I have a small byrd folder with aus 6 steel. I was wondering if there is any type of abrasive I could put in the action to smooth it out? It's very tough to open one handed. It's got solid lock up and no blade play. Oil doesn't help, it just seems to have a very heavy spring on it. Maybe I'll just have to open and close it a bunch and it'll smooth out. It's very solid for the 10 bucks I paid for it.
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smoothing out the action?
- Thread starter skcusloa
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- May 18, 2005
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militec should help it some, especially if you get some heat on there with a hair dryer or heat gun
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You're going about it all wrong. If you want it smooth, you have to let it wear, NOT lubricate it.
Squirt some dish soap into the action, and work the bladeopen and close a few dozen times. This will emulsify whatever oil is between the blade and scales. Then, run it under the hottest water you can get out of your tap, again while workign the action, to flush out the soap and oil. Blow it out with compressed air, if you have it, or just blow hard with your mouth, to dry.
Once dry, keep working the action. It'll be rough, but without any oil, it'll smooth down the mating surfaces. It might get rougher, as metal wears off; if so, repeat the soap and water routine.
Once it works reasonably smooth when dry, THEN add a good oil like Militec, Tuff-Glide, Breakfree, mineral oil, or whatever you like. (Not WD-40, though, please. It's a solvent and cleaner, not a lubricant, no matter what the can might say.) Now, it should be reasonably smooth.
Squirt some dish soap into the action, and work the bladeopen and close a few dozen times. This will emulsify whatever oil is between the blade and scales. Then, run it under the hottest water you can get out of your tap, again while workign the action, to flush out the soap and oil. Blow it out with compressed air, if you have it, or just blow hard with your mouth, to dry.
Once dry, keep working the action. It'll be rough, but without any oil, it'll smooth down the mating surfaces. It might get rougher, as metal wears off; if so, repeat the soap and water routine.
Once it works reasonably smooth when dry, THEN add a good oil like Militec, Tuff-Glide, Breakfree, mineral oil, or whatever you like. (Not WD-40, though, please. It's a solvent and cleaner, not a lubricant, no matter what the can might say.) Now, it should be reasonably smooth.
Thanks for the tips. WD40 is a cleaner as far as I'm concerned. I already removed the oil from it and worked it a whole lot. It's smoothed out a little, but it's still tough to open one handed. It can't be taken apart, it's a $10 knife.
I have some break free, I don't find that it gives very smooth opening on my other knives, I've found that 3 n 1 oil works a lot better.
It just seems very springy, like the spring was meant for a much larger knife. It's the smallest byrd knife with the wood/micarta handle. I've never had a micarta handle so I don't know, but it doesn't look too much like wood.
What is JB bore scrub? I wouldn't think abrasive/rough type cleaners would be good on a rifle bore.
Maybe tooth paste would work? I've heard of prisoners using it with a string to cut through metal, but that was an old story.
I have some break free, I don't find that it gives very smooth opening on my other knives, I've found that 3 n 1 oil works a lot better.
It just seems very springy, like the spring was meant for a much larger knife. It's the smallest byrd knife with the wood/micarta handle. I've never had a micarta handle so I don't know, but it doesn't look too much like wood.
What is JB bore scrub? I wouldn't think abrasive/rough type cleaners would be good on a rifle bore.
Maybe tooth paste would work? I've heard of prisoners using it with a string to cut through metal, but that was an old story.
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If it's metal to metal (like I'm assuming the byrds are) then FP-10 or a small amount of militec will give the slickest action (assuming the mating surfaces are fairly smooth). When I use militec I like to dilute it slightly, like 3 drops of standard oil to 1 drop of militec, it seems to work a bit better.
*edit: that's the ratio I like to use, not the amount
4 drops of oil in a small pivot is overdoing it a little.)
*edit: that's the ratio I like to use, not the amount
4 drops of oil in a small pivot is overdoing it a little.)skcusloa said:
Jb bore scrub is a abrasive! A very very fine one. I agree I think it is insane to put in rifle bores and it voids the warranty of many fine barrel makers.
How ever as a super fine lapping compound that is very easy to remove once done it is without peer. I use it to final lap 1911 slides and do the final polish on a lot of moveing metal surfaces.
Tooth paste works in much the same way but leaves your knife smelling minty fresh....this is not tactical