Slow Folder/Dirty Bearings?

I

IamMatt

Joined
Mar 20, 2002
Messages
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New guy asking questions again. I have several folders made by a well-known custom maker whose designs are also made under license by a production company. One of the folders has a tight blade (no play) but opens and closes very smoothly and easily. Two others, if the pivot is tightened enough to eliminate any blade play are very stiff to open and if you loosen it enough to be comparably smooth and easy to the first knife, the blade can be wiggled in the liner.

I have a mass-produced production model of one of these same models and it is very smooth and easy to open with no blade play at all so it is clearly not a design problem.

Is this likely to be caused by a dirty or worn bearing? The production models use a white bearing so it is easy to see if it looks "dirty," but the custom-maker ones use a dark colored bearing so it is harder to tell. Do these bearings need to be replaced periodically? Or the knife taken apart and the bearings cleaned well?

Any help to this newbie is appreciated.

Matt
 
Matt, by bearing, do you mean washers? It sounds like the custom made ones you mentioned might have bronze washers in them instead of teflon washers. Are the knives liner locks and held together with screws? If they are screwed together, it won't hurt to take em apart and clean em good and put a drop or two of fresh lube at the pivot. I put a drop on the liner side and the blade side of my washers. It might not be necessary but I figure it helps reduce wear. If you do take em apart, be careful when reassembling them, those little screws will snap right off if you torque them too much.
 
Yes, Michael, I suppose they are washers. I wasn't sure what to call them, but since they seem to play the friction-reducing role of a bearing, I used that term. But they are the thin, washer-shaped pieces that are attached with the pivot through their center hole and the blade brushing against them as it opens and closes.

Yes they are liner locks. Being a newbie, I have been a little nervous about taking them apart but one or two of them REALLY need a good cleaning so maybe it's time. I bet this is the thousandth time this one was asked, but what lube should I use? Also, If I take them apart, I would want to make sure the washers and other surfaces were completely clean and smooth; is it OK to sand or polish them (a "fluff and buff" as we say with auto pistols)?

I have a feeling that I have ventured into a realm that may be covered in older posts or FAQ's (point me to them if I did), so I will look around the forums in order to avoid reinventing the wheel.

I have been looking at your beautiful neck knife posts so much I forgot you made folders, Michael. Thanks for your help.

Matt
 
I wouldn't sand anything around the pivot Matt. If you clean it well and use some of the good folder lubes sold by the knife making suppliers the knife should operate fine. You might want to swap the bronze washers out for some teflon ones. If I knew the od, the size of the pivot, and the thickness of the washers I might have some I could send you. I have 15 and 20 thousandths teflon and can make them any size.
 
Thank you, Michael. I have emailed the maker but I expect he is busy at Blade so I have not heard back yet. Depending on what he says, I may undertake to disassemble one or both of the stiffer knives and get a closer look, which may lead me to take you up on your offer.

Matt
 
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