Tolerances

[Dtuluu]

On all my folders when I loose the pivot I start having horizontal blade play.. The more loose I go the more play I have. I keep em loose enough to swing open & close freely but that leaves a tiny bit of horizontal wiggle still with some force applied. I thought its ok for mass produced stuff.

But yesterday I received my bench mini presidio 2 and to my surprize it had zero play even with the pivot screw completely removed, while swinging absolutely freely and dead centered. I mean absolute zero - cant tell if its a folder.

So I question - did I get a "lucky toleranced" one... or the rest of my collection is mass production garbage? )

 

[soc_monki]

What are they and maybe we could say. But in all honesty, some knives aren't designed to be free dropping, and some can do it with no play. Depends on quality, tolerances, pivot style, and washers/bearings.

If you have blade play though, you need to tighten your pivots. Any play can contribute to lock problems, and possibly failure.

 

[Dtuluu]

Benchmades, spydies, zts.. I tend to buy stuff thats designed to drop.

My main question is - how common is it to have zero play without the pivot screw?

 

[soc_monki]

If there's no pivot screw more than likely the blade is going to fall out.

 

[Dtuluu]

The pivot screw, not the pivot bar itself..

 

[BellaBlades]

Benchmades, spydies, zts.. I tend to buy stuff thats designed to drop.

My main question is - how common is it to have zero play without the pivot screw?

It really depends on the design and construction of the body and how tuned up your knife is. Taking out the pivot screw and having some horizontal is not uncommon.

A knife like a sebenza or PM2 etc have a screwed in blade stop keeping things snug near the pivot against the bushing. Many other knives without bushings act the same way such as your benchmade.

There are many variables that can contribute to this so it's more than just tolerances. Although I dont own any benchmades at the moment, I have always found them to be extremely smooth knives with little to no blade play.

 

[Dtuluu]

Yeah that makes sense.

I do have a pm2 and find it a nightmare to adjust for perfect action after disassembly, again fighting that battle of too tight \ too loose=play. Maybe im missing something.

Also I was probably misusing the word PLAY.. the only really problematic knife i have is the contego, which had crappy action from day 1. Ive polished and lubed it etc, but still its either play (a real play) or too tight (tight by benchmade standards that is).

The others I have, and the action I was referring to initially is probably better described as "wobble".. Ever so slight movement.. Feeling that its a folder... Nah I give up my English is not good enough too describe it

The other funny benchmade action I have isw with the Stryker - mine has a perfect action.. unless Im trying to close it with 1 finger.. from only one axis`s side that is. Pull from two sides its like butter, pull one (either one), and it stops dropping at all. Obviously the little pressure it receives this way translates to liners and blocks the blade. To me the only thing explaining this are tolerances.

And among others.. recon 1 (and maybe all cold steels) blade seem to be held to strongly by the lock so the pivot screw doesnt matter here too, making it solid play-free.. And yeah ZTs also do their zt thingy on those bearings, im not too much into that. But those arent the knives where i`d want to have a free laser dropping action)

 

[blanex1]

sebenzas are like no other folder I have owned, its the way CRK are machined and titanium is surfaced ground to his tolerances,i have owned other knifes and really none compare,its a work knife though just like he named it.

 

[soc_monki]

Pm2s and para 3s are very sensitive to pivot tension. I find if you're almost there on the feeling you want, just a slight nudge on the screw will get you where you want it to be.

Of course my para 3 is a little less free than my Pm2s, but I chalk that up to Blade weight. No play on any and free dropping. It's really a battle of millimeters on screw tightness.

 

[Dallas T]

I’ve also never had a any problem with fit n finish or action issues with any benchmade I’ve had which is a lot. Maybe good luck

 

[colin.p]

While I don't have a Mini Presidio 2, I have several Benchmade's. All except my 580 have a small amount of play, but I can accept that as I like a very loose feeling blade and free dropping. I chalked that up to "that's the way it is".

However, it wasn't until I got a BNIB/NOS 908 that I noticed that it had a very large pivot assembly as well as having the largest washers of any of my other Benchmade's and absolutely no play at all while the action is smooth as glass. Unfortunately, it isn't a free-dropper (yet) and yet I was able to take the pivot screw out altogether without it becoming too loose. Of course it is a "Black Class" so that may also be why it has a larger pivot. Maybe the Mini Presidio (as it's Black Class also) may also have the same size pivot/washers?

Just a couple of weeks ago, I bought a new 551-1 and it looks like the pivot is very nearly the same as the 908, while having no blade-play. However, it is very smooth and "fall shutty", almost alarmingly so.

So, as all my other BM's are smaller knives with smaller pivots, I'd imagine that the larger knives have the added benefit of sturdier pivot assemblies that allow good action with no blade play.

 

[Dtuluu]

Exactly my experience. Reason i made this thread is i never witnessed this kind of action in a folder (dont have a sebenza.. yet).

Well i wouldnt call 575 a larger knife since technically its almost minigrip sized, but being in a black class certainly imply beefier internals.. But thing is my other blacks - contego adamas stryker do not show that action.

Anyway wish all folders were built like this.. not having to think about that pivot tension is like nirvana. so happy with this knife.

 

[GermanyChris]

My CRKT Crossbones and XM24 drops shut, my CQC15, Endura, and Sebenza don't I'll let the community decide which knife is best.

 

[Wowbagger]

I’ve also never had a any problem with fit n finish or action issues with any benchmade I’ve had which is a lot. Maybe good luck

You are having good luck BIG TIME.
I only have a few benchmades. From the Mini Grip to the 710 special addition with M390.
about the only one that actually pivots adequately (and it is actually perfection) is my 940-1.
My full size Ritter Grip is really nice as well but I had to mess with it. The 940 worked like it should out of the box. The others suck no matter what I do with them baring remachining the parts.

All except my 580 have a small amount of play, but I can accept that as I like a very loose feeling blade and free dropping. I chalked that up to "that's the way it is".

Exactly.
Same here.

 

[Wowbagger]

I'd imagine that the larger knives have the added benefit of sturdier pivot assemblies that allow good action with no blade play.

I don't know if my 710 fits n that catagory but it is awful. With a ton of play it still hesitates and won't drop. Poo poo.
Very nice user other wise though. I love the knife in use.
Having an axis lock is part of the fun and part of the fun of the axis lock is dropping the blade.
710 says : Whaaaaaaaat . . . naaaaaaah . . . maybe mañana.

 

[Wowbagger]

I'd imagine that the larger knives have the added benefit of sturdier pivot assemblies that allow good action with no blade play.

Since I'm hogging the thread . . .
you are probably right about the larger knives having better pivots but some of what makes the larger knives drop is just shear weight of the blade and some of that weight being out on a longer lever (longer blade)(over comes stiction in the pivot).

 

[colin.p]

Since I'm hogging the thread . . .
you are probably right about the larger knives having better pivots but some of what makes the larger knives drop is just shear weight of the blade and some of that weight being out on a longer lever (longer blade)(over comes stiction in the pivot).

True. I find that the 943 isn't as free falling as the 940, even in the same handle. I don't know how much difference in weight there is between the two blades, but there is more mass (at the tip) of the 940 allowing it to swing better. At least that is what I found with my limited experience.