Opinion thread: How much play is too much for fast deploy?

MyLegsAreOk

MyLegsAreOk

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Aug 31, 2017
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I just got to thinking after was disappointed my Manix 2 blade play today and all 3 for my Yojimbo 2s having minor blade play, but they all deploy super quick. I can live with it and don't see a reason to fuss with it.

Anyway how much blade play do you accept in a knife if you want it to snap out lighting quick?
Personally I can deal with some, and I'm actually more worried about the screws falling out than damaging tang. Heck back when I used my Contego I could deal with A LOT.
 
I don't understand the loosening a blade to the point of blade play so you can flick it quickly personally. I've I've never adjusted mine and haven't experienced blade play in my Spydercos. I also don't adjust for "fall shut" as thats not intended in the design, it just happens to be a popular thing to do. They still deploy very fast, "lightning quick", and I can use the compression lock and a slight wrist rotation and they are in or out. After some use mine have loosened up to be very smooth and slick. I just don't see the point in doing it and having blade play or being "dissapointed". If it was grinding tight I would feel differently.
 
Personally, I'm never in a situation where that fast of deployment is necessary, or even wanted. I'd much rather be able to use my knife as intended around people without having to explain why I needed a weapon to cut a strap off of a pallet to a police officer :confused::oops:. Even if there were a tangible need, from my viewpoint, I'd never sacrifice integrity in safety in favor of deployment speed. It seems silly to me :D. Having all my screws still fastened to my knife is a happy sight. Agreed with Boxer that I've never really had to adjust my screws so much from the get-go; the action seems to wear-in with usage
 
MyLegsAreOk said:
I just got to thinking after was disappointed my Manix 2 blade play today and all 3 for my Yojimbo 2s having minor blade play, but they all deploy super quick. I can live with it and don't see a reason to fuss with it.

Anyway how much blade play do you accept in a knife if you want it to snap out lighting quick?
Personally I can deal with some, and I'm actually more worried about the screws falling out than damaging tang. Heck back when I used my Contego I could deal with A LOT.
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Honestly I care less and less a out a knife having a super free action that lets the blade drop shut. It’s nice when the knife in question has it but I am not losing any sleep over knives I like that don’t.

For me I would rather have a little bit tighter action than having blade play. Even then I can usually polish the bronze washers or sides of the tang of the knife so I can achieve a great action without bladeplay.

That said there is a very small amount of side to side I can live with. This is what I call side to side flex rather than side to side play. Flex is a little bit of movement I can muscle in which is not causes by slop or looseness in the pivot. Play on the other hand is caused by looseness and I will only overlook that if it is VERY slight and on a knife I love.

Flex seems to be most commonly seen on knives with teflon washers.

With all that in mind I will also say that I do like my folders to be able to be flicked or flipped open with no wrist and a knife that cannot do that without inducing blade play is considered a defect by me except on certain knives where it is not possible. (Certain lockbacks sometimes do not flick well for example.)
 
Assuming your blade deploys dependably, I seriously doubt loosening the pivot will result in meaningfully faster deployment. I can see loosening the pivot to achieve reliable deployment, but I've found this is usually attained by simply breaking the knife in and lubricating the pivot.
 
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Depends on the lock. I'd never want much play in a frame or liner lock due to lock up issues it may introduce.
 
Off center and or blade play is unacceptable to me. If I want fast deployment I'll carry a flipper on bearings.

The Manix 2 is not a fast deploying knife, and it was not designed as such. It's a utility knife, able to do it all and is extremely ergonomic.

My Yojimbo 2 open fast like it had bearings. Never adjusted the pivot.
 
I'm with K.O.D. on this - blade play is pretty much the one item I won't tolerate on a folder. I don't mind if the blade is off center just a hint, but blade play always seems like it's a lock failure waiting to happen.

No evidence to suggest this is the case, but I get squeamish when the blade and lock have relative motion.
 
Blade play only bothers me in a knife where I don't expect it to be. I mean if we are talking about FRN handles on a $50-70 knife, even with steel spacers it's going to flex a bit.

