Possibly Dumb Detent Ball Question

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ranchmanben

Joined
Jan 18, 2011
Messages
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Should the detent ball actually roll or is it stationary and it slides across the blade. This is something I've thought about every time I've pulled apart a knife to clean. I've never been able to tell if the ball is rolling under my thumb or if it's just sliding. The knife in question tonight is a small sebenza. I've tried the search function and as usual I'm probably doing wrong. Thanks for the help.
 
Now that it's apart it's a little bit hard to remember if it would classify as a dragging sound or scratching. I would lean a little more towards it feels like it was dragging without a noticible scratching sound or feel. The blade still feels smooth, like it hasn't been gouged out or scratched by the ball or something wedged in there. This is also a general question about all knives with a detent ball though. Should they roll or not?
 
The only detent I know of that actually rolls is the Hoback Rolling Detent, by Jake Hoback
 
I had noticed that as well. But I also read a thread about a CRK Umnumfan, sorry about the spelling, the guy said the detent ball rolls "like a ball point pen.". I realize there is going to be a big difference in an eighth inch ceramic detent ball and the tiny steel balls in my folders, liner lock or frame lock. Is this something that ,ideally, every detent ball would roll but isn't a realistically possibly for production knives?
 
I'm not sure exactly. I'd honestly ask the small time knife makers on YouTube. Jake Hoback, Elliot Williamson at Ferrum Forge, Geoff at TuffThumbz, Gavkoo, Will Moon, even Jason Brous. I'm sure these guys would know
 
They're usually stationary. Rolling detents aren't really going to do much for you, I've tried them out and haven't noticed a huge difference between the two. Stationary detents feel exactly the same.
 
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