To loctite or not to loctite? Zaan & Seb 25 owners.

Nismo

Nismo

Joined
Jun 27, 2002
Messages
323
How many of you loctite your pivots? On this new pivot without the pivot bushing, I find that I cannot tighten it much without interfering with the smoothness. Which leaves me with a not so tightened down pivot screw.
I hear a lot of old style Zaan owners do not loctite their pivots and I think the new pivot is pretty much the same but with a smaller flange.

I currently use blue loctite on mine because I am OCD about it but was just curious on what others do with their Sebenza 25s and new Zaans and how they are holding up as far as pivot adjusting.
 
I think the new pivot was built around purple loc-tight, but I cant find it in any store near me. I run mine a little tighter and no thread locker. It wont thumb flick, but it has not loosened a bit. Maybe I should try some blue and find the sweet spot. It is a work knife so I don't want it loosening at all.
 
I run my zaan and 25 a little bit loose because I like to thumb flick once in a while and I use the purple locktite.
 
On small screws I use teflon tape, but carefully cut a strip lengthwise to get a strip half as wide. Wrap around the screw counterclockwise, maybe two times (tight as you can). The thing with tape is it is really easy to remove.
 
I only put loctite on there if the pivot gets loose on the knife. I have had different Zaans with different needs some needed to be loctited and others not. But Chris does say to loctite the pivots on them so its ok to.
 
The Zaans that I have had needed a tiny dab, toothpick size, to keep them from loosening up.

The 25 that I have doesn't need any loctite.

The ONLY loctite that anyone should ever use on a small knife part would be the low strength purple stuff, anything else is overkill and can cause problems down the road.
 
I also just acquired a new pivot Zaan and have the same question. I want to switch out the lanyard but I dont have loctite, never used it before, and was wondering if I did take the Zaan apart, would I need the loctite to re-assemble.
 
Locutus D'Borg said:
On small screws I use teflon tape, but carefully cut a strip lengthwise to get a strip half as wide. Wrap around the screw counterclockwise, maybe two times (tight as you can). The thing with tape is it is really easy to remove.
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That is usually what I do. Don't own a zann or 25, but works on my spydercos that used to loosen.
 
Purple Loctite is available from Brownells, if you can't find it locally (I have never seen it in any sort of local supply or hardware store). As a bit of free-lance guessing, I would guess that the purple recommendation has a lot to do with making sure that the Delrin tool for the old style pivot doesn't get damaged. I would _guess_ that the new style, which uses a metal tool, is probably OK with blue. That's just a guess, but other knives with similar design pivots seem to do fine with blue Loctite.
 
FranksTheTank said:
I also just acquired a new pivot Zaan and have the same question. I want to switch out the lanyard but I dont have loctite, never used it before, and was wondering if I did take the Zaan apart, would I need the loctite to re-assemble.
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The knife would work just fine without it but sometimes the pivot will loosen over time. A dab of Loctite on the threads ensures that the screw stays put.

Just make sure the threads of the screws are clean and oil free and put a little bit on the threads when you re assemble it.
 
I have my 25 pretty dialed in with no loctite. I even cleaned out what was in there. I've found the secret is to tighten the screw like 1/10th of a turn passed barely touching the scales, just to the point of grabbing, where it is as loose as possible without being able to pinch the pivot with fingers and turn it. Not too tight. Not too loose. It's right at the ideal "action" for me. I have the stop pin screw set the same. I cant tighten it like i do my 21's because it squeezes the pivot. I would actually like it to be tighter but it hasn't loosened so I reckon it's fine.
 
Once the pivot is set to your feel, loc-tite it! No need to LT the standoff pins
 
Officer's Match said:
So do I. I probably run mine a smidge tighter that what most call the "sweet spot", but my Zaan (old pivot, no OTS, w' Idaho) is very smooth.
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Ditto. Mine is my EDC that shares time with my large lefty Seb and is a lefty first model - old pivot, no stabilizer, no stamp, and no thumb ramp on the lockbar like the newer ones. Purple loctite from the kit, and a little tighter than flickable. It's how I prefer it.
 
This is another reason why I prefer the pivot system on the Regular, Classic, and 21.
 
I was wondering about this myself because I want to eventually pick up a 25. Some people say they don't need to but I guess if you like your blade loser than tight loctite might not be a bad idea.
 
Well, my final opinion is that its best to simply loctite it as there is no downside. There is nothing but benefit of it.
If its not loctited, it "can" come loose. If it is loctited, it will not come loose but is still capable of removing for cleaning/lubing.

So, weather you think it needs it or not, there is no downside to loctiting it, only benefits.
 
Could someone tell me the best way to remove loctite from the pivot then? I have dealt with loctite in the past and the blue stuff at least is sometime a bitch to get off unless you burn it off but obviously I would not do that with a sebby pivot. Is the purple loctite lower strength than blue? I like to clean my knifes a lot, and when I get my 25 I'll probably do the same. Maybe for someone who take their knife apart more often teflon tape would be better though I have never used this stuff before. Any opinions? I'd probably take it apart every 2 weeks or so to clean and re lube.
 
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