Skyline deployment issues

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It will indeed break in with some use, but what you'll find is that you'll internalize the technique itself. It's partly why you'd have difficulty now, but some folks (like myself, and I'm sure some others) can pick up a new blade that's a manual flipper and deploy it perfectly first try. The pressure build-up and release is just another thing that will eventually form itself into your muscle memory and you'll find that the combination of "push down, kind of forward, build up force, snap back" will turn into "deploy flipper". Takes a little while, and your Skyline will break in durin that time.

I had the issue similarly with thumb stud deployment. Couldn't do it. I had to swing my arm like crazy to get my 0550 open. Now, any blade with thumb studs is flying open, no matter how stiff the travel is.

Technique man, technique! Just like blowing bubbles (Spongebob reference), and...other things.
 
sticktodrum said:
"push down, kind of forward, build up force, snap back" will turn into "deploy flipper". Takes a little while, and your Skyline will break in durin that time.
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Yea, the best way to explain it that I've heard is act like your snapping your fingers, use that kind of force.

sticktodrum said:
Technique man, technique! Just like blowing bubbles (Spongebob reference), and...other things.
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Blowing bubbles and other things? Um. :rolleyes:
 
I consider myself pretty proficient with flipping (I have a skyline, zt0560 and 4 zings) and I just got my Brown/Black Skyline in today.

It did not lockup on my first attempt. I had a similar issue with the blade bladed Zings. It just needs time for the DLC coating to wear off where it is mating with the washers. They will basically polish themselves over time.

After attempting to flip it a few more times to no avail I just held the knife in both hands and just worked the blade open and close, open and close over and over.

I would open it to right before the detent came off the tang and closed to to right before the detent tried to pull it closed (didn't want to put too much wear on the edges of the detent).

After working it back and forth for a minute and letting all the surfaces mate up (blade to bushings and detent to blade) it smoother right out and not snaps open PERFECTLY.

It did not take long, seriously just a minute or two of working the knife most of the way open and then most of the way closed.
 
My black blade tanto Zing would not change with "exercising" it. I too just worked the blade with my hand because it I can cycle the blade/pivot many more times per minute than by flipping.

This thread deprocrastinated (new word) me enough to take it apart. It has nylon washers so no polishing there. I cleaned the washers and surfaces of the liners and blade, lubed with nano oil and it now flips open.

Likely because of the DLC coating it isn't nearly as smooth and fast as the orange one but it works well enough, the technique has to be just right though. This would be a good knife to test different lubes on.
 
Thanks everyone for sharing your experience, and techniques. I'm still working on wearing it in, however as sticktodrum has mentioned, the blade deployment snap has been built into my muscle memory.
 
^See? Technique. I'm telling you guys, you'll waste so much time polishing washers and trying different lubricants that would be better spent practicing this kind of deployment. The technique will stick, and you can apply it to other knives. Those polished bearings aren't as universal.
 
sticktodrum said:
It will indeed break in with some use, but what you'll find is that you'll internalize the technique itself. It's partly why you'd have difficulty now, but some folks (like myself, and I'm sure some others) can pick up a new blade that's a manual flipper and deploy it perfectly first try.
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truth. my orange Skyline was the first manual flipper i ever owned and much like Duro, it wouldn't lock up nor could i use the thumb studs to open it. after a flipping it a bunch of times (while obtaining more manual flippers and learning their nuances), i got my technique down to deploy the blade quickly. fast forward to this weekend, i was finally able to deploy the blade with the thumb studs WITHOUT nearly ripping my thumbnail off in the process :) basically it just takes time and practice.
 
well my generation 1 skyline flys out, but my other newer ones take a bit of time to get faster and smoother or with new lube and or pivot adjustment. and especially the dlc to smooth out. I agree with the build up pressure technique for sure. also the fact that one washer is on bare g10 on non locking side make note of that if it was not mentioned before..
 
i have a skyline that has never flipped without me flicking my wrist- hard. i tried everything mentioned in this thread but no go. i sent it to kershaw and they sent it back without doing anything to it. when i called and asked why they didn't fix it, they said "it's not an assisted opener" :)
 
MKULTRABLIZZARD said:
truth. my orange Skyline was the first manual flipper i ever owned and much like Duro, it wouldn't lock up nor could i use the thumb studs to open it. after a flipping it a bunch of times (while obtaining more manual flippers and learning their nuances), i got my technique down to deploy the blade quickly. fast forward to this weekend, i was finally able to deploy the blade with the thumb studs WITHOUT nearly ripping my thumbnail off in the process :) basically it just takes time and practice.
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They are not thumb studs, they are blade stops. The Skyline was designed to be flipper only.

notsobrite said:
i have a skyline that has never flipped without me flicking my wrist- hard. i tried everything mentioned in this thread but no go. i sent it to kershaw and they sent it back without doing anything to it. when i called and asked why they didn't fix it, they said "it's not an assisted opener" :)
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I think you just need to work on technique. The main thing is you have to build pressure on the flipper by pushing up and in so as not to deploy and then when you have enough pressure built up you need to snap your finger down.

If it is done correctly and the pivot is not over tightened it should fly out with no problem.
 
I think you just need to work on technique. The main thing is you have to build pressure on the flipper by pushing up and in so as not to deploy and then when you have enough pressure built up you need to snap your finger down.

If it is done correctly and the pivot is not over tightened it should fly out with no problem.[/QUOTE]

nope- it don't work on mine.
 
My brown skyline also rubs the side, you can even hear it when it opens. The orange one I have doesn't though. I don't use them in my EDC rotation, so I'm not concerned about it wearing the coating. But it does bug me.
 
I pulled out my 0561 today and after using the skyline this week, I appreciated the IKBS even more. It doesn't take any effort at all to get that big old blade to fly out on the 0561.

Kershaw should start using IKBS on the skyline, and all of their flippers for that matter.:thumbup:
 
notsobrite said:
i have a skyline that has never flipped without me flicking my wrist- hard. i tried everything mentioned in this thread but no go. i sent it to kershaw and they sent it back without doing anything to it. when i called and asked why they didn't fix it, they said "it's not an assisted opener" :)
Click to expand...

I am assuming you dissembled it. Yes?
 
knife2Agunfight said:
My brown skyline also rubs the side, you can even hear it when it opens. The orange one I have doesn't though. I don't use them in my EDC rotation, so I'm not concerned about it wearing the coating. But it does bug me.
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Have you tried to center the brown Skyline?
 
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