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Sebenza 21 screws are coming loose?

TacBlade

TacBlade

Joined
Feb 9, 2008
Messages
1,026
I carry my 21 every day. At the end of each day, the screws have come loose? When I try to tighten them up pretty good, it is just to hard to open with one hand. So I have been just snuging them down slightly. Could one of the brass spacers be off a little? I have looked at it several times and cannot figure it out? Thanks!
 
I've never had a problem with any of my screws coming loose and the part about not being able to open with one hand doesn't seem right at all. The whole point of the pivot bearing is to be able to tighten it down all the way. It sounds like you have a pinched washer?? Try taking it apart and putting it back together see if that helps.

http://www.chrisreeve.com/sebenzaclean.htm
 
i had a knife with the same sort of washers as the sebenza. i found the washers were a little too wide, making it hard to open the knife with the pivot tightened. so i rubbed the washers on 1500 grit sandpaper for about 5 seconds each washer each side. perfect now. maybe try that.
 
teflon tape or lock tight, either one works fine. i personally love lock tight but i wouldn't use it on the older style screws or you might have trouble getting it apart. i had my screws loosen and i used blue lock tight and the lock now is solid. good luck.
 
wolf5391 said:
teflon tape or lock tight, either one works fine. i personally love lock tight but i wouldn't use it on the older style screws or you might have trouble getting it apart. i had my screws loosen and i used blue lock tight and the lock now is solid. good luck.
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I'm pretty sure CRK advises not to use threadlocker, much less loctite. Not sure why the screws have unscrewed themselves, it's only happened to me once before but never again. I don't know what happened, maybe I didn't tight it enough, but I just tightened it right up again at home, and I've never had that problem again. Regardless, the screws shouldn't undo themselves.

I wonder what CRK has to say on this matter.
 
au5t3n5 said:
I'm pretty sure CRK advises not to use threadlocker, much less loctite. Not sure why the screws have unscrewed themselves, it's only happened to me once before but never again. I don't know what happened, maybe I didn't tight it enough, but I just tightened it right up again at home, and I've never had that problem again. Regardless, the screws shouldn't undo themselves.

I wonder what CRK has to say on this matter.
Click to expand...

i dont think chris ever said not to use loctite. He just said you shouldnt have to use it, which is true. It wont hurt the blade regardless! I use it because i find my screws come loose unless i do. either way imo loctite works great unless its used on the older screws.
 
You might have some lube or grease on your screws. Clean your screws completely with with degreaser and let them dry completely. This should solve your problem.
 
dupree said:
The Sebenza FAQ says don't use Loctite: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/128855-Unofficial-Sebenza-FAQ-(Long)
Click to expand...

i use loctite on my sebby every time i dissasemble and reassemble it. like i said before the newer screws can be loctited, i do it every time with no issues. Chris recommended not to use loctite when he had the older designed screws as they would spin if loctited. The newer designed screws are designed to not have that issue when loctited. so long story short (new screws=loctite ok) (old screws= loctite bad)!
 
I had the same problem with my brand new 21, and what i did was tighten all the screws kind of like lugs on a car....a little on this one...a little on that one...etc, etc, until they're all basically at the same level.

I think the reason they loosen up is sometimes one screw will get tightened all the way down before the other ones.

just my 2 sense:)
 
I'm noticing the same issue on a LG 21 I have. I've done the same thing lemmuhj did but the pivot screw is still working loose. It's the only Sebenza I have that has this issue.
 
Paradiggum said:
I'm noticing the same issue on a LG 21 I have. I've done the same thing lemmuhj did but the pivot screw is still working loose. It's the only Sebenza I have that has this issue.
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if you have the newer style screws a tiny dab of blue loctite works wonders. if you have the older screws send it in, chris will fix it.
 
Before you resort to a thread locker, I'd definitely just disassemble it fully, degrease the screws with acetone, then re-assemble carefully. I'm not terribly familiar with knives (as far as disassembly goes), but for guns usually a slipping screw can be solved with just a good degrease-and-torque.
 
jeepin said:
Im kinda shocked this is happening on a $400.00 knife:confused:
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Well nothing made, that is man made can be 100% perfect. And at least for me, it's one Sebenza out of 18 that has this issue. And I haven't made sure there's no lube on the screw. It's possible. Komitadjie is right, I've seen this with guns as well. For my Sebenza it doesn't happen over the course of a day but over a period of time. But I don't obsessively play with my knives and open and close them a hundred times a day either. :)
 
jeepin said:
Im kinda shocked this is happening on a $400.00 knife:confused:
Click to expand...

Well, it will happen with ANY screw, no matter how beautifully made, if it's oiled and subjected to the right conditions. Screws hold by friction along the sloped ramp that is the thread. Reduce that friction, and they'll slowly start to move. Just kind of the way things are.
 
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