SNG Pivot won't unscrew, stuck?????

I

Incahiker

Joined
Oct 2, 2009
Messages
727
Hey guys..

Just built myself a pivot tool. Was using my hands at first and couldn't get the damned thing to unscrew... then I locked the pivot tool in a vice and used it that way, rotating the hex on top.. and the damned prongs went flying off the tool (Used high carbon steel)..

Why is the pivot side not giving. I have never seen a screw so locked in.. anyone have any advice? I have used search and can not find anything.. I have tried the soldering iron.. and got it damned hot but it wouldn't budge. I don't want to get it hotter in fear of burning the G10

The reason I am taking the knife apart is because the lock bar does not have enough tension in it, I can tell easily. There is a little up and down play, and as soon as I touch (barely touch) the lock bar the up and down play is gone.
 
Incahiker said:
Hey guys..

Just built myself a pivot tool. Was using my hands at first and couldn't get the damned thing to unscrew... then I locked the pivot tool in a vice and used it that way, rotating the hex on top.. and the damned prongs went flying off the tool (Used high carbon steel)..

Why is the pivot side not giving. I have never seen a screw so locked in.. anyone have any advice? I have used search and can not find anything.. I have tried the soldering iron.. and got it damned hot but it wouldn't budge. I don't want to get it hotter in fear of burning the G10

The reason I am taking the knife apart is because the lock bar does not have enough tension in it, I can tell easily. There is a little up and down play, and as soon as I touch (barely touch) the lock bar the up and down play is gone.
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Are you using 2 hex wrenches or just the one? You might need 2, 1 to hold the pivot while you unscrew the other side. Did you bother hardening the tool? If not, that would explaibn, you can have CPM-3V wrenches and you will bend them easily unless you harden them. Something magical happens when you heat treat metal ;)
 
You probably need to melt the loctite a bit before you can loosen the pivot !!

Edit: oops missed that u already tried that
 
RevDevil said:
Are you using 2 hex wrenches or just the one? You might need 2, 1 to hold the pivot while you unscrew the other side. Did you bother hardening the tool? If not, that would explaibn, you can have CPM-3V wrenches and you will bend them easily unless you harden them. Something magical happens when you heat treat metal ;)
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I made the pivot tool from the steel that comes with the swedish fire steel. It was pretty damned strong and didn't bend. I locked my makeshift tool in a vice and then put the knife in the tool. Then I used the hex wrench to turn the pivot.... I was using way more force then I have ever used for any knife to unscrew the pivot.. the two prongs that go into the slots on the pivot side just snapped.

That tool wasn't weak.. because I was using more force to turn that pivot screw then I have used on any knife, ever before. That hex dug into my hand real good and hurt like hell.

Oh well....
 
It's the damn loc-tite: burn it the hell out.
Use a soldering iron or a hex bit and the stove if you have to, but get that stuff out.
Both my SmF's had a truly unholy amount of loc-tite slathered ALL over the pivot screw, entire length.:thumbdn:
Burn it out.
 
stabman said:
It's the damn loc-tite: burn it the hell out.
Use a soldering iron or a hex bit and the stove if you have to, but get that stuff out.
Both my SmF's had a truly unholy amount of loc-tite slathered ALL over the pivot screw, entire length.:thumbdn:
Burn it out.
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I put a soldering Iron on it until it hurt my finger to touch it for more then 1 second... I was scared of burning the hell out of the G10... how did you know when it was hot enough?
 
Incahiker said:
I put a soldering Iron on it until it hurt my finger to touch it for more then 1 second... I was scared of burning the hell out of the G10... how did you know when it was hot enough?
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What I ended up having to do on one was take one of those hex bits that go in the interchangeable bit screwdrivers, and put it in the the hole on the titanium side.
Next, I applied heat, first by propping it up on the stove element near the edge. This worked on the previous one, but not this one. I'd heat for a bit, then remove the bit with pliers and try to loosen, and repeat.
But the stove didn't do it this time.
I had to use a Bic lighter and apply short burst of flame. I kept trying to loosen every so often, so as to avoid burning the G-10 or softening the pivot hardness; it worked out fine.:)
I wish they didn't put so much loc-tite; they don't on the body screws.:confused:
 
stabman said:
What I ended up having to do on one was take one of those hex bits that go in the interchangeable bit screwdrivers, and put it in the the hole on the titanium side.
Next, I applied heat, first by propping it up on the stove element near the edge. This worked on the previous one, but not this one. I'd heat for a bit, then remove the bit with pliers and try to loosen, and repeat.
But the stove didn't do it this time.
I had to use a Bic lighter and apply short burst of flame. I kept trying to loosen every so often, so as to avoid burning the G-10 or softening the pivot hardness; it worked out fine.:)
I wish they didn't put so much loc-tite; they don't on the body screws.:confused:
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Jesus... sounds like they really don't want people taking apart their knives.. why the hell do they sell the spanner tool then if you got to heat the pivot hotter then the core of the sun? That is retarded. Now I need to go make another tool and try it again... damnit. I think they used JB weld in mine.
 
