Rough opening and closing advice

Fish30114

Fish30114

Joined
Jan 5, 2014
Messages
1,495
Gentlepersons; I purchased a slipjoint from an overseas maker, and while I love the knife aesthetically, it is quite rough opening and closing the first or last 1/2" of blade travel. I have taped up the blade (never can be to careful) and cycled it about 300 times, but no noticeable effect. I put some Liquid Wrench in the joint while cycling it hoping to loosen it up just a tiny bit--all to no avail.

That said, it is not practical to mail it back overseas and have the maker look it over and tweak it, I am just wondering what advice you folks may have on smoothing it up? Is putting some lapping compound into the knife a bad idea? Or any other 'home remedies'?

Thanks for any advice/feedback
 
I use contact cleaner/lubricant from a spray can with long tube to aim into the joint. Couple of sprays, watch the black goop run out, wipe off and go.
 
GronK said:
I use contact cleaner/lubricant from a spray can with long tube to aim into the joint. Couple of sprays, watch the black goop run out, wipe off and go.
Click to expand...

Good thought GronK, I will try that and the Dawn trick.

Thanks for the thoughts folks.--Don
 
Open and close it under running water. That's always worked for me getting gunk and grit out.

If it doesn't work, I'd suspect the problem may be more serious. Metal shavings perhaps have created ruts or grooves? Lips or burs on finished edges?
 
I have had good luck with using Molybdenum Di-sulfide grease on the mating surfaces and then cycling the knife a couple of dozen times. When you are done wipe all the surfaces you can get to from the outside as well as you can with a paper towel. Moly grease will leave a very tenacious stain on your clothes.

I have smoothed out the operation of folders with obvious galling on the square end of the blade.
 
Do not put lapping compound or any other abrasive, even mild, in there. It will get imbedded in the metal and make things worse. I won't tell you how I know that.

Experience is directly proportional to material ruined. (machinists maxim)

Working it open and closed at the rough spots and flushing can do wonders. If you tape the blade, put it in soft jaws in a vise, wear leather gloves, and otherwise completely protect yourself, you can use both arms and your back and open and close a LOT.
 
Great information folks--I really appreciate it--I have now done the down and hot water thing and cycled it about 500 more times, and it is getting smoother--not smooth yet but smoother. I put some Nano-Lube in the joint, and that smoothed things up further--but it still grinds the first and last 1/2" of opening or closing. I'll keep working at it, and definitely leave the lapping compound on the shelf!
 
see if there are any burrs on the liners. You can check by running your fingernail over them. I had to stone some burrs off a folder and it made it smoother.
 
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