Question about fixing a Benchmade clip

Starfish

Starfish

Joined
Jun 14, 2001
Messages
1,256
I just received a new Benchmade AFCK (804HS). Great knife, but the clip is tight! I called BM's customer service for advice on fixing it. BM's suggestion was to back the clip screws out a little, and apply loc-tite once I found the right setting.

I've backed the screws out to the point where the clip grabs, but doesn't chew the pockets. Now, however, there is a slight bit of play in the clip.

I'm assuming that loc-tite on the screws is not going to fix the clip play. Are there any other suggestions for fixing this problem? Is it possible that getting a new clip might work?

Thanks,

Matthew
 
Hrmm.. odd suggestion by Benchmade.. thats how you fix tight pivots, not tight clips. There are really 3 ways I can think of. Tighten up the clip properly first.. so its good and tight, then just wear the knife, it'll get a bit "softer" eventually. Tighten the clip up, and then just bend the clip outwards a bit until its to the point you like it. The last option is to grind a cutout into the clip, this is a bit more work, but if you do it to follow the radius of the finger cutout it actually looks pretty good, and fits in the hand better.
 
Benchmade's instructions don't sound to me as though they will produce a satisfactory result. The problem of the too-tight clip is not going to be solved just by loosening the attachment screws.

I endorse either of Yoda 4561's first two suggestions (beauty and elegance in simplicity) or, you can take the clip off and hold the attachment end clasped in the padded jaws of either a vise or pair of pliers up to the beginning of the initial outward bend. Grasp the free end of the clip and gradually relieve some of the tension by bending it outward. Reattach with the screws and test to see if the tension is satisfactory. If not, then continue to make adjustments until it suits you. Repeated small adjustments are preferrable to trying to go back and reverse the process if the clip it bent too much.

When you have it adjusted the way you want it, take it off again and apply releasable (blue) loctite and reassemble.

Actually, your best bet is to just go with either of those first two suggestions.
 
Thanks for the suggestions!

I'm currently trying a variation of yoda4561's first suggestion - I tightened up the clip screws, and then worked the clip onto the cover of an old book. I plan to leave it on overnight and see if I can accelerate the breaking in process somewhat...

I hesitate to tighten the screws and then bend, for fear of ripping out the screws - this clip is that tight!

Here's a stupid question - after I've finally got the clip where I want it, do I put the loc-tite on the screw threads? :rolleyes:

Thanks again,

Matthew
 
That's a horrible suggestion on Benchmade's part. How would loose screws hold a clip securely even if the screws don't fall out?

Loctite is always good to use, no matter what.

The book in the clip will work fine. That's what I usually do when I don't want to overstress a clip. I usually just fold up printer paper though. It's a good idea to wedge something in that is larger than you want the gap to actually be. When you take out the wedge, the clip will close up somewhat again.

If a clip gets over-bent outwards, you can always take it off, re-bend it in and re-attach it. Eventually this will snap the clip, but you'll get away with doing it a lot before that. I've bent the clips on some of my cheaper Spydies many times with no seen problems.
 
When the clip is adjusted the way you want it, remove the screws and apply the loctite to secure it.
 
Yes. The Loctite is applied to the threads of the screws. Just a little bit. Use a toothpick to apply a very small amount to the threads and tighten the screws. If you use the blue Loctite, you will be able to use normal hand tools to loosen the screws in the future.
 
You want to be careful with it, but in my personal experience I have bent many Benchmade clips by just pulling on the clip without any damage whatsoever. Did this with my friend's Paragee as well, no problem. I really can't believe Benchmade would tell you to do that--seems really stupid to me.
 
I agree, it is a pretty boneheaded suggestion :), but I had to try!

Let's not bash Benchmade customer service too quickly on this one, though. It seems possible that the customer service rep could have heard "tight pivot" when I said "tight clip". Especially since, as a hearing-impaired person (since birth, or round thereabouts), I know that sometimes my speech comes out a bit...blurred :)

Thanks for the help!

Matthew
 
Originally posted by Starfish
Let's not bash Benchmade customer service too quickly on this one, though.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I didn't mean for it to sound like it did...the Benchmade folks have been excellent in answering my questions even when I get a little bitchy. The suggestion just kinda caught me by surprise, but then again, telling a customer to bend the clip themselves may not be the smartest thing from their perspective.

-Z
 
Originally posted by ZENGHOST

Yeah, I didn't mean for it to sound like it did...the Benchmade folks have been excellent in answering my questions even when I get a little bitchy. The suggestion just kinda caught me by surprise, but then again, telling a customer to bend the clip themselves may not be the smartest thing from their perspective.

-Z
Click to expand...

It wasn't you - I was more concerned that my original post might look like some of the other "bash-a-manufacturer" threads we've seen, to wit:

- "I called BM to see if they could BC the blade for me, and they wouldn't, what bad customer service!"

- "Razor Edge wouldn't give me the grit specs on their hones! Bad customer service!"

...and others...in that context, it could appear that the seemingly idiotic answer I received and reported here was nothing more than trolling!

Getting back on topic - I left the clip on the book cover overnight, with no real improvement. I'm going to try bending the clip today to see if that helps.

Thanks again!

Matthew
 
Starfish, you might try another clip. I emailed Benchmade, and they sent me a clip and two screws free of charge. Just tell them what is wrong, and that you want another clip. Big D1
 
Originally posted by Big D1
Starfish, you might try another clip. I emailed Benchmade, and they sent me a clip and two screws free of charge. Just tell them what is wrong, and that you want another clip. Big D1
Click to expand...

...and that's what I have just done. Should be here by early next week, and I hope that fixes the problem since I really like the knife otherwise...

Thanks,

Matthew
 
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