- Joined
- Mar 13, 2006
- Messages
- 503
Okay, so its not really much of a mod. I just replaced one screw. The pivot screw to be exact.
I was reassembling my Sebenza the other day after cleaning it and enjoying how easy it is to put back together. Because of the pivot bushing, there is no need to find the sweet spot where its not too tight and not too loose. There is no need for locktite. You just screw it down until it stops. Hand tight. Done.
So I looked over at my new favorite Kershaw and thought how great it would be if the OD-1 had the same feature. Well there are so many cool features packed into this knife that there is no more room for a bushing. Additionally, I dont have the tools or skill needed to make one. So I began thinking of a way to replicate the effects of a bushing.
The idea I came up with was to replace the existing pivot screw with one the same diameter but longer. The idea is to have the screw long enough to bottom out in the female pivot barrel. However, the screw needed to be the exact length so that when it bottoms out and cant be tightened any more, it is in that sweet spot. Where the blade will flip open smoothly and easily yet have no blade play when open.
It worked. I got some screws of the same diameter (4-40 thanks a ton to SPXTrader and 2brothers for their help identifying the size) only longer. I then mounted a metal file to my workbench and began rubbing the bottom of the screw on it a few times. After a few passes, Id try it in the knife again. About a half an hour later, I got it.
Now the pivot screw can be tightened down all the way till it stops and it still flips lightening fast and zero blade play. There is no need for locktite either because the screw is tightened down; it wont back itself out.
If you are the kind of knife owner that takes their knife apart once a year, this mod may not be of very much interest to you. But if you are like me; slightly obsessive compulsive when it comes to taking apart and cleaning your knifes; its well worth it. It has cut the reassembly time in half. No more sweet spotting. No more locktite mess. It kind of reminds me of an old infomercial slogan Set it and forget it. 
In theory, this mod should work on ANY folding knife that doesnt suffer from spinning pivot syndrome.
I encourage everyone to give this a try. You have nothing to lose except the cost of a few screws. It doesnt permanently change anything on the knife. If you dont like it, just put the original screw back in.
I was reassembling my Sebenza the other day after cleaning it and enjoying how easy it is to put back together. Because of the pivot bushing, there is no need to find the sweet spot where its not too tight and not too loose. There is no need for locktite. You just screw it down until it stops. Hand tight. Done.
So I looked over at my new favorite Kershaw and thought how great it would be if the OD-1 had the same feature. Well there are so many cool features packed into this knife that there is no more room for a bushing. Additionally, I dont have the tools or skill needed to make one. So I began thinking of a way to replicate the effects of a bushing.
The idea I came up with was to replace the existing pivot screw with one the same diameter but longer. The idea is to have the screw long enough to bottom out in the female pivot barrel. However, the screw needed to be the exact length so that when it bottoms out and cant be tightened any more, it is in that sweet spot. Where the blade will flip open smoothly and easily yet have no blade play when open.
It worked. I got some screws of the same diameter (4-40 thanks a ton to SPXTrader and 2brothers for their help identifying the size) only longer. I then mounted a metal file to my workbench and began rubbing the bottom of the screw on it a few times. After a few passes, Id try it in the knife again. About a half an hour later, I got it.
Now the pivot screw can be tightened down all the way till it stops and it still flips lightening fast and zero blade play. There is no need for locktite either because the screw is tightened down; it wont back itself out.
If you are the kind of knife owner that takes their knife apart once a year, this mod may not be of very much interest to you. But if you are like me; slightly obsessive compulsive when it comes to taking apart and cleaning your knifes; its well worth it. It has cut the reassembly time in half. No more sweet spotting. No more locktite mess. It kind of reminds me of an old infomercial slogan Set it and forget it. 
In theory, this mod should work on ANY folding knife that doesnt suffer from spinning pivot syndrome.
I encourage everyone to give this a try. You have nothing to lose except the cost of a few screws. It doesnt permanently change anything on the knife. If you dont like it, just put the original screw back in.
