Question for Benchmade 470 Emissary Owners

C

CBRacer1

Joined
Oct 27, 2006
Messages
32
How easy does your blade move? I just received mine a few days ago and the blade seems really tight when opening. If I give the thumbstud a good hard push it will open fully assisted, but if I go slow and easy with the blade will slowly open to about 120 degrees over like 10 seconds. The only other AXIS lock knife I have is a 710D2, and I can flick the blade open and shut easily. The blade on the 470 feels like its binding, but adjusting the pivot seems to do nothing to free it up. Did I get a bad knife?
 
Mine opens quickly, but there is blade play up, down and side to side. Thinking about sending it in.
 
Noctis3880 said:
You could try to polish and relube the washers.
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How? The 470 cannot easily be disassembled in any way that I can see. The Axis bar caps prevent the scales from coming apart and they seem to be permanently affixed to the bar. Plus the aluminum scales themselves seem to be sealed together.

Has anyone ever taken one of these apart?
 
The washers will come out if you completely remove the pivot screw. You won't need to disassemble the entire knife.

I only handled a 470 once, but it appeared very similar to Osborne's other designs (like the 94x series). Those aren't too difficult to take apart/put back together.
 
Cynic2701 said:
The washers will come out if you completely remove the pivot screw. You won't need to disassemble the entire knife.

I only handled a 470 once, but it appeared very similar to Osborne's other designs (like the 94x series). Those aren't too difficult to take apart/put back together.
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I would have to disagree with this. The 470 is designed very differently than the 940. The washers are completely embedded within the aluminum handle scales. That is, if there even are any washers (they are not visible from the outside). The 940's aluminum scales are screwed into a backspacer. There is no backspacer on the 470--the scales come together at a seam in the back. As I stated above, they seem to be glued together in addition to being screwed. I'm not sure how one could get them apart. Also, the 940's Axis Lock knobs actually fit through the slots on the handle scales such that the scales can slide off one another. This is not so on the 470. The knobs of the lock bar are much larger than the slots in the handle scales. Even if one could get the scales apart, the knobs on the lock bar would prevent separation. It's possible that these knobs screw off, but one would need a special tool to do so due to their unconventional shape.

I would love to hear from somebody who has disassembled this knife.
 
Ah, I see. So beyond the threat of voiding the warranty, the 470 has physical obstacles to prevent taking it apart?
 
Cynic2701 said:
Ah, I see. So beyond the threat of voiding the warranty, the 470 has physical obstacles to prevent taking it apart?
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It's a clever design. I'm not sure if Benchmade is intentionally trying to keep people from disassembling the knife, but it's possible. There has to be some way to take it apart--the "assisting" coil spring in the pivot hub is going to need to be replaced at some point during the life of the knife. It's an interesting puzzle, that's why I asked if anyone had managed to disassemble one.
 
After taking another look at the knife, I'm guessing the key to disassembling is removing one of the Axis Lock knobs. One of them must screw off, but it's going to require two female torx drivers (of about size T28) to attempt. Unfortunately, I don't have the right tool for the job so I can't confirm.
 
You can actually take 2 pair's of pliers, pad the jaws of each, and use them to unscrew the lockbar caps. It usually, at least on the ones I've disassembled, has one cap that comes off, while the bar itself slides out the other side with it's cap still attached. Just take it slow and easy when you reassemble so that you do not forget something until you are past that step, as I have:mad:, and have to disassemble again.
 
cutter17 said:
You can actually take 2 pair's of pliers, pad the jaws of each, and use them to unscrew the lockbar caps. It usually, at least on the ones I've disassembled, has one cap that comes off, while the bar itself slides out the other side with it's cap still attached. Just take it slow and easy when you reassemble so that you do not forget something until you are past that step, as I have:mad:, and have to disassemble again.
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Thanks for confirming this. So were the two aluminum scales glued together? Are they easily separated?
 
I've never had the particular knife asked about. My answer was more a generic answer concerning disassembly, but I really can't imagine that BM would use glue AND screws to connect two handle halves, especially if they are made of aluminum. But, anything is possible!!
 
cutter17 said:
I've never had the particular knife asked about. My answer was more a generic answer concerning disassembly, but I really can't imagine that BM would use glue AND screws to connect two handle halves, especially if they are made of aluminum. But, anything is possible!!
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On which model did you disassemble the lockbar caps in the way you described?
 
I took apart a 710, a 610, and my Bone Collector using this method. Again, take your time in disassembly, and reassembly.:thumbup::)
 
cutter17 said:
I took apart a 710, a 610, and my Bone Collector using this method. Again, take your time in disassembly, and reassembly.:thumbup::)
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They are completely different animals, regular, auto, and assisted AXIS models.

Unless you know exactly what you're doing don't try to take apart an assisted AXIS knife. Seriously.
 
Thanks for the replies. I ended up exchanging it and the new knife is much better. It snaps open with authority, and no matter how slow I try to open it the assist opens the blade fully.
 
CBRacer1 said:
Thanks for the replies. I ended up exchanging it and the new knife is much better. It snaps open with authority, and no matter how slow I try to open it the assist opens the blade fully.
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That's good news, I would have done the same. I have two of these. The Emissary is a great EDC blade for the office environment--small, elegant and non-threatening. I reprofiled the edge to 40 degrees inclusive and sharpened it up on a Sharpmaker. Shaves hair no problem now and the edge lasts awhile.

I'll eventually figure out how to disassemble the knife for cleaning/lubrication. I think it's going to require an external torx socket, size E-5 or E-6.
 
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