Stiff flipper on new ZT0566

S

soldierofchrist35

Joined
Dec 10, 2015
Messages
25
I just got my first Zero Tolerance knife which is the 0566BW model. I love everything about it except the flipper is the absolute stiffest I have ever encountered. I have pretty strong finger strength and I am literally pushing with all my strength to get it to move. It's killing my finger. Any suggestions about how to loosen it up a bit? Should I loosen the pivot screw? Oil the pivot? I'm not really interested right now in removing the torsion bar to de-assist it. However, I am interested in instructions of how to do that in case I decide to do that in the future. Can the torsion bar be reinserted easily if removed and decide to put it back? Does removing it void the warranty in any way? Anyway, I'd prefer to leave it assisted for now but just want it to be less stiff. I'm brand new to knives of this caliber and price point (I also bought a Benchmade 810 Contego).
 
Are you making sure to keep all of your fingers off of the lock bar, so that you aren't putting any pressure on it? Sometimes you have to learn to flip it without touching the lock bar at all. Other than that, oiling the pivot can't hurt. You usually won't want to loosen the pivot as that will introduce some blade play, but if it's really, really tight, you can loosen it to get that sweet spot.
 
You can send it to ZT and have them fix it or keep flipping and it will probably loosen up.
 
graphite or pencil lead on the pivot washers will free it up a lot I use pure graphite on mine, usually avalible around the place where they make keys for houses and cars. oil sometimes is to heavy and the plus is its a dry lube. wont attract pocket lint etc.
 
kn4wd said:
graphite or pencil lead on the pivot washers will free it up a lot I use pure graphite on mine, usually avalible around the place where they make keys for houses and cars. oil sometimes is to heavy and the plus is its a dry lube. wont attract pocket lint etc.
Click to expand...

Forgot about that trick. That usually requires disassembly though. If you're disassembling, you could also try to put some graphite or Sharpie on the detent hole. (Don't combine oil and graphite/lead.) Also, forgot to answer your question. Yes, if you take out the torsion bar, you can put it back in.
 
if disassembly voids their warranty why do they mail out most parts for you to replace? I have gotten numerous screws, pivots, and torsion bars from them
 
My 0566 was extremely stiff when I first got it. It takes some breaking in. I did nothing to mine other than play with the flipper occasionally and now it is just about perfect. You can make it easier during break-in by applying some pressure to the thumb stud and then pressing the flipper.

Also, press straight down on the lever, not toward the frame. If you are doing it right your index finger will not touch the jimping during opening. If your finger is slamming into the jimping when the flipper opens, you need to adjust the angle. Like flipping a light switch.
 
jc57 said:
My 0566 was extremely stiff when I first got it. It takes some breaking in. I did nothing to mine other than play with the flipper occasionally and now it is just about perfect. You can make it easier during break-in by applying some pressure to the thumb stud and then pressing the flipper.
Click to expand...

This is what I do on my 0566, which has remained pretty stiff after a lot of deliberate break-in flipping and some EDC use. Using my thumb combined with the flipper fires it almost effortlessly.
 
kn4wd said:
if disassembly voids their warranty why do they mail out most parts for you to replace? I have gotten numerous screws, pivots, and torsion bars from them
Click to expand...

To my knowledge,it does not void the warranty.
 
Thanks so much for all the info. I did deliberately try to keep my finger off the lock bar and I started positioning my finger directly over the flipper and push straight down instead of laying my finger pad across the flipper and trying to pull it down. I read someone else say to push it not pull it and that seems to work best for me.
 
The 0566 I picked up a year or two sounds like yours. I was ready to return it, thinking that something was wrong with it. It has gotten progressively better as I've carried it off and on. It's almost perfect now. Hang in there.
 
I don't have a 0566 but my 0350 was stiff at first also. I just kept flipping it until it opened smoothly. Took me about a day to break it in.
 
Drop some lube or nano oil on the detent ball and make sure you are not squeezing the lockbar with your 3 other fingers while holding it.
 
ZT has been leaning towards really stiff detents, I've noticed it in my 0562. After flipping it around 500 times I started to see it ease in a bit. I'm sure it will be the same with yours.
 
Remove the bar... You can put it back, little hard as it needs to be preloaded.
Does not void warranties.
 
Lol i thought the same with my first zt. I could barely flip the thing and it was painful to flip over and over. I thought inhad a defected knife. Zt just makes stronger then average detents. Just keep flipping youll break the knife in and your thumb will get used to the strong detent.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top