Need help!......Bent a washer on my 25

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d.weglarz13

Joined
Jun 4, 2008
Messages
1,944
Ok, so, had my 25 for like 2 months, been carrying it every single day. I just love this knife guys.
.......But, I just screwed up.......bad. While giving her a good cleaning, I was cleaning the washer with the little tab, and I accidentally bent the darn thing pretty bad. I bent it back, but the knife is now off. The thing doesn't even center perfect now. :mad:

I am really upset, because CRK said they don't send out the washers, and I will have to send her in to the shop for something like 3 MONTHS!!!!!! This really bums me out, I don't want to be without my baby for 3 months. Anyone have any advice? I tried bending it back but it is still not perfect, and sticks up in some spots when its supposed to be laying flat.

Please guys, any advice will help. I'm really pissed off at myself right now. I already probably took this thing apart and put back together like 15 times already and its only been 2 months. What can I say, I really like cleaning my knife....

Should I send it in for 3 months? Or should I try to get it better and flatter myself? This little washer is pretty tricky with the tab and all. Like I said, any advice will help me out, I really just needed to share with you guys.....Thanks in advance

dave


p.s.....Haha, to make it worse, the CRK site isn't even available right now. Anyone have the contact info on hand? Thanks
 
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Sorry this happened to you. I know how frustrating something like this can be. Just our of curiosity, how did you accidentally bend it?
 
The tolerances are so tight, any attempt to repair yourself could result in undo wear or damage. If the washer is out of shape in the slightest nth degree, it will throw the whole balance of the knife off. Unless you are capable of mimicking the tolerances, you'd be better off sending it back and waiting the three months. In the meantime, you can always get a backup CRK and justify your purchase :)
I bet you wont do that again!!
 
I get the feeling we will see the tabbed washers getting canned in the future. This seesm to be an issue that will just keep happeing with little in the way of a quick fix. This must be the 4th or 5th time I have heard of this so far.

I would just reduce the diameter of the washer to remove the torn deformed part, sanding it flat will just remove material from the width and will probably throw the fit out giving you another problem to deal with. The knife will have to go back to CRK if you want it back to original condition though, good luck. :)
 
I sent my Small Sebenza in last year, and it was gone for only a month or so. That includes delivery time and passing through customs each way. Also, my sticky lock problem was likely more involved than simply replacing a washer. I would send it to them.
 
They return ship with a priority-type shipping, it's pretty quick. It should not take 90 days.
 
Okay guys, guess I'll send her in today then. I was cleaning the washer with a tissue, and some how I slipped and next thing I knew it was bent. I was using my fingernail under a tissue to get the grease off the washer inside the holes, and my hands just kinda mashed together.
Hopefully it won't be 3 months. Thanks guys. Needed to vent....bad.

Dave
 
Love CRK but I'll still argue that they should send out washers for the adjustable pivot folders as they're not fitted like they are on the pivot bushing folders. Ends up costing you over $30 in shipping costs for a $1 washer. Doesn't make much sense to me. Hopefully that changes some day!
 
^^^yes, this. Its kind of nuts to think one of the best companies in the industry are making me wait the time period just for a dollar washer. They claim that the knife needs to have the washers hand fit. I think this is crap honestly, especially like everyone knows, the 25 just tightens down as much as you want to tighten the pivot screw.
Oh well, just checked my tracking #, and seems CRK has received my knife safely, so I am anxious to see just how long this takes. Its funny, I have been carrying the knife every single day for the last two months since I got her, and its funny just how empty I feel without having it on me. I am very happy you guys talked me into this, I am now a solid fan of CR knives. I'm sure in time I will pick up others, but for now this 25 is everything I could have wanted and then some. Even with the lock bar pushing against the blade, i.e. frame lock, the knife is still very smooth like butter. And, this is my first frame lock and the feeling of that click when it opens, along with the beautiful ceramic on metal sound when it closes, is all Im thinking about and missing from from life right now.

So, just venting again, hoping I see my baby come back soon. I opted for the spa treatment also, and will probably tell them to give me a new blue thumb stud, since the time I have to wait and the money to send her in, I figured what the heck. They do want 35 bucks for new thumb studs though, so thats kind of expensive imho for just a stud that is probably just press fit. but, I am not the owner so i won't cry about it. The first 2 weeks of opening it was a bit rough on my thumb, and the stud, and after the first few days I noticed the blue rubbing off. But, ever since I got used to the way this knife opens, after that first week or two I can just open it like butter now, so I'm not sure what my problem was. And, the blue did not really rub off anymore after that first week. Maybe I just wasn't used to frame locks, and i do remember having a bit of a problem trying to open the knife without dropping it, all while keeping my fingers off the side of the handle with the lock. Maybe it was a bit trickier for me than some of you, but i did take me a short adjustment period with this knife, as opposed to all my other knives over the years. But, again, I would never turn back to an Axis lock or something now, after I got the whole frame lock thing. But thats me.

Thanks for listening. I can't wait to get her back in my pocket!!!!

dave


p.s.....I would like to share that now, most of the time when opening my 25, probably due to the finger grooves fitting my hand so nice, but I seem to open the knife with both studs! Yes, one for the thumb of course, but my hand just kind of lets my middle finger ride up the back side, so its really my thumb and middle finger that pushes the blade open on both sides of the studs. I'm not sure why I started doing this, but usually I am not opening the knife for a knife fight in some back alley, and I prefer opening the knife smoothly and easily, it just feels better to me. And, when opening the knife with two fingers like this it seems to really go easy on the blue studs, and also much easier to open it in general due to the frame lock.
Again, I know this is probably just me, and Im not sure why or how my middle finger got brought into the mix, but it just works for my hands. So, just curious, anyone else do this? Or anyone else needed a break in period for theirs like me?
I still don't know if the knife broke in, or my thumb broke in, or just maybe my hand got used to the motion for this specific knife.

Just babbling, i know, but i need something to do while I wait for my baby.........

dave
 
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It may seem strange, but CRK really does hand fit each knife. This usually includes thinning the washers slightly so the blade centers perfectly and so the lock engages properly. I can't think of any other companies that put this much work into their knives, but maybe that's why CRK has won the Blade Manufacturing Quality award more than any other company.

DC
 
Seems to me that if you measure the thickness of the washer with a micrometer, they ought to be able to send you a washer of the same thickness without the knife being sent in.
 
It is true that the pivot set up on the Umnumzaan and 25 is "self adjusting" but the width of washers and blade still have to be an exact or at least very close match to the back spacer/stand off. I can see your point for sure but I can see CRK's as well.
What if the fit on those wahsers they send you is a little off ? That means there's a knife out there that dosn't have the tolerances that CRK work to and are expected to have. In that case neither you or CRK have solved any problems and infact you have just got a shiny new problem. :)
 
I see your point. Makes sense. Either way, gotta wait now since I already sent her in, and I must admit, for a knife that I will probably give to my son one day, a few bucks to send it in for the CRK tolerance thing. Thanks guys for your input. Can't wait to get it back!
dave
 
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