Skyline deployment issues

Status
Not open for further replies.
duro

duro

Joined
May 25, 2012
Messages
848
I received my awesome coyote brown/black blade skyline today. Great knife, except upon using the flipper the blade doesn't lock up, unless I give it a good wrist flick.

I've seen videos of other skylines that deploy easily with just the push of the flipper. I've tried adjusting the pivot, rinsing the knife, oiling the knife, flicking it a bunch of times; it doesn't look like it's improved any. The blade is slightly off center, almost touching the g-10 side, if not possibly rubbing the g-10 side.

Will it take time to achieve blade deployment with the push of the flipper, or is maybe the black coating of the blade contributing to slow deployment?

Thanks!
 
It could definitely be the black coating so I would just continue flipping it open. Also it may have to do with your technique, try using the side of your index finger instead of the tip. That's the way I always use flippers. Good luck.
 
There's a bit of technique involved with that knife and the flipper. The wrist flick is the easiest one, however the method I use is to build up pressure on the tang in a down/forward direction, then pulling back so your finger flings the tang down. A simple push isn't enough to give it enough momentum to carry through the friction in the travel. I have several Skylines, and they vary in terms of travel friction, however they all deploy fully when I build up enough force in the flipper tang before actually pushing down/back.
 
I got mine today, It flips out just fine, no flick. Give it a few days of opening/closing, the DLC might need to wear off a bit. If that doesn't work, and you have indeed cleaned/disassembled it, you might want to try doing it again, tightening the pivot first, followed by the body screws. Sometimes that does the trick for me.

I know personally I got a JYDII that I couldn't flick open for the life of me. Adjusting the pivot to the point of audible side to side play was the only way I could alleviate the issue. Sent it back to the seller, got one that flips like a dream. No play, super smooth.

Sometimes you get a lemon, it happens. If nothing else works, Dave will hook you up. He just helped me out big time.

EDIT: Try what sticktodrum said too. It can be weird to understand what he means, but if you can get it down, it works.
 
Sticktodrum nailed it, I think. The method might have an official name, but I don't know what it is, so I just call it the "tension and release" method. It's what I do with manual flippers and manual thumb-stud knives; start building up tension by pushing in a direction that's angled just enough away from the direction that one would push to slowly open the knife, then suddenly change the direction of the push without easing up, kind of like snapping your fingers. Practice it enough, and it becomes second nature (you will have to really concentrate when you want to open your knife slowly!). Also, from my experience, the brown/DLC Skylines are a bit sticky until you have put in a lot of open/close cycles, but they do eventually break in. I'm not sure if centering the blade would help a lot, but it might be worth a try; the method has been described on here at length, and I think most find that it works well (search folded paper blade centering). Good luck!
 
I have had this occur with some of the non assisted flippers I have gotten (including skylines). If you just keep playing with it (flipping and closing it) it will break in. Just stick with it.
 
How is the detent? If it is kind of weak, it will be harder to flip it open. I just bought a chill and the detent was kind of weak making it hard to flip open. I slightly bent the lock bar in more towards the non locking side so the detent is stronger. Now it pops open with ease.
 
Elgreco said:
How is the detent? If it is kind of weak, it will be harder to flip it open. I just bought a chill and the detent was kind of weak making it hard to flip open. I slightly bent the lock bar in more towards the non locking side so the detent is stronger. Now it pops open with ease.
Click to expand...

The detent is solid, along with the lock up. The blade just gets hung up when you use the flipper, seems like there isn't enough weight to over come the detent, and friction in the bearings.

Sticktodrums seemed to have summed it up pretty good. If I spend some time on the flipping by pressing up, then down, it does give me a bit more momentum to deploy the blade.

I guess Sticktodrums has seen his fair share of Skylines, so it is indeed normal. I would like to get the blade in action, like on a few youtube videos that I have seen, including cutlerylover's, and cajunblaze. At the end of the day, I suppose I can live with it, since the intended purpose is a beater EDC...

Something tells me if I take it apart, then methodically put it back together, I might see an improvement.
 
Took the skyline apart and noticed a little bit of grease. I'll try cleaning it, and lubing it up to see if that makes a difference.
 
There is defiantly a technique to flipping some flippers, preloading pressure on the flipper helps more sluggish type knives. I have 2 Zings and the black coated tanto just will not flip open. I am reasonably sure if I take it apart (polish the washers if they are metal) and lube the pivot it will flip open.

It is a simple process to dismantle and try and improve your Skyline, I recommend you give it a go.
 
Yeah, cleaned it, clp'd it. No change. I guess it truly is the nature of this model.
 
2 shot said:
There is defiantly a technique to flipping some flippers, preloading pressure on the flipper helps more sluggish type knives. I have 2 Zings and the black coated tanto just will not flip open. I am reasonably sure if I take it apart (polish the washers if they are metal) and lube the pivot it will flip open.

It is a simple process to dismantle and try and improve your Skyline, I recommend you give it a go.
Click to expand...

What should I use to polish the washers?
 
I use 1500 to 2000 girt sand paper. One doesn't want to make them thinner by much at all, just smooth them out some. I don't polish all the machining marks out, I worry about causing blade play.
 
Oh man I have the EXACT same problem as you and I have the same version of this knife. I tried doing the folded paper technique too but either I'm doing it wrong or it doesn't work :(
 
I've polished washers before on a leather strop with some green compound, and that seemed to work pretty well.

The PB washers tend to smooth out some with use, so I'd suggest trying some obsessive flipping for a while. ;)
 
Yeah, I polished the washers and matching surface on my Skyline with Auto-sol till they were mirror then a couple of drops of 3in1 oil and it was good to go,...
 
I'll start off with obsessed flipping, if that doesn't solve it, perhaps I'll try the strop technique.

I believe it's probably because of the black blade. If perhaps some of the DLC coating is worn around the washer area, I think it might be good to go.
 
scottabrandeberry said:
Sticktodrum nailed it, I think. The method might have an official name, but I don't know what it is, so I just call it the "tension and release" method. It's what I do with manual flippers and manual thumb-stud knives; start building up tension by pushing in a direction that's angled just enough away from the direction that one would push to slowly open the knife, then suddenly change the direction of the push without easing up, kind of like snapping your fingers. Practice it enough, and it becomes second nature (you will have to really concentrate when you want to open your knife slowly!). Also, from my experience, the brown/DLC Skylines are a bit sticky until you have put in a lot of open/close cycles, but they do eventually break in. I'm not sure if centering the blade would help a lot, but it might be worth a try; the method has been described on here at length, and I think most find that it works well (search folded paper blade centering). Good luck!
Click to expand...

When I adjust the pivot to totally center the blade, the knife is next to impossible to deploy. Slightly off center, as it came out of box is the only way to go apparently. I have perfected the up and down deployment, which snaps it into place. Problem is, you have to really think about it, to get the blade out when you want to....

I will report back over time to see if it breaks in...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top