I don't like it on a $200+ hard use folder.

As for the question at hand, speed of deployment isn't an attribute I look at when I carry a knife. Now, I get one handed opening. I love slip joints but on the job I want the convenience of a flipper or thumb stud or spydie hole. Even my dad's old 110 will pinch drop quick enough for me.

I would much rather have less side to side or up and down play over speed. Unless I am racing them, I cant tell an appreciable practical difference between a bearing flipper, torsion AO, or full spring tension auto when it comes to speed of use.
 
I personally don't tolerate blade play, off center blades, or a poor action (though action is somewhat subjective). If a knife has any of these attributes, I return it, have it fixed, or otherwise get it out of my life.

That's just me though. Some people don't care about some or all of these factors on knives they like, and I sort of envy their ability to enjoy knives I cannot.
 
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I adjust for no blade play. My Manix 2 and Manix 2 lightweight have never been adjusted, and are smooth and can open and close with wrist flicks while holding the lock open. My para 3 is drop shut action with no blade play at all. My Sage 5 isn't drop shut, but also flicks easily. I can spydie flick my liner lock spyders, with no blade play.
My 0566 is a little tight, and deassisted, but it will open with the flipper easily.

I like my blades with no play, centered if possible but it's OK as long as it's not rubbing the scales. I'll take them apart, clean them, a little kpl, and adjust. Also a little blue loctite on the pivot to prevent it backing off.

Blade play bad! Having to add some wrist to open isn't a big deal, but I do like them smooth.
 
Same as most everyone else. I want a centered non wiggly blade. The mili, nano or pico second differences in deploying are not worth a sloppy knife to me.
 
My Rat2 has zero blade play and I can still flick it open as fast as any switchblade. Unless I'm just sitting around playing with it, I can't see the point of fast deployment. That's what my 686+ is for, lol.
 
You’re loosening the pivot screw and are now complaining about the knives being too loose? Is that the gist here?

You may want to look into knives that were built to do the thing you want them to do instead of altering knives from how the factory has set them. Flippers, waved or autos are some of the knives that “deploy fast.” In the years that my pocket knives have done work I’ve come to value quick closing over quick opening.
 
If a folder is designed to deploy lightning fast, it should open without bladeplay. No reason to tinker or adjust. Maybe try looking for a folder than runs on bearings or opens faster by design?
 
K.O.D. said:
Off center and or blade play is unacceptable to me. If I want fast deployment I'll carry a flipper on bearings.

The Manix 2 is not a fast deploying knife, and it was not designed as such. It's a utility knife, able to do it all and is extremely ergonomic.

My Yojimbo 2 open fast like it had bearings. Never adjusted the pivot.
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Ya I wanted to know why my yoji 2 trainer is so hard to deploy. My yoji 2 cf/20cv I fiddled with the back screws and them with the pivot and now have no blade play with ultra fast and easy deployment. The trainer still is a bit tough to flick. I'm going to research a bit in how to adjust the detent ball. I know i had to do this for my Spyderco Military but probably ruined the cage for the ball by squishing it in a vice.

d2eux said:
If a folder is designed to deploy lightning fast, it should open without bladeplay. No reason to tinker or adjust. Maybe try looking for a folder than runs on bearings or opens faster by design?
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I'm really apposed to bearings because of cleaning. That and phosphor bronze washers are used on even very expensive knives, and the best knife thought by many is the sebenza which uses phosphor bronze washers albeit skeletonized.
 
Pivot doesn't matter to me, as long as it's smooth.

Most of my folders use pb washers. Granted, I like my bearing flippers, but it's not my number one thing.

Some people act like a non-bearing flipper is no good. My Matt Bailey model 2 begs to differ.

Regardless, every knife I own is centered with no blade play. I just won't tolerate it. Nor will I return for another. Give my money back, I'll buy something else.
 
Fast action is mainly for people who carries the knife to show and to play.. I can't se a scenario where 0,2 seconds is too much to open the knife. When is it useful to have faster times? I see knives as tools, they have to be reliable.
 
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