Sodbuster keeps binding up.

[Sword and Shield]

I got a Boker sodbuster in a trade with another member, and have been having a problem.

It keeps binding up. I can take the time, totally clean it out, get to the point where it's perfectly clear of all dust, dirt and grime, oil it, and in a couple days it will be bound up again.

This is the first knife I've ever had this happen with- the above is my standard cleaning procedure for all folders, and I can normally go months without the action dragging. Here, it's days.

I use a very light application of 3-in-1, same as all of my folders, and for some reason, this one sticks. Any ideas?

 

[Morrow]

I got a Boker sodbuster in a trade with another member, and have been having a problem.

It keeps binding up. I can take the time, totally clean it out, get to the point where it's perfectly clear of all dust, dirt and grime, oil it, and in a couple days it will be bound up again.

This is the first knife I've ever had this happen with- the above is my standard cleaning procedure for all folders, and I can normally go months without the action dragging. Here, it's days.

I use a very light application of 3-in-1, same as all of my folders, and for some reason, this one sticks. Any ideas?

Is it possible there was a bunch of grime in the pivot area when you got the knife? If so, when you oiled the joint the grime started working its way out and could be gumming everything up.

 

[Sword and Shield]

I doubt it, but possible. My cleaning method is pretty extreme- tons of hot running water and soap, and I work the pivot until it runs clear. If there's still gunk coming out, it must have been packed in like axle grease.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I've had this problem with a couple of old knives myself. I finally ended up FLUSHING & SOAKING the pivot with LOTS of WD-40, wrapping the knife in a paper towel which also was soaked in WD-40, put it in a sealed container (like a cheap ZIP-LOC plastic food container) and let it sit & soak for a couple of days. As long as the handles can take it (I wouldn't do this with wood or other natural materials), this made a big difference. After the soaking in WD-40, I then gave it a thorough bath in hot water & dish soap.

I've stopped using the 3-in-1 oil for knives, because it does tend to get very gummed up if there's any dirt mixed in with it. Might be worth using something lighter, like a Teflon-based or graphite type lube.

 

[kodiak]

I had the same problem with a Case Sodbuster. I did the same WD-40 bath as mentioned above. I did work for me. I had Case Trapper do the same, I returned that one.

 

[Sword and Shield]

I've had this problem with a couple of old knives myself. I finally ended up FLUSHING & SOAKING the pivot with LOTS of WD-40, wrapping the knife in a paper towel which also was soaked in WD-40, put it in a sealed container (like a cheap ZIP-LOC plastic food container) and let it sit & soak for a couple of days. As long as the handles can take it (I wouldn't do this with wood or other natural materials), this made a big difference. After the soaking in WD-40, I then gave it a thorough bath in hot water & dish soap.

I've stopped using the 3-in-1 oil for knives, because it does tend to get very gummed up if there's any dirt mixed in with it. Might be worth using something lighter, like a Teflon-based or graphite type lube.

I ordinarily would go to the oil being the problem, but what's giving me pause is the fact that I use that for every other folder I have. I wonder why this one is different.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I ordinarily would go to the oil being the problem, but what's giving me pause is the fact that I use that for every other folder I have. I wonder why this one is different.

That's why I'd recommend the WD-40 bath & soak. The oil, by itself, shouldn't be an issue as long as it stays clean. But, I'm betting there's still something else deep inside the pivot (little bit of dirt, rust or other particulates) that's making a little bit of a muddy mess with the oil and turning it into glue, more or less. In case there is rust in there, the WD-40 is tailor-made for breaking it up so it can be flushed out (hopefully). Might also be helpful to really exercise the pivot while doing the WD-40 flush treatment, and again after it's been soaking for a while. If it is rust, it sometimes takes some time for the solvent (WD-40) to soften it up, so that it can be broken up (by working the pivot) and then flushed out with some more spraying of WD-40.

