Small 31 annoyance Update 7/15 with video

Gizler00

Gizler00

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Joined
Feb 19, 2006
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Hey guys. Not sure if I’m the only one experiencing this or not but I have to ask. On my small 31 that is a plain Jane, when I go to make cuts, the pocket clip constantly twists and flexes down into the lock bar area. It pops back when I released the lock bar to close the knife. But it is incredibly annoying. Has anybody else had this experience?
 
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That’s sounds like something isn’t right. Maybe the clip got bent. Maybe post a picture so we can see where it rests in the closed and open position.
 
It’s been like this since I bought it new. I will take some pictures…. This pocket clip is was more flexible side to side than any other CRK I have owned
 
Here are some pictures. The first one is of in the normal position before I start using it. Then the other two are after it moves over after I squeeze the handle while I’m using it
 

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If it’s a 21. The pocket clip should be resting on the lockbar. They moved them over to resting on the scale on the 31s.

The 3 on the left are 21s. The 4th from the left is a 31. The 2 all the way to the right are both Lunar Landings, the one on the left is a 31 and the one on the right is a 21.

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It is a small 31.. I have had inkosi’s before with the same clip angle and have never expect his before.

It’s tight. It has been this way since day one when I bought it. It flexes really easily down into the lockbar.
 
Ok. You said it was a 21 originally so I thought the clip may have just moved over. Sounds like you may need to send it in because I’ve never heard of this issue before. However, I’ve only been carrying and collecting CRKs for about 7 years now so I may not know something other more knowledgeable members may know.
 
I have had the same thing happen to my small plain 31. Best I could come up with is tolerance buildup for certain clips/clip interface. Contact the mothership and mention the problem and they should send you a new clip. That fixed the problem 100% for me. I did play around with a few other clips and they all seemed to be fine but for whatever reason that one clip with that one knife had an issue. If you swap it to a small Inkosi it should be fine because that clip placement is farther from the lock bar.
 
John Phillips said:
Ok. You said it was a 21 originally so I thought the clip may have just moved over. Sounds like you may need to send it in because I’ve never heard of this issue before. However, I’ve only been carrying and collecting CRKs for about 7 years now so I may not know something other more knowledgeable members may know.
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Sorry about that. I didn’t realize that I put 21 down.

Foxhound13 said:
I have had the same thing happen to my small plain 31. Best I could come up with is tolerance buildup for certain clips/clip interface. Contact the mothership and mention the problem and they should send you a new clip. That fixed the problem 100% for me. I did play around with a few other clips and they all seemed to be fine but for whatever reason that one clip with that one knife had an issue. If you swap it to a small Inkosi it should be fine because that clip placement is farther from the lock bar.
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I think I will give them a ring and see what they say.
 
It looks like the clip isn't resting on the slab enough. Have you removed the clip to ensure there’s no burrs or trash on the clip ?
I’ve had a couple of 21’s that the clip was difficult to remove and found burrs on them. Removed the burrs and they fit in the recess without any issues.
I don’t have any smalls, but the large 31’s I do have seem to rest on the slab more than what I’m seeing in your pic.
 
Your knife looks to be glass blasted and the clip does not fit as tight in the cut out like it would with sand blasted. Makes me wonder if the original tolerance of the parts was set up for sand blasting and now that they glass blast the tolerances could be tighter. Most of mine are sand blasted and you almost have to pry them out to get the clip to move. I expect your clip comes out of the clip slot easy and moves under tension due to a clip slot on the large side and a clip on the small side of tolerance.

In any event CRK customer service is good and I expect will solve the issue.
 
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Ajack60 said:
It looks like the clip isn't resting on the slab enough. Have you removed the clip to ensure there’s no burrs or trash on the clip ?
I’ve had a couple of 21’s that the clip was difficult to remove and found burrs on them. Removed the burrs and they fit in the recess without any issues.
I don’t have any smalls, but the large 31’s I do have seem to rest on the slab more than what I’m seeing in your pic.
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I have not pulled it off yet. I agree on it not sitting on the slab enough. It goes over so easy.


jjg6319 said:
Your knife looks to be glass blasted and the clip does not fit as tight in the cut out like it would with sand blasted. Makes me wonder if the original tolerance of the parts was set up for sand blasting and now that they glass blast the tolerances could be tighter. Most of mine are sand blasted and you almost have to pry them out to get the clip to move. I expect your clip comes out of the clip slot easy and moves under tension due to a clip slot on the large side and a clip on the small side of tolerance.

In any event CRK customer service is good and I expect will solve the issue.
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Yes it is glass blasted. That’s a good point. But the clip itself is not moving in the milled slot, the clip itself is flexing, bending laterally into the lockbar area when I get a good grip and am cutting something.

I can make it happen also by just lightly pushing on the side of the clip. It’s weird…. I have never had a CRK clip feel this flexible/flimsy. Does that make sense?
 
Heard from CRK yesterday. They informed me that the pocket clip may be slightly undersized.. like JJG had mentioned. They are shipping me out another pocket clip as soon as possible.

Awesome customer service! I will provide another update when it arrives.
 
CRK sent me a new pocket clip. However…. It’s still doing the same thing. When I go to cut something, and I am gripping the knife, the meat of my hand flexes the pocket clip sideways and it slips into the lockbar portion of the knife. I was hopeful that it was a faulty pocket clip, but the new one does the same thing.

I guess it’s just the size of my hand in relation to the size of the knife and design for the position of the clip. It’s sits just ever so slightly on the edge of the Ti slab next to the lockbar cutout.

It does not take much for this to slip into that area.

I find it hard to believe that I am the only one this is happening to. There has to be others….
 
Gizler00 said:
CRK sent me a new pocket clip. However…. It’s still doing the same thing. When I go to cut something, and I am gripping the knife, the meat of my hand flexes the pocket clip sideways and it slips into the lockbar portion of the knife. I was hopeful that it was a faulty pocket clip, but the new one does the same thing.

I guess it’s just the size of my hand in relation to the size of the knife and design for the position of the clip. It’s sits just ever so slightly on the edge of the Ti slab next to the lockbar cutout.

It does not take much for this to slip into that area.

I find it hard to believe that I am the only one this is happening to. There has to be others….
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I’m sorry to hear that, I wonder if you got unlucky twice with the clips? If you have another CRK you could try swapping clips otherwise maybe you could send it in for warranty work? They should take care of you no problem. I have several 31s and it was only that one small 31 that had the issue. Mine was a Feb 2022 birthday with scales from 4th quarter 2021. What’s the birthday on yours?
 
It is possible that the pocket your clip screws into is out of tolerance. I have never had a pocket clip on a CRK move like that. You might consider sending the whole knife in with both clips and have them check it out.
 
Ilikesharpstuff said:
It is possible that the pocket your clip screws into is out of tolerance. I have never had a pocket clip on a CRK move like that. You might consider sending the whole knife in with both clips and have them check it out.
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The pocket clips flex laterally(sideways).. The distance from the end of the machining is small enough that when it flexes, it pops down into the lockbar area.
 
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