Curious, would you have returned it if it had been a $400 knife?
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Opinions on folding knife blades being centered.
- Thread starter DangCat
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Curious, would you have returned it if it had been a $400 knife?
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My spyderco southard is off center. Very annoying, as it cost a pretty penny.
My chris reeves are all perfectly centered, how it should be on a high end knife.
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even the cheap Case folder is centered, and it was about 30 bucks.
Only one of those looks centered
Brusiedmeat
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Give it a break for fark sakes.. His answer already answered your trap question.
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Camera angle...
:thumbup::foot:
All my knives; pics by me as well. :foot: Which ones are actually centered LOL?...
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I'm actually contemplating sending a recently purchased BM 551-1 that is quite a bit off center. Not rubbing, but it's enough to annoy me on an approaching $200 knife. Not sure I want to deal with the hassle of sending it back to Benchmade...decisions, decisions.
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On a new knife I'd say that's enough reason to send it back especially since you sound unhappy with it...
My two examples back a few pages earlier were knives I got secondhand as users so it bothers me slightly less LOL. Funny to me as they were both benchmades as well; a 581 barrage and contego. Still sucks to have off center blades, especially since these aren't inexpensive knives.
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What sucks is if you try to center the blade and it won't. Last knife I traded for was a Hinderer XM-18 skinner blade and the blade was touching the liner. A twist of a screwdriver had it centered right up. Didn't even have to touch the handle screws. Very rare to find a folder off center in my experience that can't be fixed. There was one Kershaw I couldn't because the blade was just too tight, when it came to center. I could barely open it and it was a flipper. When I backed the pivot off enough to open with the flipper, the blade would move over every time.
I must have missed that one. Did he say he'd return it or not?
Trap question? Which one?
Not a bad idea if you can do it. I have one on the way where I managed to get a return option from the seller. More comfortable that way with a high end knife, that's for sure.
Pretty smart, I would do this too if I could. But I don't think there is anywhere within 50 miles that would hold knives that I would be looking for. Hours of research before any knife purchase is the only way to check quality unfortunately for me :/
Though it does work out very well. Research the steel, lock type, maker, reviews, handle material, etc. Alla dat
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I cannot abide a knife that is not centered. I probably wouldn't bother returning it unless I had spent more than $50 or so on it. It would (and has) disappeared on to the island of misfit knives, rarely to be seen again.
Centering is very important to me, but only on custom knives. It's a detail that doesn't affect the operation of the knife in any way. But a good maker who pays attention to every detail generally will take the time to make his centering spot on as well. There's no point in paying for a custom knife unless these details are all squared away.
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http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1365387-FS-Medford-187-DPT
Here is a Medford DPT made the same day as the one I sent back. It almost has the same offset as mine.
Here is a Medford DPT made the same day as the one I sent back. It almost has the same offset as mine.
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I KNEW you knew all of this stuff.
Funny thing, turns out my Cricket is not centered but my Griptilian is! My carry knife today is slightly off center. You need to really look up close to notice.
Keeping in mind we're talking $100+ knives for the most part, here are a few real hoots; some I had to laugh aloud:
And everyone else with your knife is probably carrying a GOOD one. If such a fault doesn't bother you after a substantial investment, C'est la vie....
I just wonder if you're always so accepting of such prominent flaws in higher end goods?
So, you're willing to be the test market for someone still practicing grinding a blade and pay the same amount as those who eventually received a perfect copy? OK.....
That quote is facile, and in no way applies to this topic. What would apply is, "A perfect knife necessarily has a centered blade." And uh....
.....would you mind giving me a couple examples of these knives that perform better when the blade is "a little off center"? Just curious.
Are you saying you accepted it un-centered and wobbly when NEW? That's what we're discussing here.
Your "What it does when shut means nothing to me" may be the best rationalization in this whole thread for accepting pedestrian workmanship.
That should serve you well in never having to take a stand, challenge anything or open yourself to disputation in any way.
"Otherwise superb," huh? I wasn't aware there were 'otherwise's' in "superb." I still don't think there are. And I can tell you that NOT centered is a concrete indication of lacking craftsmanship in high-end knives.
So Cold Steel can do it but (Chris Reeve) or Spyderco can't and shouldn't be held to it for that kind of money?
Wrong--an un-centered blade DOES bear on the quality of a pricey folder. Ask most of the people here. You know that. And you say poor centering is only a flaw when it rubs the liner? C'mon Kwon.... I think you know better than all this.
I never realized liner locks in a well-crafted knife threw blades off center. Are you talking about on defective knives ??
The OP DOES expect more out of a "good" maker, thus this thread.
I guess it doesn't matter, if you are timid or recalcitrant about addressing it as the shortcoming and deficiency in build it is.
This is great one ! No comment necessary
Amazing what little jewels of cracked wisdom you find here on occasion. Geeeze, people.....
Sorry up front folks, I don't like the long quotes either. But I have to say this is how I feel as well.
This is a hobby, so any funds spent better receive a good return.
I, and 4 others are living in my pension, see value for dollar spent as important. Slightly off centre is no big deal. To the degree that it produces blade rub in anything over $50 USD is unacceptable.
I realize that we all have a price point at which our line is drawn, but seriously, high end knives demand high end f&f and tolerance ranges.
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From the pics, yours is still worse. The other one is offset at the pivot but the tip is centered down the line. That would be a better situation for me. I tend to want the tip centered more than the pivot end, although all of mine are centered there too.
I guess the question would be, are all of their line like that.
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I'm not sure about the full size, but I know 90% of all mini's can be centered with some tuning. Keyman has a thread out with instruction. Basically you loosen all te screws including the pivot and the clip. If it is to tr left then push th right scale up while pulling the left scale down. Systematically tighten the screws snug. You may find when you tighten one, the blade moves left. This is usually indicative the scale hole is off. Bore it out a bit (thousands of an inch) with a round file and repeat.
In most cases you can just tighten as prescribed with tension on the scales and it will remain centered. The only way it will not center is if the actual metal liners have a tap off or the pivot hole on one liner is off. I have had very few that would not center and all have been tuned to an acceptable level. Maybe 3-5 thousands off at the tip.
Huh...interesting perspective
I guess I am more anal retentive about that, I would prefer the knife to be centered at the pivot and the end, since that would confirm a symmetric blade and symmetric frame machining.
Maybe I have been spoiled by getting a Tighe knife, but even my gerber ripstop has these features. Ah well, to each their own
I wasn't clear. Don't get me wrong, that wasn't an ideal setup either, just a little less offside than his. I prefer my stuff centered too, like you said.
I'm only interested in how the knife got that way; it's kind of an interesting story this guy has told. I sure can't knock Medford because I'm under the impression they're damn good knives. So I'm just waiting to see what happens.
Tighes are cool knives. One is on my list somewhere.