Sebenza Question: Anyone else ever experience this?

Scarman · Dec 10, 1999

The other day I was using(actually playing) with my Sebenza when I noticed some slight lateral play. You know when you open the knife completely, keep the lock open and test for side to side movement. It wasn't much but it was enough to make me go "huh?".
It had been about 2 months since I had disassembled and cleaned it so I thought what the heck.
It wasn't really dirty at all but I wiped down all of the parts, lubed them with the CR lube and reassembled it. Well guess what.....you got it, no play whatsoever, tight as a drum and smoother than ever.
Thinking back I don't remember any difficulty reassembling it or any play either during the last routine cleaning.
So now to my question, has this happened to anyone else? I am not complaining mind you, not at all. I just wanted to know if anyone else has experienced this, or if I am some type of lame-brain who screwed up the last time I "played" with my knife and just now noticed.
I must say it works great now and is tight as ever, not that I would expect any less.

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The vague and tenuous hope that GOD is too kind to punish the ungodly has become a deadly opiate for the conscience of millions.

*A. W. Tozer

2 Cor 5:10

[This message has been edited by Scarman (edited 10 December 1999).]

Superman · Dec 10, 1999

Hey Scarman,

I experienced something similar on a large I used to own. I finally decided that I was afraid of over-tightening the screws when I reassembled after cleaning/lubing. I guess I was getting them tight enough for the initial post-cleanup check, but then with a little time and fondling the screw would loosen just enought to allow a tiny bit of lateral movement. So I bit my lip and started tightening them a little more than I used to and didn't notice any movement then between cleans. Hope that helps a little.

skhori · Dec 10, 1999

The exact same thing happened to me after re-assembling one of my sm sebenzas. I dis-assembled it and reversed the bearing and after re-assembling, it was tight as a drum. I don't know if this really had anything to do with fixing the lateral movement problem-maybe it just got seated better or maybe I torqued it more (although I'm very careful not to over-torque the pivot screw). Does lateral movement gradually happen over a period of time between dis-assemblies? I don't know - maybe Anne can offer some insight into this phenonmenon.
Steve

Chris Reeve Knives · Dec 16, 1999

This is normal because grease, oil or any kind of lubricant takes up space no matter how thin the the layer of the substance. The total amount of clearance in the pivot area is 0.0006". This is to allow for the lubricant. The same applies to the bearings of any machine. This is all part of the precision instrument that you purchased.

Chris

JoHnYKwSt · Dec 17, 1999

As for the tightening of the pivot screw, this should not be done. The pivot screw along with the other screws should be snug but not overly tightened. Also tightening or loosening of the pivot screw should not have much affect on the blade action.

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Johnny
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Sebenza Question: Anyone else ever experience this?

Scarman

Superman

skhori

Chris Reeve Knives

Boise Moderator

JoHnYKwSt