New ZT0550 Thread !!!

tvcrider · Feb 5, 2011

BP Green said:
It's not necessary to disassemble it if you don't want to. Get yourself a can of Gunscrubber or something similar. I would imagine any good degreaser would work. Hit with that then lube after it dries and you should be good.

I'll hazard a guess that Benchmade's BlueLube Cleaner might work equally well for this purpose?

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=BM983901

BP Green · Feb 5, 2011

tvcrider said:
I'll hazard a guess that Benchmade's BlueLube Cleaner might work equally well for this purpose?

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=BM983901

Probably but I've never tried it so I can't say. Funny thing is if you zoom in on that pic in your link, the bottle says "lubricant".

tvcrider · Feb 5, 2011

BP Green said:
Probably but I've never tried it so I can't say. Funny thing is if you zoom in on that pic in your link, the bottle says "lubricant".

Yeah, I noticed that too.
Comments a Knife Center state:
"Start off with this BLUELUBE Cleaner (BM983901) to flush and prep the moving parts for a fresh application of the BLUELUBE."

Of course they could just be selling us snake oil?

BP Green · Feb 5, 2011

tvcrider said:
Yeah, I noticed that too.
Comments a Knife Center state:
"Start off with this BLUELUBE Cleaner (BM983901) to flush and prep the moving parts for a fresh application of the BLUELUBE."

Of course they could just be selling us snake oil?

Naahh, I don't think that's the case at all. A lot of these companies just use stock photos. I'm sure it's just a goof up.

That bottle is different from mine though. Or at least the nozzle is.

tvcrider · Feb 6, 2011

BP Green said:
Naahh, I don't think that's the case at all. A lot of these companies just use stock photos. I'm sure it's just a goof up.
That bottle is different from mine though. Or at least the nozzle is.

Well, It looks like I am going have to purchase both Benchmark BLUELUBE products. In a effort to do it on the cheap I tried two different lubricants that I already had here at home (Boeshield T-9 and Finish Line Teflon-Plus). These lubricants have worked very well in the past in other applications, but had never tried either on a folder. I should not have.

I found that with both of these products once the carrier in the lubricant evaporated they both became a more viscous and wax-like. This obviously did not aid in the cause. The opening action on my 0551 became even more sticky

I broke down and actually tried to take my 0551 apart to clean it out. I had recent picked up a small Torx set from Lowes. This Kobalt pocket Torx set worked fine for reversing the pocket clip, but I immediately switched it back (In a tip-down carry configuration the clip interferes with the frame lock).
When I tried to to break free the T8 on the pivot point I found I just could not budge it. I was either going to break the Kobalt's lightweight handle or strip the head of the T8 out. :grumpy:

tundratrader · Feb 6, 2011

I apologize for being lazy and not looking back but I have not been subscribed to this thread for quite some time and it has gotten very lengthy.

Has the entire run of stonewashed 0551 knives been delivered to dealers?

djdawg · Feb 6, 2011

tundratrader said:
I apologize for being lazy and not looking back but I have not been subscribed to this thread for quite some time and it has gotten very lengthy.

Has the entire run of stonewashed 0551 knives been delivered to dealers?

I think not and I hope not .......Iam still waiting on two more of these.

Reeek · Feb 7, 2011

That's when a soldering iron or soldering station comes in handy.

tvcrider said:
Well, It looks like I am going have to purchase both Benchmark BLUELUBE products. In a effort to do it on the cheap I tried two different lubricants that I already had here at home (Boeshield T-9 and Finish Line Teflon-Plus). These lubricants have worked very well in the past in other applications, but had never tried either on a folder. I should not have.

I found that with both of these products once the carrier in the lubricant evaporated they both became a more viscous and wax-like. This obviously did not aid in the cause. The opening action on my 0551 became even more sticky

I broke down and actually tried to take my 0551 apart to clean it out. I had recent picked up a small Torx set from Lowes. This Kobalt pocket Torx set worked fine for reversing the pocket clip, but I immediately switched it back (In a tip-down carry configuration the clip interferes with the lock frame).
When I tried to to break free the T8 on the pivot point I found I just could not budge it. I was either going to break the Kobalt's lightweight handle or strip the head of the T8 out. :grumpy:

tvcrider · Feb 7, 2011

Reeek said:
That's when a soldering iron or soldering station comes in handy.