Incahiker said:
Jesus... sounds like they really don't want people taking apart their knives.. why the hell do they sell the spanner tool then if you got to heat the pivot hotter then the core of the sun? That is retarded. Now I need to go make another tool and try it again... damnit. I think they used JB weld in mine.
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The new policy is that they prefer people not to take apart the knife; they suggest cleaning it with WD-40.
I like to be able to take it apart for a full cleaning, and be able to adjust pivot tension, so I went through the ordeal.:)

I made two tools which broke first, before I heated it enough. I also tried the hair dryer, and boiling the knife, both of which didn't work.
 
Incahiker said:
Jesus... sounds like they really don't want people taking apart their knives.. why the hell do they sell the spanner tool then if you got to heat the pivot hotter then the core of the sun? That is retarded. Now I need to go make another tool and try it again... damnit. I think they used JB weld in mine.
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Strider does not sell pivot tools and does not want you to take it apart.
 
mongomondo said:
Strider does not sell pivot tools and does not want you to take it apart.
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What is the deal with manufactueres not wanting to take our knives apart? I like to clean mine out or tighten or loosen as required. I take all my guns apart to give it an extra cleaning... knives are so much simpler that it's silly to not allow customers to do this.
 
Incahiker said:
What is the deal with manufactueres not wanting to take our knives apart? I like to clean mine out or tighten or loosen as required. I take all my guns apart to give it an extra cleaning... knives are so much simpler that it's silly to not allow customers to do this.
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They said they are spending too much time fixing knives that people broke while taking it apart or putting it back together. It doesn't necessarily void the warranty to take the knife apart, but if you mess something up while doing it they will charge you to fix it.
 
mongomondo said:
They said they are spending too much time fixing knives that people broke while taking it apart or putting it back together. It doesn't necessarily void the warranty to take the knife apart, but if you mess something up while doing it they will charge you to fix it.
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That is fine by me... if I am that clumsy I deserve to be charged...

Anyhow, I give up on it.. I already broke 5 tools I have made (prongs snapped off every time) that sucker is not budging and I am sick of making new tools for it. I guess I will have to live with the loose lockbar cause I am not going to wait for ever to get the knife back from them... especially during the christmas season. Damn that makes me mad... an easy fix which is impossible to get to :mad:.. liteally, all I do is gently lay my finger on the lock bar (barely touching it) and the up and down wiggle completely stops. I can see it go over a hair when I touch it. I just need to get in there and bend it a little, but god forbid...
 
Just pitching in. Disregard me if it sounds stupid :)

Make another pivot tool. This time make one which has a handle which you can put pressure onto pivot and another spanner like handle which you can increase the lever arm of the torsion. You can use a hammer to tap the spanner like thingy to turn the pivot tool.

Basically what I'm saying is sometimes dynamic impact like from hammer to turn the tool is more effective than constant force.

Hope this helps. Good luck :)
 
Yup... heard a hammer blow is the only other thing that will break apart the loctite. But I don't want to break apart the knife doing this... lol. I think I will order one of those spanner tools that are made. That way I will be able to really crank down without breaking those damned prongs.
 
I had the same issue last time I tried to open my smf. It took me a good week to search for a good robust screw with enough grip after breaking at least 3 screws before I get the chance to apply enough force to it before it break into two.

What you need is a REALLY REALLY well designed screw that won't slip or break and a whole lot of strength turning it.

not sure, but maybe heating up like others said will save you some muscle power im not sure, but if you're desperate enough, might as well give it a try
 
Might try boiling it for a period of time? For some reason, this has always worked better for me than using the soldering iron... Maybe the water in addition to the heat does something? That and you can do it for a fair amount of time longer than with a soldering iron... Just keep it suspended away from the bottom.
 
Yeah, hammer idea sounds kooky :)

This is a useful thread, got some screws myself that I failed to conquer. Might learn a thing or two in this thread.
 
hoppingzombie said:
Might try boiling it for a period of time? For some reason, this has always worked better for me than using the soldering iron... Maybe the water in addition to the heat does something? That and you can do it for a fair amount of time longer than with a soldering iron... Just keep it suspended away from the bottom.
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I don't know.. I don't want to heat up my whole knife that hot for a short period of time... scared about the tempering of the blade.... and all of the G10... seems like it might make something brittle... or perhaps less strong..
 
I'm pretty sure you won't be able to hurt the g10 or temper by boiling it, as the water will not get hot enough due to it vaporizing at a certain temp. (too long since chem class for me to remember) Don't leave it in there for an hour, maybe just five minutes then try.

I would make a tool out of a 1/4" drive socket, as it lets you put down a decent amount of torque without being unholy abusive. Then put the allen key in a vice, pivot onto the allen key and try with the wrench.

But really it seems like the knife should just go back to strider, messing with lockbars tends to piss off most manufactures in the unlikely event something does go wrong.
 
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