Traditional issue?

[black mamba]

So Rick, do you tighten it up yourself, quit using it as much, or what? I've done both to knives of mine, but they have to get pretty loose before it bothers me enough to do something about it.

 

[Will Power]

I really do expect new knives to be free of play, because it shows integrity of construction.

Quite a few knives may develop play after some years of use, one turns blind eye to it or gives it a whack. Like others, I have some old used knives that don't display it and I respect them for it. Early GECs the 73s had it a bit but they seemed to have banished it from their more recent patterns. CASE and Queen sometimes have it sometimes not.I wonder if half-stop knives or multis display it more? Can't say, there's probably no discernible tendency but I have heard that certain OT knives having Swinden key construction are prone?

There are worse issues in my Traditional book than play. I abhor raised or sunk springs on open, it looks shoddy and interferes in handling. Consider the picture, I know which knife is better constructed, no question.

 

[Railsplitter]

So Rick, do you tighten it up yourself, quit using it as much, or what? I've done both to knives of mine, but they have to get pretty loose before it bothers me enough to do something about it.

Actually, it has never happened to me that I can remember. If the blade play got so bad that it irritated me when using the knife, I would probably do one of the following:

If I really liked the knife and wanted to continue using it I would send it off to someone who could tighten the joint for me. I won't attempt the repair myself.
If the knife didn't mean that much to me or if I thought it had served its purpose I would toss into my collection and likely not ever use it again.

It would have to get pretty loose for me too before I would do either one of those things.

 

[The Fort]

To me side play is only an issue if you notice it in normal use. This business of grabbing the tip of a knife and twisting it side to side to check for blade play is silly, and puts unnecessary and abnormal stress on a folder. If slightly loose gives better walk and talk, I'll take that every time.

Jeff, In my opinion, this sums it up perfectly!

 

[Bartleby]

I repaired my Camco 551 twice for this during the 30 years I carried it, both times just from regular wear not abuse or twisting. It was tight when I purchased it new, and also when I replaced it noticing the blade was pretty worn down as a result of years of sharpening. The Queen 69 Barlow I recently replaced it with has an extended pivot pin, to take up for wear. It had no side play when I bought it, and I anticipate it will last like the old Camco did.