Reeek said:
Mine came apart easily easily - I didn't have to heat the screws up at all. Except for the occasional troublesome screw, you will probably be fine.

Regrettably I don't have a soldering iron and I hoped I wasn't going to need one to disassemble the 0551.

If a focused heat source is required for disassembly I will probably just return it to Kershaw's service department and let them handle it. It's more cost and fuss than I really want to get into. The downside is that they can apparently have the knife for up to 6 weeks. Oh, well.

cziv · Feb 7, 2011

tvcrider said:
Regrettably I don't have a soldering iron and I hoped I wasn't going to need one to disassemble the 0551.

If a focused heat source is required for disassembly I will probably just return it to Kershaw's service department and let them handle it. It's more cost and fuss than I really want to get into. The downside is that they can apparently have the knife for up to 6 weeks. Oh, well.

A blow dryer on high setting has always worked for me, "easily" defeating lock-tite on screws. Key is get it hot, insert bit and push downward firmly as you loosen the screw. That should work like a charm.

tvcrider · Feb 7, 2011

cziv said:
A blow dryer on high setting has always worked for me, "easily" defeating lock-tite on screws. Key is get it hot, insert bit and push downward firmly as you loosen the screw. That should work like a charm.

Well it might if I had a hair drier.

Of course I have no hair!

Just packed up the 0551 and returned it to Kershaw. We will see what the turn-around time actually is? In the mean time it's back to my trusty old Benchmade AFCK Model 800 for edc.

Thingus995 · Feb 7, 2011

djdawgdj@aol.com said:
i think not and i hope not .......iam still waiting on two more of these.

+1!!!

hatchetjack · Feb 7, 2011

tvcrider said:
Well it might if I had a hair drier.
Of course I have no hair!

Just packed up the 0551 and returned it to Kershaw. We will see what the turn-around time actually is? In the mean time it's back to my trusty old Benchmade AFCK Model 800 for edc.

Mine went back today also. Back to the SMF...

tvcrider · Feb 7, 2011

hatchetjack said:
Mine went back today also. Back to the SMF...

Hey hatchetjack,
I have to ask, why did yours go back?
I noted your comments on thumbing open the 0551 with an arthritic hand.
I hear ya! Same issue at my end.

Jef · Feb 7, 2011

Mine also has to go back, sticky lockbar And some bladeplay

hatchetjack · Feb 7, 2011

tvcrider said:
Hey hatchetjack,
I have to ask, why did yours go back?

It started getting up/down blade play. I had to physically push the lock bar to get a full lock up. I could actually rattle the blade at the tip against the lock bar.

I would expect as much after a few years of heavy use but not 3 weeks.

Stuff happens, that's what warranties are for. I expect I'll be back running before too long.

tvcrider · Feb 7, 2011

Jef said:
Mine also has to go back, sticky lockbar And some bladeplay

Yes, mine had the sticky lockbar also (e.g. galling), but I found it increasing harder to open single-handedly. Never got my 0551 to just fly open, even before I hit the pivot with the in-house lubricants.

hatchetjack · Feb 7, 2011

I expected a bug or 2 on a new design/product. Just hoped I wasn't one of them. A minor tweak or 2 is not a big deal to me but troubleshooting a performance issue is for the warranty service folks IMO.

Taking a soldering iron, hair dryer or diassembling a product to get it to run right is more than I'd care to do in such a short span of time/use.

ZT was very quick in responding with instructions on the return process. It was very impressive and I'm sure we'll all be taken care of.

tvcrider · Feb 7, 2011

hatchetjack said:
I expected a bug or 2 on a new design/product. Just hoped I wasn't one of them. A minor tweak or 2 is not a big deal to me but troubleshooting a performance issue is for the warranty service folks IMO.

Taking a soldering iron, hair dryer or diassembling a product to get it to run right is more than I'd care to do in such a short span of time/use.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
I truly could not have said it any better!

zephy5 · Feb 7, 2011

Mine is pure awesome. It was a little stiff to open at first but broke in nicely and I can flick it no problem, although I don't do that regularly. The lock bar was a little sticky at first but after using it for a while plus using the Sharpie trick it disengages really smoothly. I like it so much I bought a second one

It's the best $200 folder I have ever seen. In fact, I think I like it more than my XM-18's. I don't have them any more, sold them all, so I can't do a direct comparison. For the money, I think this is one of the best folders around.