Pioneer problem

TD · Feb 10, 2000

Dear folks

I recieved my long await Pioneer II swept point today. Handsome!! However, my sample had a serious problem. Its blade hit one of the back bars (I don't know what you call them, for they're not back spacer to me)when closed. Luckily, the initial grittiness prevented me to close the balde too hard to chip the edge. This is the third time that I came across this problem in REKAT folders. How common is it? Has anyone got the same experience? I had returned my first 2 REKAT to the retailers, and got some folders of other brands in replacement. But I decided to keep this Pioneer because I like the swept point so much. In a moment of desperation, I decided to file off some metal on the problem bar. This seemed to solve the problem, but it's now too late in the night and I decided to have another look at it again tomorow morning. It already took me more than 4 hours to dissemble and resemble this folder (including 10 minutes of searching for the spring that flew aross the room). But I finally managed to get everything back to the same (I guess) shape. First time for me to take apart folders, still patting myself in the back now.

Like I said earlier, has anyone experienced this blade-hit-lock bar probelm as well? Three times in a year seem like a real bad luck for me. The only good thing is that I took this opportunity to file of some excess metal and sharp corners etc., as well as apply Tough Cloth on the metal surface.

Also, the corners of Rolling Lock bar seem to be too sharp. The bar has scratched black cote on the blade tang a lot already. Should I smooth it a bit more too? Or should I just wait until the metal wears off on itself?

I live in Britian. So I don't want to spend much time returning defective knives to overseas retailers or manufacturers. I really want to believe that it's just my bad luck on internet purchase. I really like the tough feel and excellent designs of REKAT. But I will have to think hard if I am to buy another REKAT folder online.

Bob Brothers · Feb 11, 2000

Sounds like you have a missing part.
Was the blade closed stop pin in the knife when you got the knife thats the little 1/8-inch pin in the front of the knife? If the pin is missing contact us at REKAT. And we will see about getting you one.
Dont do any thing to the lock its normal for the black T to wear off the back of the blade.
Did you bye all three knives form the same dealer.

TD · Feb 11, 2000

Dear Bob Brothers

Thanks for your reply. The knife has a stop pin. I didn't think of this possibility of missing stop pin when I fot my first 2 REKATS (a Canivour and a SIFU). So I just returned them without checking this area. I bought the sifu and this pioneer from the same dealer, and the carnivour from an individual, actually (sorry about the inaccurate details given earlier). I did inform the retialer about the problem with their RAKATs, but decided to keep this pioneer cause I like this design so much.

Regarding this new Pioneer II I got, the blade contacts the stop pin (I see samll mark on the part of the blade where it touches the stop pin). Don't know how it was like when the knife first came out of the box because I didn't check this problem.

I think the edge still hits the back bar in question. Hope I'm just paraniod. I will test this again by wrapping some sticky tape around the bar to see if any contact is actually made when the knife is closed. I will let you know the result as soon as possible.

From your post, I now think that this problem is rare. Glad to learn that I can safely buy more REKATs in the future. If you want to know more about the retailer that I bought the Sifu and this pioneer from, please feel free to email me. Thank again Bob Brothers.

TD · Feb 11, 2000

Bob Brothers

Well, the problem is not completely remedied. The blade still 'touches' the back bar, leaving just visible mark on it (a lot less visible than the previous hits anyway, glad I turned the bar a little to keep the first hit mark). I see that the hole that holds the stop pin on one side of the liner was quite badly boreded. It's not round at the bottom (i.e. on the side where the back of the knife is). Unlike the one on another liner which holds the stop pin tightly. The stop pin must have moved when the blade touched it, thereby allowing the blade to contact with the back bar. Should have spotted this before filing off the bar, really. Silly me inddeed.

Now that the retailer may not want to take it back because I have messed with the knife a lot already. I'm affraid it must go back to REKAT, which is bad because I don't want to part with this otherwise excellent knife for too long. Any suggestion on the return procedure?
Regards
TD

Bob Brothers · Feb 12, 2000

Give your knife a good sharpening may give the blade enough clearance to stop hitting the standoff.
If that doesnt work or you would rather send it back send it to REKAT. PO. Box 818 Sagle ID 83860 with a note of whats wrong and return shipping and well fix it and get it back to you ASAP.

TD · Feb 12, 2000

Dear Bob Brothers

Thank you so much for your reply. I agree with your suggestion about sharpening the blade a bit for this particular situation. And there is still plenty of steel on the bar so that I can file it off a bit more. Now that the blade just touches the bar, and my head is clearer (after long sleep), I think I am not going to send the knife back to REKAT. Don't want to risk with postal service. This knife is so tough. After may repeated attempt to close it hard, the blade still show no sign of dent or chip. This is the knife for real hard use. It's so bad that REKAT is not available here, and I will have to buy more of your stuff online in the future.

TD · Feb 12, 2000

Bob Brothers

Just an update. I eventually came up with a new solution. Since the problem is with one of the hole in the liner that holds the stop pin is a bit too large. I put a small piece of aluminium foil in it. The hole now holds the pin more tighly. To add extra security, I also inserted the pin in a thin sleeve that I had stripped from electical wire. Now the blade sits comfortably high above the back bar. I should have thought about this much earlier, really. There was no need to file off the back bar. Still got a lot more to learn.