I wanted to buy a new knife but am slightly bored of the usual offerings that I have accumulated over the past year. So, while browsing the website of my (fairly) local knife store, I saw they had new Kizer's in. They had a Kizer "Sliver Ki-4419A-4" for an incredible price, so I had to check it out. First thing I noticed that the F&F is stellar, and the knife is quite beautiful. The centering is perfect, the grinds are completely symmetrical, no blade play at all. Feels good in hand, even though it is a rather large knife certainly larger than I am used to. It has a very slight recurve, but I don't think I will have any issues. Second thing I noticed, is the stop pin is attached (or part of) the blade and the whole thing swings with the blade pin moving through a channel cut into the aluminum scales and the steel liners, where the pin butts up against it. Different but I suppose it should work ok. So now, I will spend the next few days playing with it (time to add more calluses to already poor old sore fingers), breaking it in to let it smooth out. I don't have any pictures, but I am quite sure you all know what it looks like.
The Sliver is okay if you get it cheap enough. I thought the pocket clip was one of the worst Kizer has done, the aluminum handle is slippery even though it's grooved and it's not a flipper. Other than that it's a well made knife. Apparently it sells quite well in Europe.
While handling the Sliver, almost non stop for the past day, one of the scale screws fell out. I then took all of the screws out and put loctite on them. However, I didn't try the pivot yet. Does Kizer loctite their pivots, and if not, what do you recommend using to get the screw out? It seems like a (very thin bladed) flat head screwdriver or an allen key. What's the recommendation?
KIZER does NOT Loctite their pivots. Do not use a flat bladed screw driver. There’s no size that fits. I can’t remember the size off the top of my head (and I’m travelling this week) but it’s a Star Driver that fits that old style pivot. It’s a bigger one like a T10 or T15 size.
Thanks for the reply. I watched a youtube and the guy said it's a 4mm hex key and sure enough, fits like the proverbial glove. Yes you are correct, there is absolutely no loctite on the pivot or the scale screws, just on the clip screws. I put loctite on the scale screws last night and teflon (plumbers) tape on the pivot. Works like a dream. This is a sweet little (big) knife.
Kizer definitely uses loctite on pivots and screws but not very consistently... one batch they do it the next batch they don't. For the old type pivot screws (there are three different sizes used on different models in the past!) it is possible to use a modified flathead screwdriver. One that is wide enough to bridge the gap between two opposite grooves will be too thick but grind it down a little and it will be the perfect tool for the job. It is also possible to use a Torx bit and for the Sliver the correct size is T27.
