perplexing pivot problems

H

Hoodoo

Joined
Aug 18, 1999
Messages
2,355
My BM 705 is such a joy...and such a pain. It opens smooth as butter and closes the same way but to get it there, I have to tolerate a little slop in the blade. Why is this? Here is my "guess" and you can all stomp on me if I'm wrong.

It looks to me like it's a question of parallel liners. The stop pin sets a fixed distance between liners along the back edge of the handle while the pivot adjustment will move the front edge of the liners in or out.

If I adjust the pivot so that the liners are exactly parallel, the blade is too loose. If I adjust the pivot so that the knife opens and closes the way I prefer it to do, there is a still a slight wobble. At this point, the front edges of the liners are .002-.003 closer than the back edge of the liners, i.e., they are not parallel.

Solution? Maybe I need ultra thin shims to take up the slack so I can adjust the blade for parallel liners (or I need slightly thicker washers). Or, send it back to Benchmade and have them shorten the stop pin?

The slop is very slight but...it's there.

And wouldn't it be nice if this was my only benchmade problem? Just bought a mini afck this weekend and the pivot on this baby is tighter than the skin on a squirrel. I can take the pivot adjustment screw completely out and the blade is still tighter than any other folder I own. On this one it looks like I need thinner spacers or just have a lot of patience until the thing wears in.

Any suggestions?


------------------
Hoodoo

Cogita tute
 
I don't have a 705 yet but I have the 710 and I have noticed that there is not a lot of room for wear. However, right now on mine everything is fine. I have a feeling that this might be your problem even though there has been no wear yet. Similar to a linerlock that's leaf goes all the way over has some play.

Regardless, send it to Benchmade and they will take care of it. They are good about standing behind their products. What Benchmade lacks in quality contrl they try make for in customer support.

I find myself hesitant to order them over the internet. Not so with Spyderco where the quality control is more consistant.
 
Beam,

I don't really think it's too little wear on the Axis. It that were the case, it would be too tight, not too loose. On the other hand, that may definitely be the case with the mini afck.

I'm thinking of sending them back for a tune up but I thought I would float it here first since so many here are so knowledgeable.



------------------
Hoodoo

Cogita tute
 
I have seen the looseness you speak of on a number of knives.

And it seems to me the way to fix it is large surface washers, specifically phosphorous bronze like can be found in the EDI Genesis and Chris Reeve Sebenza.

The large surface area creates a stable platform for the pivot.

Then again, neither of those are as fast as an Axis....

Joe Talmadge probably has some thoughts.

------------------
Marion David Poff aka Eye, one can msg me at mdpoff@hotmail.com If I fail to check back with this thread and you want some info, email me.

My site is at: http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Meadows/1770 Including my review of the Kasper AFCK, thougths on the AFCK and interview of Bob Kasper.

"We will either find a way, or make one." Hannibal, 210 B.C.


 
The solution is easy......Stop buying Benchmades. It seems that Benchmade has always had comments on Quality Control. The old saying of you get what you pay for comes to mind.

[This message has been edited by CJ (edited 19 September 1999).]
 
CJ,
BM's are hardly an inexpensive product. "You get what you pay for" seems inappropriate for this situation. They are kinda pricey for factory knives.
One is NOT getting what he/she pays for with BM's increasingly shoddy quality control. They really need to tighten up over there. I am reading more and more complaints about there products. I have become a victim of their over hard heat treat on my Axis. I put a 20 degree bevel on the blade and it is chipping out like an iceberg in warm water. Now I have to put a 25 degree angle back on the blade
frown.gif

To say I'm pissed would be an understatement.
Oh, sorry about the mini-rant, I just thought I should clarify about your statement.
smile.gif

I hope you don't take offense, I just saw an oppurtunity to vent my frustration about my Axis, I am really dissappointed with Benchmade.
------------------
If it's stupid but works, then it isn't stupid.




[This message has been edited by misque (edited 19 September 1999).]
 
...My first BM was a balisong a looong time ago, also have owned a Brend 2, a 970, a Stryker or 2, 3 or 4, Axis and Pinnacle, Leopard...I think that's it...In the beginning the QC was excellent, but hit the crapper around the release of the first generation Stryker...Currently it's getting better, but there still seems to be problems that keep surfacing, i.e. poor edge grinds, poor factory edge/sharpness, blades that chip, etc...Be cautious, or by a Spydie Military!

--dan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top