I have taken apart several laptops all the way down to the motherboard to replace/lubricate CPU fans with no formal training. Way more than 24 pieces involved there and with much greater risk (IE not a $40 knife). Just going slow, watching what you are doing, and even taking notes can make fairly complicated tasks very doable. If the OP doesn't feel comfortable doing this then by all means, don't do it, do what others said or send it to SOG. To each their own but to call my advice on this task unbelievable, well, I can assure it is not.

 

[IINJOY OUTDOORS]

This is pretty common on the twitch 2, I have heard that after time the blade loosens. You can tighten it until the blade will not deploy, and you will still have blade play. I would try to send it back.