New AFCK's?

G

Ghecko

Joined
Aug 31, 1999
Messages
280
OK folks, this question is for people that have purchased an AFCK (or mini-AFCK) in the last three months.

Do the new crop of AFCK's (and mini-AFCK's) rub the liner when they're opened?

Jon
 
Well, I have a new version AFCK I got as a replacement from BM for a faulty old one that really rubbed the liner. Mine was centered and stayed that way until one day it fell about 3 feet onto a curb and then it started rubbing the opposite (locking-side) liner when opening.
Last night I decided to fix that. With the knife closed, the blade spine facing up and the tip facing away from me, I held the tip end straight and sort of 'bent' the closed knife's pivot end to the right a bit. The blade became centered again. I know it's odd, and it's harder to explain in print than it is to do, but it's all right again now.
Jim
 
P.S.:
I used only my hands to 'bend' it, and it required very little pressure. It seems due to the AFCK's construction, the handle is a bit flexible (unlike, say, a CRKT M-16).
Jim
 
I talked to BM not too long ago about making an AFCK profile knife as a lockback with liners.
They directed me to the 710.
I intuitively don't trust the 710, nor liner locks.
I would like to see an AFCK type knife with dual reinforcing liners and a lock centered on the back.
The pendulum has swung too far on the side of lightness and I think we need a more robust fighting folder.

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Luke 22:36, John 18:6-11, Freedom

 
Actually, you do not bend the blade or the handle. What happens is that the "layers" of the handle (liners and spacer) move a little relative to each other giving a different alignment of the blade axis. Ultimately, friction is what holds the knife into alignment, friction between the liners and the plastic spacer.

You can see that if you loosen the Torx head screws that hold the knife together (only half a turn, enough to let the liners move).
 
Ken why don't you trust the 710? It is a great knife with a super strong lock.
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Knives everywhere, oh what a wonderful sight.
knifedude_@hotmail.com
 
Hmm, thanks for the responses. Sounds like it's still an issue. Is this something that popped up after they switched to Torx head screws or do the older ones "shift" like that too? I had a very old one (pre-Torx) that never rubbed, even after some very tough use and a couple of similar drops.

Ken, not sure I'm with you on the lockback thing. The 710 is a might bit strong and I'd like to see a realistic combat grip/hold that will cause it to release. IMHO the 710 is not a good combat knife because of the grip ergos, not the lock. I've yet to see any evidence that even hints that the Axis-Lock (as a mechanism) is less "combat" ready than the traditional lock-back. And please, we don't want to hear how your pendulum is swinging.
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Please, other recent AFCK owners, speak up!

Jon
 
I think the weakest point in all of BM's liner locking knives is the pivot assembly. The washers used are too thick, and compromise the mechanics of the knife's pivot. Mike Walker refined the liner locking mechanism to use very thin washers (i.e. Spyderco Military or Starmate) and has said that thick washers at the pivot cause the pivot points to shift out of alignment, thus causing the blade to shift and rub the liners.

--dan
 
Dano hit the proverbial nail of the head! The nestled liner consruction of the Military further minimizes the gap between washers and blade. The Wegner is linerless on the opposite scale and displays virtually no blade play.

As for the AFCKs, with the exception of the very early models that had the scales screws threaded directly into the G10, every current one that I' ve handled had some sort of liner/ blade rub. The "bending" treatment does cure the problem but mostly only temporarily. The rubbing will come back sooner than later. I beleive that at least part of this common problem is due to the handle flex that is inherent to all of the AFCKs. Too bad, otherwise a very fine liner lock folder.

L8r,
Nakano
 
I have seen this on all of the new AFCK's and have managed to fix the problem on a few. The fix has to do with "bending" the knife while adjusting the pivot screw and the stop pin screws. There is no set pattern that I have discovered. You have to go by feel. It takes me about a half hour of fiddling to fix them. You will have a relatively tight opening. You can still flick it open but, you will have to put a little more effort behind it.

I came across this when I was trying to figure out why they rub. The first one I fixed I did so by tightening ALL of the screws as tight as I could get them. I then put severe torque to the knife while I did the "bend" technique. The blade then rubbed the opposite side. I then slowly loosened the pivot screw. The blade centered and hasn't rubbed either side since. The other two I started out doing this but it required some variation on adjusting the pivot screw and the stop pin screws. As I said, this is where you have to tinker. None of the blade rub any longer. They aren't super slick opening but, I never really liked blades that opened quite that fast.

I make no promises with this. I have done this to only a few knives and they may not represent the "average" of the new AFCK's.

Even if this saves one knife, it's worth it.

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Paranoia is only smart thinking
when everyone is out to get you.


 
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