New ZT0400 difficult to open

C

cheesemessiah

Joined
Dec 16, 2009
Messages
4
So after finally working up the funds to purchase my first quality folding knife I picked up a ZT Scavenger. So far I love the knife, but I've noticed that it's very difficult to open one handed using the thumb stud. Definitely can't be wrist flicked open. Anyway, I was wondering if I should lubricate it somewhere in particular or if I should just continue to opening and closing it until it loosens itself up a bit. Thanks in advance!
 
I'm confused: isn't the 0400 an assisted opener? If it's not opening easily, my guess is that you have a really tight pivot screw that needs to be loosened up.

Does the assisted opening work if you use the flipper instead of the thumb stud?
 
My first thumbstudded knife was the ZT 301.
It was my first go at the thumbstuds and it took me a while to develop the proper technique to open it easily. I was pushing WAY too hard in the wrong direction. The proper direction seemed counter-intuitive to me at the time.
I struggled like a mofo until I found a few threads here that discussed different opening techniques.
Technique? Just a guess.
Do a search on it, try some new stuff and maybe it'll work out.
The ZT products I've gotten have been flawless upon delivery.
Good luck.
 
cheesemessiah said:
So after finally working up the funds to purchase my first quality folding knife I picked up a ZT Scavenger. So far I love the knife, but I've noticed that it's very difficult to open one handed using the thumb stud. Definitely can't be wrist flicked open. Anyway, I was wondering if I should lubricate it somewhere in particular or if I should just continue to opening and closing it until it loosens itself up a bit. Thanks in advance!
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Welcome to Bladeforums.

First off, the ZT 0400 is an excellent knife. I love that particular design. However, I am confused. You are using thumbstuds to open the knife? You know that is what the flipper is for. I have no problems opening mine with the thumbstuds or the flipper.
 
RevDevil said:
Welcome to Bladeforums.

First off, the ZT 0400 is an excellent knife. I love that particular design. However, I am confused. You are using thumbstuds to open the knife? You know that is what the flipper is for. I have no problems opening mine with the thumbstuds or the flipper.
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I'm not just using the thumb stud to open the knife. I knew about the flipper but it just seemed odd that they'd include a thumb stud if you couldn't easily open the knife with it. Anyway, termiteslayer got it right, I was simply pushing straight up on the stud when I needed to be pushing at an angle.

Also, is there a reason that the spring assist stops once the blade is only about 90 degrees open? It's not a big deal, as the knife still flicks open pretty easily, I just want to make sure it's normal. Thanks everyone for the replies.
 
Sounds like your pivot is too tight.
 
cheesemessiah said:
I'm not just using the thumb stud to open the knife. I knew about the flipper but it just seemed odd that they'd include a thumb stud if you couldn't easily open the knife with it. Anyway, termiteslayer got it right, I was simply pushing straight up on the stud when I needed to be pushing at an angle.

Also, is there a reason that the spring assist stops once the blade is only about 90 degrees open? It's not a big deal, as the knife still flicks open pretty easily, I just want to make sure it's normal. Thanks everyone for the replies.
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Sounds normal to me.

FWIW, while I have plenty of knives with thumb studs, both assisted and non- assisted opening, it's quite usual to need slightly different techniques and angles to get them to open quickly. You just have to play with it. On my 0400, having just checked out the optimum angle to get the blade to deploy using the thumb stud, it seems about a 45 degree angle on the stud with the thumb flicking using the finger nail gets it to deploy quickly and easily. If it won't open well using either the flipper or the thumb stud, you may want to lubricate the pivot a bit, and make sure it gets in there really well. I use One Lube by Slick 50 and find it works very well, but there are plenty of other lubricants out there too. If after that, it still is sluggish, you may want to ease up on the pivot screw. There is a balance between opening ease and wiggle free blade play when open you may have to futz around with. I tolerate a touch of blade play, meaning I can barely feel it, so as to maximize the knife's quick opening potential. YMMV

Folderguy
 
cheesemessiah said:
Also, is there a reason that the spring assist stops once the blade is only about 90 degrees open? It's not a big deal, as the knife still flicks open pretty easily, I just want to make sure it's normal. Thanks everyone for the replies.
Click to expand...

Any more assist on the blade and it would be too close to an automatic, and not just A/O (some authorities do not know the difference and do not care). There is enough centrifical force on a properly adjusted knife that the torsion bar works very efficiently. Try loosening your pivot screw just a tiny bit. That will allow the knife to open with less resistance.
 
It should open very easily and not stop along the way. Loosen the pivot until it flies fully open easily, using either the studs or the flipper. Then verify that it has no blade play. If it doesn't, stop there. If it does, tighten the pivot a bit. Hope I'm the last person who has to tell you this before you decide to do it. I think a T-8 torx will do it. Enjoy your knive. It's a nice one. Maybe the distributer/seller tightened it down a bit too much just in case it got inspected by post office along the way.
 
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Thanks everyone for all the replies. Sorry if all of this sounds stupid, but I'm new to high quality knives and I'd hate to screw up a $120 knife inadvertently because I thought I could fix it without asking for help. Anyway, the pivot was about a half turn tighter then it needed to be, so the thumb stud isn't an issue anymore. Anyway, while I'm on the subject, is there anything I need to know about disassembling this? Like in order to lubricate it or clean it?
 
cheesemessiah said:
Thanks everyone for all the replies. Sorry if all of this sounds stupid, but I'm new to high quality knives and I'd hate to screw up a $120 knife inadvertently because I thought I could fix it without asking for help. Anyway, the pivot was about a half turn tighter then it needed to be, so the thumb stud isn't an issue anymore. Anyway, while I'm on the subject, is there anything I need to know about disassembling this? Like in order to lubricate it or clean it?
Click to expand...

Yep. If you are fairly new to knives in general or to disassembling things like this - don't do it. Take care opf the knife, don't let it fall into dirt or mud and you should be alright for a while. There are also videos on youtube that explain how to take a knife down for cleaning. Get yourself some Torx drivers from Home Depot or Lowe's. You'll need an 8-in-1 bit driver.
 
Fair enough. I own a torx drive set so taking it apart won't be an issue when the time comes. I ask because I come from a firearms background and I know from disassembling those that springs under pressure like to sproing their way across a room and under a hard to move piece of furniture. Sometimes finding replacements are near impossible.
 
Just make sure the knife Is In the open position when you disassemble It or you will have a Tortion bar smack you In the face...... And If you can disassemble a firearm you can disassemble a ZT.
 
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