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Strider break-in period?
- Thread starter vpsaline
- Start date
Ankerson
Knife and Computer Geek
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2002
- Messages
- 21,094
Take a #2 Pencil and rub some lead on the blade were the locking bar contacts the blade. You will see the mark in the blade were to put the lead.
This will smooth it out for you.
Ankerson is right. The pencil will take care of the sticking. Unfortunately the smoothness will take a few hundred openings. It may speed it up if you open it slightly and flick it. I would think the faster opening would cause more friction. I could be wrong but thats what I did with my SNG.
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2007
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- 363
Hang in there.....Striders take a lot of open/close cycles to break in.
Ankerson
Knife and Computer Geek
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- Nov 2, 2002
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- 21,094
stabman
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2007
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- 21,352
Sticking goes away when the lock-face has worn enough to have a larger contact area, which then makes for a stronger lock-up.
Sticking is due to there being a TINY bit of lock-face contact in the beginning.
Im a newb and so far I have aquired three cool knives, (I think). I dont know why I need all these knives, but I do!! haha. I feel this one should go on my to buy list too!They are worth every penny.:thumbup:
Midget
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2002
- Messages
- 2,807
i think the "break-in" period is ridiculous.
i've owned striders. lots. 30 or more. plenty of sng's and smf's. certain things about their product keep bringing me back-- built-quality, premium materials, ergonomics, blade thickness, strong clip, weight, and particular warrantee. a few other features, but those are the big ones.
a few things also keep me from believing that striders are the "perfect knife." namely, the assembly and aspects of design.
one of them is the idea that the knife requires a break-in period. the reason why your knife isn't super smooth from the start is the bead-blast finish on the area where the ball-detent contacts the surface of the blade. it's rough. over time, this will smooth out, and become smooth. this is the "break in period" it will also wear the ball-detent surface flat, and that sucks.
you can rectify this issue by immediately disassembling the knife and using a dremel polishing tool + compound and smoothing out the contact area. smooth area will result in less traction, and that means less wear, as well as smoother opening/closing. i do this with my sng's and it is great.
when the lockbar "sticks" to the tang, that is another story about the lockup. i wholeheartedly disagree with their concept of the lockface partially engaging the blade tang. i think this design results in lesser titanium surface contacting the blade tang, under the same amount of lock force. (bend in the titanium framelock) vs. more titanium surface contacting the blade tang, under that same lock force. i think the current design results in faster wear, and "stickier" lock.
but truth is, i'm not a knifemaker. and i keep using/buying strider because i haven't found a better alternative. i think for the price, they could manufacture a smoother and longer-lasting knife, but currently they don't have to because they hold the monopoly in utilitarian design. until something better comes along, it's an sng in my pocket.
so my advice is, smooth the contact surface out, keep your pivot tightened to your taste, and send the knife back to the strider shop when it wears out.
i've owned striders. lots. 30 or more. plenty of sng's and smf's. certain things about their product keep bringing me back-- built-quality, premium materials, ergonomics, blade thickness, strong clip, weight, and particular warrantee. a few other features, but those are the big ones.
a few things also keep me from believing that striders are the "perfect knife." namely, the assembly and aspects of design.
one of them is the idea that the knife requires a break-in period. the reason why your knife isn't super smooth from the start is the bead-blast finish on the area where the ball-detent contacts the surface of the blade. it's rough. over time, this will smooth out, and become smooth. this is the "break in period" it will also wear the ball-detent surface flat, and that sucks.
you can rectify this issue by immediately disassembling the knife and using a dremel polishing tool + compound and smoothing out the contact area. smooth area will result in less traction, and that means less wear, as well as smoother opening/closing. i do this with my sng's and it is great.
when the lockbar "sticks" to the tang, that is another story about the lockup. i wholeheartedly disagree with their concept of the lockface partially engaging the blade tang. i think this design results in lesser titanium surface contacting the blade tang, under the same amount of lock force. (bend in the titanium framelock) vs. more titanium surface contacting the blade tang, under that same lock force. i think the current design results in faster wear, and "stickier" lock.
but truth is, i'm not a knifemaker. and i keep using/buying strider because i haven't found a better alternative. i think for the price, they could manufacture a smoother and longer-lasting knife, but currently they don't have to because they hold the monopoly in utilitarian design. until something better comes along, it's an sng in my pocket.
so my advice is, smooth the contact surface out, keep your pivot tightened to your taste, and send the knife back to the strider shop when it wears out.
Do you have 'Strider Thumb' yet?
It will be broken in about the time you develope this malady.
Seriously though, it may take several hundred openings to break it in.
The pencil lead trick does work, give it a try.
Emersons and Striders both suffer from initial stickiness and somewhat gritty pivot action. Once they break in though, they are very smooth.
It will be broken in about the time you develope this malady.
Seriously though, it may take several hundred openings to break it in.
The pencil lead trick does work, give it a try.
Emersons and Striders both suffer from initial stickiness and somewhat gritty pivot action. Once they break in though, they are very smooth.
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2008
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- 678
Just play with it for a week or so. I do not recommend putting any lubricants into the pivot or onto the lock face. You will end up with the pivot possibly free spinning and becomming loose, and you don't want the lock face slippery.
Just give it a little while and many openings/closings, you will be extremely happy with it once it's broken in.
Just give it a little while and many openings/closings, you will be extremely happy with it once it's broken in.