Side to side blade play?

AJR576

AJR576

Joined
Feb 15, 2014
Messages
773
I've noticed it on a few of my knives including an old Schrade lockback and a fairly new bearing washer framelock. I tightened the pivot on the framelock and it helped but didn't eliminate it.

Besides triggering my OCD/being a minor annoyance, are there any functional/operational issues that could result from minor side to side blade play?
 
AJR576 said:
are there any functional/operational issues that could result from minor side to side blade play?
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You know . . . I don't think so.
I mean until I came to this forum I never even checked my super classic, knife of knives Buck 110 . . . and you know what ? . . . it has some play. I never noticed it in use.

And the knives in the second photo all for pretty much "precision" cutting . . . they have a bunch of play and or flex in the thin blades.

If you don't like play in the pivots then time to up grade and buy higher end knives.
Honestly though . . . it's no big deal.
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I have owned several knives that had side to side blade play including a 220 dollar Benchmade AFO and none of them developed issues. A number of things can cause side to side play, so tightening the pivot doesn’t always work. It’s probably nothing to be concerned about, just a minor flaw.
 
I didn't think that it was a significant issue but wanted to make sure.

Btw, the bearing washer titanium framelock is a $400+ mid-tech. The blade play on that one is very minor but it's there.
 
Here's a couple of examples of "better" knives though not high dollar.
This Spyderco Para 2 in Cammo and S30V DLC coated steel (not the most expensive version of this model) . . . from the factory . . . has zero play an pivots so fast and light I can not imagine having a knife that does any better. I did nothing to it as far as adjustment; I haven't rebuilt it. Nothing. I just use it.
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This Benchmade 710, which is a more expensive version of this model being a limited edition in M390 steel ( I simply love the handle shape and this steel alloy) . . . well . . . the pivot sucks so bad. It has play, when the knife is room temp or cooler and it swings free, when I carry the knife in my pocket it warms up to body temp and even with a trace of play it doesn't pivot nearly as well as it should . . . if I put it in the refrigerator . . . the materials go right back to pivoting freely.

That, for me, is way more of a problem than play in the pivot.
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AJR576 said:
Btw, the bearing washer titanium framelock is a $400+ mid-tech. The blade play on that one is very minor but it's there.
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Will some people with the one, two, and three thousand dollar knives chime in . . . how are the pivots on those puppies ?
Something I will never experience for my self.
 
If tightening the pivot cannot completely eliminate the side to side play, you may want to check the washers or ball bearings whichever it is, to make sure they are not damaged or cupped.
 
Here's a related question I've wondered about -
When a pivot is fully tightened and there's still side-to-side play, what is the cause?
edit: I see the post above takes a shot at answering this.
I experienced this on a Spyderco Myrtle (washers) and on a ZT (bearings).
 
sharp_edge said:
If tightening the pivot cannot completely eliminate the side to side play, you may want to check the washers or ball bearings whichever it is, to make sure they are not damaged or cupped.
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I reached out to the maker and asked if I should send it in for a check...just waiting to hear back.
 
Until a second ago I hadn't checked my latest member of the team . . . Ontario Rat I in D2 . . . all of $40 . . . zero play . . . flies open and pivots like a BIG O' DOG !
Of course I have only cut a lime, a hunk of soft rubber, some rubber coated cloth and a cereal box with it so time will tell.
So far this is a freekin' wonderful knife !
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Many of my knives have some. Even a few of my Chris Reeve and Hinderers have a little, but I’d call it “blade flex” more on those because it’s so minute. It’s really not noticeable unless you pinch the blade right next to the scales and then feel a slight movement between the blade and scales.

Others from Benchmade, Spyderco, ZT, etc. may or may not have some but it has rarely been enough to worry me. I do have a couple of GECs that have too much in my opinion so I need to contact them since there’s not much I can do (or I’m willing to do) to adjust it in those.

Out of several hundred knives owned I bet no more than 10 have bothered me with side play.

My Les George ESV has some noticeable side play if it is opened too softly but typically disappears when it is gripped to be used. I also have a Graham GMT Razel Stubby Flipper with a little play. Neither are cheap and they still some of my favorite knives.

i.ashx

i.ashx
 
I've got an old Schrade 33OT that came with major blade play, but I don't notice it at all during use.

I could see it possibly being a problem with a liner lock knife, but even then the knife would probably have to already have a late lockup.
 
photoman12001 said:
Many of my knives have some. Even a few of my Chris Reeve and Hinderers have a little, but I’d call it “blade flex” more on those because it’s so minute. It’s really not noticeable unless you pinch the blade right next to the scales and then feel a slight movement between the blade and scales.

Others from Benchmade, Spyderco, ZT, etc. may or may not have some but it has rarely been enough to worry me. I do have a couple of GECs that have too much in my opinion so I need to contact them since there’s not much I can do (or I’m willing to do) to adjust it in those.

Out of several hundred knives owned I bet no more than 10 have bothered me with side play.

My Les George ESV has some noticeable side play if it is opened too softly but typically disappears when it is gripped to be used. I also have a Graham GMT Razel Stubby Flipper with a little play. Neither are cheap and they still some of my favorite knives.

i.ashx

i.ashx
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I'm surprised to hear that the Les George has blade play. My VECP locked up like a vault. Do you like the pivot on the lighter side?
 
AJR576 said:
I'm surprised to hear that the Les George has blade play. My VECP locked up like a vault. Do you like the pivot on the lighter side?
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My Talos has a bit too. It’s not like the blades jiggle around but they aren’t vault-like as many of my other frame locks are. I can adjust it out with the pivot but they are awfully tight if I do. But usually once I actually grip them for use and apply pressure to the lock bar it goes away. Really, it’s minimal and it does not bother me. I love the knives.

i.ashx
 
Sonnydaze said:
I don't have any knives with blade-play. IMO, there is NO excuse for this in a new knife that costs more than $25.
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Man . . . you are one lucky so in so.
If I were you I would be living in Vegas . . . at least until they run you out of all the casinos for winning too much. ;) :thumbsup: :cool:
 
In my experience side to side blade play is only going to be problematic on the knife if the blade play is really significant. I have seen side to side blade play on knives ranging from $50 to $2000. If the knife is used and opened enough it is going to happen over enough time. In most of those circumstances it is easily fixable. Some knives are an easy fix and some you have to fidget with the pivot a bit to get it in the perfect sweet spot, no blade play but still opens perfect. Obviously if the pivot is pinned there is nothing you can do.
 
whitty said:
[...] Obviously if the pivot is pinned there is nothing you can do.
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Not quite true. You can use a cushioned mallet on pinned folders, such as the 110, and tighten them up. My old 110 has a tiny bit of play, if it ever got severe enough to have any real impact on use, I’d do the above.
 
I always tighten my pivot to eliminate play even if the action becomes stiffer than I'd like. Break-in improves action.
I guess if you have a pivot that when fully tightened does not eliminate play, there's something that's not flat. I"d be curious to take one apart some time.
 
Out of my hundred knives, I can't think of any that have blade play. However, along the same lines as photoman12001 photoman12001 's and whitty whitty 's commentaries above, I think that if gripped and flexed hard enough, one could effect at least the tiniest amount of play in most any knife--after all, the blade's ability to pivot indicates that there's some space both laterally and axially in there which which would mean that at least largely imperceptible play was possible. I like phohotoman's term "blade flex".

Given enough force anything can be made to move or break.
 
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