Quit lubing your knife to pieces

[Cliff Stamp]

It's a huge conspiracy ...

Not really, simply that many makers/manufacturers are willing to repeat "accepted" information without ever investigating it. Now if they want to discuss work they have done examining the aspects it is different.

Metal on metal friction being reduced by lubrication?

If the parts are rough finished they will burnish themselves smooth faster without lubricant, of course at a given finish lubricant reduces friction.

...he avered that it is harmful...

It collects grit and makes cleaning much harder and can thus lead to damaging the pivot. I don't lube any of mine for a number of reasons, if lubricanting works better for you then obviously lubricate them. If you want maximum smoothness of opening you need lubricant.

-Cliff

 

[KeithAM]

It collects grit and makes cleaning much harder and can thus lead to damaging the pivot.
-Cliff

I've never had the slightest problem cleaning a lubed pivot by working straight dishwashing soap into the pivot and then flushing it with hot water, a process that takes a minute at most. Moreover, currently available dry lubes do not collect grit in the first place. In any event, to the extent a lube does actually trap dirt, keeping the pivot clean requires so little time and effort that it's a non-issue for me.

It's ironic that you assert the manufacturers have no basis for their advice on lubing knife pivots. Assuming you are correct on that point (which I don't) it's ironic because you likewise have no evidence that lubing a pivot is, in fact, harmful as compared to never using lube on the pivot. In this sense the lube issue is not like the 20 degree bevel issue, as I undertand you've done some work indicating that thinner edges are preferable. Until I see more than a debatable syllogism I'll follow the convention, and at the very least reap the benefit of pleasingly smooth knives.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

I've never had the slightest problem cleaning a lubed pivot by working straight dishwashing soap into the pivot and then flushing it with hot water, a process that takes a minute at most.

This isn't always possible, consider cleaning while outside. Some lubes are harder to clean than others, some are in fact supposed to do the exact opposite and make knives easier to clean. 3 in 1 oil and graphite powder are not overly similar though both are lubricants.

It's ironic that you assert the manufacturers have no basis for their advice on lubing knife pivots.

They rarely present one and many recommendations are indeed made without ever investigating them. How many of the references you listed have done the necessary comparison work?

...you likewise have no evidence that lubing a pivot is, in fact, harmful as compared to never using lube on the pivot.

I have done it, that is what the above is based upon among other things. For example if the pivot is dry you can often just blow or tap a knife to knock out lint, sand and debris, whereas many lubricants will trap it. As noted though, there are various types of lubricats, this doesn't hold to all of them.

-Cliff

 

[KeithAM]

I have done it, that is what the above is based upon among other things. For example if the pivot is dry you can often just blow or tap a knife to knock out lint, sand and debris, whereas many lubricants will trap it.

-Cliff

This makes sense if you're working in a particularly dusty or dirty environment. I generally don't.

I recall seeing a post about a particular maker (can't recall who), who sends his knives intended for use in Iraq completely free of lube. I can buy that. This does not, however, support a general proscription against lubing pivots.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

This does not, however, support a general proscription against lubing pivots.

Yeah, in general it is near impossible for any sweeping statement to be true, you need qualifiers. .

-Cliff

 

[AF]

I am shocked at how bad this thread is. It's like a movie that is so bad that it's funny.

 

[SIFU1A]

manufacturers reccomend lubing knives, microtech certainly does, also some CRKT s i have reccomend lubing the pivot, IIRC most do, in the instructions under maintanance they say" all the maintanance that is required is a drop/2 of light oil on the pivot occasionally" microtech also reccomends a specific oil, rem-oil.

i lube my pivot FWIW lol. what an intersting thread.