I had, one time, a problem with one of my folders that involved just a stupid little fiber of pocket lint that got stubbornly wedged into the pivot. Made a big difference in the smoothness of opening & closing. Fortunately, in that case, it was a knife that could be taken down (screwed pivot), so I was able to take it apart to clean it up. Obviously this can't be done with a sodbuster, but might still be able to work it out by repeatedly exercising the pivot.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Something else I didn't think of earlier, there could also be some rust/dirt/etc. along the side of the backspring (between spring and liner) that might inhibit the movement of the spring. This would get the same treatment as for the pivot (WD-40 flush & soak).

 

[Sword and Shield]

Something else I didn't think of earlier, there could also be some rust/dirt/etc. along the side of the backspring (between spring and liner) that might inhibit the movement of the spring. This would get the same treatment as for the pivot (WD-40 flush & soak).

I wiped the spring down, and it's currently getting a degreasing bath in isopropyl alcohol, then a soak in WD. Hope the WD won't bother yellow Delrin.

 

[Andrew Colglazier]

Try this; after wrapping the blade so it won't get scratched, clamp it firmly in a vise. Position the knife so you can work the handle to at least 90 degrees to the blade.

Gently put sideways pressure on the pivot, and work the handle back and forth. Flex the handle the other direction, and do it again. You can put solvent in the joint before this if you want. You don't want to introduce blade play into the pivot, but you want the liners to scrape the sides of the blade in the area of the pivot. This can often loosen up a very tight joint.

I learned this from Oupa, if you know who that is. It has served to loosen up several Sodbusters. Hope this helps.

Andy

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I wiped the spring down, and it's currently getting a degreasing bath in isopropyl alcohol, then a soak in WD. Hope the WD won't bother yellow Delrin.

I was thinking about which of my old knives I'd used this treatment on. Among the knives I cleaned this way, 2 or 3 of them were Case and/or Ka-bar 'fisherman's knives' (with clip blade and scaler/hook remover) with yellow Delrin scales. I've also used this treatment on a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife with the red synthetic handle scales (don't know if it's Delrin or something else). That knife was one that I'd mistakenly left in a toolbox in the covered bed of my truck for a long time (several years). Exposure to the humidity over time made it impossible to open up some of the blades/tools in that knife. They were essentially rusted in place (yes, stainless will rust if given enough time and mal-treatment). That knife benefitted the most from the WD-40 treatment. Was able to get it working again, although it's not as pretty as it used to be (pitting). At any rate, none of these knives' Delrin/synthetic handles were adversely affected. If anything, the WD-40 helped to clean them up too.

The only thing I WOULDN'T USE on Delrin is acetone. It'll eat plastics/synthetics for lunch (they essentially MELT with exposure to acetone).

 

[Sword and Shield]

I looked up the spec sheet on Delrin. Acetone will melt it nicely, but it's listed as A-nonreactive for alcohol and most petroleum distillates.

 

[Sword and Shield]

Well, after flushing with alcohol and a thorough cleaning (again!), I got a few bits of brass filings worked out. Oddly enough, though any of the light oils I have weren't working, the perfect lubricant came out of the kitchen.

Olive oil. This sodbuster is one of my impromptu kitchen knives, and one day I was using it to mince up some garlic and peppers for flavored oil. A few drops of oil got in the pivot, and it's working smooth as silk almost 3 weeks later.

Extra-virgin olive oil. Who would have thought?

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Olive oil. This sodbuster is one of my impromptu kitchen knives, and one day I was using it to mince up some garlic and peppers for flavored oil. A few drops of oil got in the pivot, and it's working smooth as silk almost 3 weeks later.

Extra-virgin olive oil. Who would have thought?

On the one hand, it's surprising that all of the modern 'super lubes' haven't been able to produce a result superior to olive oil (for some applications anyway). On the other hand, based on everything I've seen/heard/read about olive oil, it's supposed to be the be-all, end-all, cure-all for just about anything. And the real beauty is, it's readily available and relatively inexpensive (unless you're using some exotic 'gourmet' import, anyway... hopefully your pocketknife won't get too fickle about flavor! ).

I have a paper shredder at home, for which the manufacturer actually recommends using vegetable oil to lubricate the cutter heads. I guess maybe they know something more about it's usefulness than most of the rest of us?