No detent ball??

K

KuKu

Joined
Jun 25, 1999
Messages
178
I was at a knife store when I saw a used Sebenza for sale. I picked it up and noticed it didn't have a detent ball. It actually felt smoother to open without having to overcome the initial tension of the ball. When I tried to flick it it didn't open. Now what I want to know is why aren't more manufacturers using this type of design?
 
It's just not a very good idea. It causes unnecessary wear, and the blade could come open in your pocket. After the hardened layer of Ti. (heat treated) wears off that Sebenza's lock bar, that baby will be rough as ever.

-AR

------------------
- AKTI Member ID# A000322
 
But isn't polished Ti is suppose to be very slippey? Do the new Sebenzas have a ball now?
 
I don't believe so...Ti. galls, so it will get rough. I believe all Sebenzas have always had ball detent bearings..in 97', they were changed to ceremic balls, rather than s.s. balls to avoid wear, and make them slicker. The ceremic balls are 40X more expensive.

-AR

------------------
- AKTI Member ID# A000322
 
confused.gif
OK. You guys have lost me. I have taken my Sebenzas apart and put them back together and I don't remember seeing any ceramic balls. Could someone please enlighten me as to which part of a Sebenza is a ceramic ball? Thanks.

-Steven
 
Sure man, it's the little ball (size of a ball point pen tip) on the inside corner of the lock bar. It's what the blade rides on when you open / close it. Look again, you'll see it. It's in there with the Ti. discoloration where the lock bar and face have been heat treated. I hear that the lock bar face and that other discolored area are near 90 on the RC scale.
biggrin.gif


-AR

------------------
- AKTI Member ID# A000322
 
Kuku, what was in place of the ball? Was the ball removed? Was there no detent at all? Maybe you didn't see a sebenza, but a sebenze?
smile.gif


-Johnny
 
Thanks, Jackyl. I have seen the light...er, The Ball! Like I said, I have had my Sebenzas apart several times for cleaning and lubrication but I just never really noticed the ball before.

Now I have to go home tonite and take my Sebenza apart again to get a really good look at the ball. By the way, is this an actual ball that rotates in a socket or is it just inlaid into the lockbar as a point of contact?

-Steven

[This message has been edited by swong13 (edited 05-04-2000).]
 
Steve, the ball doesnt rotate, Its primary function is to hold the blade in the handle while closed, theres a small hole in the blade that matches up with the ball in the liner/slab, you should see that too.
 
I suggest one of two things..either the ball is set so low it doesnt look like its there, but it is.....chris does set his VERY low..see if the hole that it falls into is there....you can see it as you rotate it closed/look thru the slot in the front of the lock, or number two...the ball fell out... unlikely, but it happens.

------------------
http://www.mayoknives.com


 
Hum...looks like I'll have to look at that sebenza again. I do belive it was the real thing. Maybe the ball did fall out. But isn't there a way to make knives open like the one I saw without the wear issue?
 
Yeah, get an Axis lock, or a good ol' lock back.
wink.gif


-AR

------------------
- AKTI Member ID# A000322
 
Just went to the store and checked today. The ball had fallen out cause the hole was still there.
 
Sounds like a specimen that should go back to CRK for servicing. Or always carry it in a pouch and not in your pocket, since there's nothing but not-much-friction to keep the blade from coming open on its own, and you don't want to find that with your fingers.


------------------
- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 

Hey Mark,

The detent is held in by a method used by jewelers called a bezel setting. Basically you drill a dimple into the liner to a certain depth and then take the detent ball and push it into it. sometimes it snaps right in but either way you take a hand graver and push the metal around the ball up so that it forms a lip. I have no idea how they do it for ceramic detent balls, I wouldn't think it could take the pressure of being set without cracking. Hope this helped

------------------
KSwinamer

Atheism....A non-prophet organization
 
See thats the thing. It wouldn't have opened in a pocket. The locking bar was pushing with suficient force to keep it closed even when I flicked it. And man was it ever smooth to open...
 
Ahhh, thanks Kisu! Maybe Chris's jeweler was having a rough day when he worked on KuKu Sebenza! Or, maybe it was made on a Friday afternoon
eek.gif


smile.gif


 
...so buy it.
wink.gif
I'm sure it's easier at first, but after the blade overcomes the ball detent, nothing should be smoother than that polished blade gliding over that tiny slick ceremic ball.
biggrin.gif


-AR

------------------
- AKTI Member ID# A000322
 
Na...It was a used one so maybe someone busted it up and tried to sell it off. By the way, prices here in Taiwan are way off the wall. Three times what you guys in the states pay. Got me a MOD Hornet instead.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top