Phantom ZDP Cyclone Mystery Solved!

SladeGT40

SladeGT40

Joined
Mar 20, 2007
Messages
1,252
so a while back (I don't have time to scroll through and find it, and i can't seem to search threads i started) i explained a problem whereby my mini cyclone zdp would mysteriously switch itself from manual to speedsafe at various instances throughout the day.

i took it apart and cleaned it and greased/lubed it and put it back together, but this morning i turned the wheel to the off position and drew it from my pocket (tip up), and the wheel was on. i think im getting some wheel wave action from my pocket lip and its taking effect on the next open/close cycle.


only question is now how to stop it from driving me nutz!
 
I thought they could only be changed when the blade is open. That's the way mine works.
 
could it be possible that if you roll it when closed and then open and close eventually the wheel position will affect torsion bar position? or is the mystery deeper than i imagined?
 
It shouldn't roll at all when the blade is closed. None of my Cyclones' on/off switches will move when the blade is closed.

Perhaps your mystery involves spiral and something to do with Moundsville? :eek:
 
Please let us know....I intend to get one someday....neat little blades from what I have read and seen....
 
mmm, if you intend on getting a MC in Ti/ZDP dress, I'd start looking. They're getting harder and harder to find (in decent shape, that is)
 
It's not possible for a cyclone to switch from manual>speedsafe in the pocket while closed. The knife has to be open and the switch turned on before the knife is closed. It's the closing of the knife that loads the torsion bar. I can see a possibility of it going the other way if the torsion bar fires due to a malfunction. This would not open the blade in your pocket, but you would hear a small snap. Then the knife opens manually.

This problem may have been corrected at the Kershaw, but I had several mini cyclones with a torsion bar bypass switch problem. I posted a whole thread on this at one time with pictures, but have since deleted images.

It seemed silly at the time to have photos up to correct a problem that really needs to be adressed at the root.
 
so lemme recap. the knife wasn't switching while closed, it was switching while closing.....so i would open it manual and then the speedsafe would engage (with no wheel movement) then while closing i would have the resistance of preloading the torsion bar. i tried this with my other cyclone at it works as well. you put it in manual (open) and the close the knife, then you rotate the wheel to on and open it. on the next close, the speed safe engaged and you will have resistance where you had none before.

weird huh.
 
This is correct.

While open, turn the SpeedSafe off. Close the knife. Turn SpeedSafe on while the knife is still closed. The next opening is still manual. When you close it then the SpeedSafe engages...
 
is there a way to add a washer or something to make the wheel harder to turn? so i don't wave it on in when i draw the blade?
 
There's a torx screw running thru it...tighten it a little more. That worked for me.
 
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