Schatt & Morgan #99

[jwh720]

I just received my Schatt and Morgan Keystone #99 When opening it, it feels a little gritty. Is this normal? should a put a drop or two of oil on it? or is this normal this is one of my few traditional folders.

 

[traumkommode]

I just received my Schatt and Morgan Keystone #99 When opening it, it feels a little gritty. Is this normal? should a put a drop or two of oil on it? or is this normal this is one of my few traditional folders.

This is normal for Queen/S&M knives. Not sure why, but they aren't able to get metal filings/hairs and polishing compound out of the pivot/backspring areas. I start by: flushing and scrubbing with hot, soapy water and a brush, something like a toothbrush. Then wipe dry, blow out with compressed air, wipe, oil, blow out with compressed air, wipe again. Pay good attention to the backspring when the blade is half open, too - this is a cause of a lot of gritty action just as much as the pivot. In my experience, sometimes the black junk and metal hairs will still be coming out 15 minutes later, but I just keep going until it is smooth.

 

[eschwebach]

This is normal for Queen/S&M knives. Not sure why, but they aren't able to get metal filings/hairs and polishing compound out of the pivot/backspring areas. I start by: flushing and scrubbing with hot, soapy water and a brush, something like a toothbrush. Then wipe dry, blow out with compressed air, wipe, oil, blow out with compressed air, wipe again. Pay good attention to the backspring when the blade is half open, too - this is a cause of a lot of gritty action just as much as the pivot. In my experience, sometimes the black junk and metal hairs will still be coming out 15 minutes later, but I just keep going until it is smooth.

+1 - He is exactly correct.

 

[jwh720]

Thanks I will do this tonight.

 

[Easyrider]

I had the same problem with my relatively new Schatt & Morgan gunstock pattern. I used a fair amount of Rem-oil and Kleenix to clean out the crud from my knife.

It is much better now.

 

[Railsplitter]

That good cleaning you're about to do should solve the problem as others have mentioned.

Worth noting is that Queen knives can sometimes have poorly finished tang cams in addition to the gritty action. Sometimes the surface of the tang that rides on the backspring is not as smooth as it could be. This can cause the action to remain a little rough even after cleaning and lubing. It's not necessarily a bad thing, just kind of a signature of some Queen knives.

Cleaning and lubing will almost certainly improve the action. If it's better but still a little rough afterwards, this might be why. It's nothing to worry about unless it really bothers you.

 

[boy&hisdogs]

I just received my Schatt and Morgan Keystone #99 When opening it, it feels a little gritty. Is this normal? should a put a drop or two of oil on it? or is this normal this is one of my few traditional folders.

Blow/brush/wash out the area around the pivot as much as you can, then open and close it a couple dozen times under running water. That usually gets most of the grit out. Oil should be the last thing IMO, it's there just to give a little cushion, it's not there to actually clean out the knife for you. If you just drop oil in and call it a day then that grit will still be there, just like not changing the oil in your car.

I have this habit of buying dirty, ugly old knives then spending a couple hours sanding and sharpening and otherwise "making sawdust" as my grandpa calls it. I know all about gritty pivots.

 

[jwh720]

Well I cleaned her up and it's definitely better, there was a ton of grit that came out. Its still not as smooth as my GEC's are but its pretty good. Thanks for your help.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[screened porch]

You might get some of the fine crud out by over-oiling and setting it on a paper towel on its backspring. Black seepage will drain onto the towel, I find, even from knives I've just carried a while without paying them much attention. (I use mineral oil at this stage because I'm likely to cut some food with a pocket knife even though that's what kitchen knives are for.)

 

[bt93]

I had to do the same with my Grand Portage, which was made by Queen under the Trestle Pines brand name. It was a let down to me as well being the most expensive knife I ever bought after having acquired assorted Victorinox's and Cases over the years which worked perfect out of the box. It's fine now and I like it.