Ridiculous squeaking in pivot: how do I remedy this?

certain oils interact with the nylon washers, causing them to swell slightly...could be that.....
 
Azraell said:
So now, I need to find out what to do to my ball detent to fix this. Any ideas how to remove microserrations on a ball the size of a few pin heads?
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If you have a fine or ultra-fine ceramic hone or burnisher of some type, I'd think you might be able to smooth the surface of the ball detent with some very LIGHT rubbing. Use a strong magnifier if you have it, to focus exclusively on any rough spots you might see on the surface. I have an ultra-fine Spyderco ceramic hone that's white in color, and it's real easy to see the metal being removed by the burnishing. If there are any bumps or surface irregularities on the ball, they'll likely leave a streak on the white ceramic when you rub on it. Obviously, you don't want to get too agressive with it, to avoid wearing a flat spot in the ball.

In addition, it might be worth taking a look at the area on the blade that's rubbing against the ball. If the ball has been wearing hard enough against it to cause the squeaking in the first place (even with lubrication), it might've also worn a groove or track into the blade. Might be worth polishing that also, if you find some wear there.
 
A soft cotton buffing wheel with some compound might help since it will conform around the ball and polish the whole area instead of one point.

If you don't have a bench grinder to put it on they make ones that will fit on a drill or probably small ones that would fit on a dremel.
 
Azraell said:
So, I've been carrying a Subcom for a little over a year. It's been a nice knife to me: retains an average edge, flat and comfortable to carry, and clips well.

A problem developed overnight. It's squeaking like a dying mouse every time I open and close the blade! It also developed a bit of friction. I disassembled it, gave it a warm bath, dried pieces off with a microfiber cloth, and put it all back. It worked smoothly... for about 5 minutes. It's back to squeaking and scraping.

So I think to myself, "Well, it probably needs some lubrication..." So I grab some 100% pure silicon, drop a bit inside the pivot, and it works even smoother than before! But once again, after 5 minutes, starts going to noise. :mad: So I wash it again, and try some WD40. Same thing. Teflon spray. Same thing. Mineral oil. Same thing. I even try vegetable oil out of desperation. That didn't really help at all.

And yes, it is definitely the pivot. I left it semi-open and closely examined the washers. The blade never touched the frame, yet rocking the blade back and forth did squeak. When it didn't squeak, I got a sandpaper-like sound.


So now I'm stuck with this insane squeaking, and I'm a bit tired of disassembling it, washing it, and putting it back together. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
I had a similar issue and tried several oils. None of them helped. Then I got a tip to use a little bit of simple pork lard fro grocery store. The problem went away iMmediatéy.
Azraell said:
So, I've been carrying a Subcom for a little over a year. It's been a nice knife to me: retains an average edge, flat and comfortable to carry, and clips well.

A problem developed overnight. It's squeaking like a dying mouse every time I open and close the blade! It also developed a bit of friction. I disassembled it, gave it a warm bath, dried pieces off with a microfiber cloth, and put it all back. It worked smoothly... for about 5 minutes. It's back to squeaking and scraping.

So I think to myself, "Well, it probably needs some lubrication..." So I grab some 100% pure silicon, drop a bit inside the pivot, and it works even smoother than before! But once again, after 5 minutes, starts going to noise. :mad: So I wash it again, and try some WD40. Same thing. Teflon spray. Same thing. Mineral oil. Same thing. I even try vegetable oil out of desperation. That didn't really help at all.

And yes, it is definitely the pivot. I left it semi-open and closely examined the washers. The blade never touched the frame, yet rocking the blade back and forth did squeak. When it didn't squeak, I got a sandpaper-like sound.


So now I'm stuck with this insane squeaking, and I'm a bit tired of disassembling it, washing it, and putting it back together. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
I had a similar issue. I tried several different oils. None of them helped. Then I got a tip to use a simple pork lard from a grocery store. The problem disappeared immediately.
 
Pork lard should be reserved for making pie crusts, IMHO. But I have read old machine tool literature that said it was a favorite cutting oil for some old boys. YMMV.

Parker
 
Pork lard lasts forever, Bill. Just like the memory of my grandma’s pie crust.

I’ve got a little extra I can send you, but only a little. I’m keeping the lion’s share for myself.

Parker
 
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