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Tips for centering a ZT KVT blade?

jprime84

jprime84

Joined
Jul 7, 2014
Messages
2,021
My 0562cf is off center. It does not rub at all, but its enough to notice it and I wish I could improve it.

I can slightly loosen the pivot and center it, but then there is the slightest bid of blade play, which is worse. If I tighten the pivot further, the off centering gets worse.

Any tips?
 
Take it apart and put it back together might fix it. Make sure all the screws are tight.
 
1. Open blade to 90 degrees and tighten pivot so that it is really tight.

2. Close the blade and loosen frame screws so they aren’t tight, but still holding the frame together.

3. While the blade is still in the closed position, pull blade towards the side you want the blade to move. You can use a piece of folded paper to wedge the blade to the side you desire and then...

4. While pulling blade, tighten the frame screws.

5. Loosen the pivot and adjust it to the desired tension.
 
Mayenard said:
1. Open blade to 90 degrees and tighten pivot so that it is really tight.

2. Close the blade and loosen frame screws so they aren’t tight, but still holding the frame together.

3. While the blade is still in the closed position, pull blade towards the side you want the blade to move. You can use a piece of folded paper to wedge the blade to the side you desire and then...

4. While pulling blade, tighten the frame screws.

5. Loosen the pivot and adjust it to the desired tension.
Click to expand...

Often this will work, and if not and it doesn't rub then don't trip and use it.
 
Mayenard said:
1. Open blade to 90 degrees and tighten pivot so that it is really tight.

2. Close the blade and loosen frame screws so they aren’t tight, but still holding the frame together.

3. While the blade is still in the closed position, pull blade towards the side you want the blade to move. You can use a piece of folded paper to wedge the blade to the side you desire and then...

4. While pulling blade, tighten the frame screws.

5. Loosen the pivot and adjust it to the desired tension.
Click to expand...

6. If its centered, add a tiny tiny drop of blue Loctite to the pivot and adjust to desired tension.
 
"Boss, some of these units have off center blades."
"Yea whatever. Tolerances cost money, just cobble them together until they don't rub and ship them out."
 
ev13wt said:
"Boss, some of these units have off center blades."
"Yea whatever. Tolerances cost money, just cobble them together until they don't rub and ship them out."
Click to expand...

Really, that's the best you could come up with? :applouse:
 
poolhustler said:
Really, that's the best you could come up with? :applouse:
Click to expand...

Ahh, I was a bit pissed at all the knife companies that don't care last night. Its not rocket science, how hard can it be to get centered blades out the door every time?...


How to fix it had been posted already.
 
ev13wt said:
Ahh, I was a bit pissed at all the knife companies that don't care last night. Its not rocket science, how hard can it be to get centered blades out the door every time?...


How to fix it had been posted already.
Click to expand...

Maybe it's not that hard, but you need to understand any company cranking out hundreds/thousands of blades a week will have a couple slip out like that.

Happens to all of 'em.
 
ev13wt said:
Ahh, I was a bit pissed at all the knife companies that don't care last night. Its not rocket science, how hard can it be to get centered blades out the door every time?...


How to fix it had been posted already.
Click to expand...

Technically it is not difficult. But once you add in manufacturing tolerances, it is very difficult (tool wear, fixtures etc). There are some thousand dollar customs that are not centered. People complain about the cost of knives, if you want perfect centering knife prices will rise, I'm not saying that it is right, I'm just saying that is how products are designed and sold.
 
ev13wt said:
"Boss, some of these units have off center blades."
"Yea whatever. Tolerances cost money, just cobble them together until they don't rub and ship them out."
Click to expand...

Absolutely no help what so ever....

Prime, did it work? I have done what mayenard suggested on a BM 810 that was way off. It did make a marked difference but did not make it perfectly centered. It is fine for my uses and yes, once you get it where you want it put some loctite on it.
 
Did it work? You guys decide :D

Before : After



edit - i actually had to tighten it a bit more after this photo due to a minute amount of blade play. It shifted back a bit towards the lock side but still much better than before.
 
Last edited:
that looks a lot better, from the angle it could be a tad to the lockside.

If the tightening trick didn't work (it did in this case), you have to look at the bearing pockets, then races, then the blade, and then the frames themselves.
 
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