*Update* Strider SMF with horizontal play

Let 'er break in and you will come to love that folder.
I will always have my SnG.
rolf
 
The lock stick is probably because the loose pivot is allowing the lock to travel farther onto the tang than intended. Both issues can be fixed by adjusting the pivot with a Strider (I think Hinderer as well) spanner tool and an allen key.

This isn't a quality control or design issue, it's a loose pivot which can happen with any folding knife whether it costs $475 or $4750 or $47.50.
 
I own 10-15 striders and have owned 20-30 over my time. Careful because all of the haters take an opportunity like this to jump in and tell how their $50 knife is better
or how their preferred brand is better. I will agree that some brands do pay more attention to fit and finish, namely Chris Reeve.

Taking your knife apart shouldn't be necessary, but if it ever is, don't worry, it certainly isn't rocket science. It's a blade, two washers, and the two part pivot. Do not use
a screw driver on the one side, I took that advice once and cut the shit out of two of my fingers with the screw driver. To remove the pivot you do need a tool. And there is
likely to be loc-tight in there so you will have to use some force between the tool, and allen key.

Tightening the pivot will get rid of the horizontal blade play. And break in period is what is going to remove your lock stick. If you are in love with
the knife as you say, then use it often, and open and close it it a lot. A brand new SMF sometimes needs a break in period. I have had lock stick on a couple of mine over the
years, but all of them function perfectly now, and it's the only folder brand I carry on a daily basis.

To sum it up, as everyone says, Strider knives are meant to be used. Use it. Once yours breaks in I doubt you will have any issues.

Best of luck.
 
Thanks for all the feedback guys. I had no idea this thread would get so much play. After emailing Josh at Strider he offered to pay for the return shipping if I sent the knife in. What a stand up guy. I, however, will be exchanging it and if the new one has these issues I'll just send it to Josh.

A break in period doesn't bother me in the least. Most things that have high tolerances and are made with quality materials need some sort of break in whether its a car, boots, blue jeans, a Saddleback Leather bag, or a knife. I believe you get what you pay for and using what you have. I just don't want to start out with a knife that needs adjustment. That should be done right at the shop and apparently Strider feels the same way.

As others have said, I don't care to compare a $400 knife to a $40 knife. As Nutnfancy points out there are two different kinds of "COOL." The first being functionality, which the Strider has. The second being, does it make you smile. Well the Strider puts a $hit eating grin on my face, so for me its worth the price of admission! Sure a $50-60 delica 4 can do the same things I will use the Strider for but it does nothing for me on that "second kind of cool" level. :)
 
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Horizontal is very minor. You really just tighten the pivot a hair and use it. That is very common for a strider. All of mine were like that. That is why the pivot is adjustable.
It might just be me, but I adjust every knife I buy. Nothing is perfect enough for me lol.
 
Sgt_Bobbo said:
I would hope that any blade play would not be normal to any degree.
Click to expand...

Blade play is relative. There has to be some tolerance to allow the pivot to rotate. Some makers use tighter tolerances than others. If you are sensitive enough, you can detect blade play even in relatively tight tolerances...and another less sensitive observer might report feeing none. In that regard, "normal" is relative to the tolerances.

Sorry for any confusion ;)
 
BellaBlades said:
Horizontal is very minor. You really just tighten the pivot a hair and use it. That is very common for a strider. All of mine were like that. That is why the pivot is adjustable.
It might just be me, but I adjust every knife I buy. Nothing is perfect enough for me lol.
Click to expand...

Did you have to heat it up due to loctite in order to tighten the pivot? Also did the pivot ever loosen back up?
 
unit said:
Blade play is relative. There has to be some tolerance to allow the pivot to rotate. Some makers use tighter tolerances than others. If you are sensitive enough, you can detect blade play even in relatively tight tolerances...and another less sensitive observer might report feeing none. In that regard, "normal" is relative to the tolerances.

Sorry for any confusion ;)
Click to expand...

No confusion. I see what you mean. I just meant that from what I read Striders are suppose to lock up "like a tank" and Strider agreed that this wasn't normal. Thanks for the feed back.
 
Sgt_Bobbo said:
Thanks for all the feedback guys. I had no idea this thread would get so much play. After emailing Josh at Strider he offered to pay for the return shipping at if I sent the knife in. What a stand up guy. I, however, will be exchanging it and if the new one has these issues I'll just send it to Josh.

A break in period doesn't bother me in the least. Most things that have high tolerances and are made with quality materials need some sort of break in whether its a car, boots, blue jeans, a Saddleback Leather bag, or a knife. I believe you get what you pay for and using what you have. I just don't want to start out with a knife that needs adjustment. That should be done right at the shop and apparently Strider feels the same way.

As others have said, I don't care to compare a $400 knife to a $40 knife. As Nutnfancy points out there are two different kinds of "COOL." The first being functionality, which the Strider has. The second being, does it make you smile. Well the Strider puts a $hit eating grin on my face, so for me its worth the price of admission! Sure a $50-60 delica 4 can do the same things I will use the Strider for but it does nothing for me on that "second kind of cool" level. :)
Click to expand...

Good post , have your dealer check the replacement before he ships it and when you get the new one if any issues arise down the road and the knife trips your trigger then send it to Josh and he will take care of it (he's a good man).
 
I did not have to heat up the pivot. It came with very little loc tite brand new. It did take some pressure. But not much. I used a home made spanner from snap ring pliers. I used a fork once back in the day.
If there is none. I add a single drop and the pivot never budges.

Sgt_Bobbo said:
Did you have to heat it up due to loctite in order to tighten the pivot? Also did the pivot ever loosen back up?
Click to expand...
 
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I'd send the knife back for replacement if it was as bad as the OP described. Opening the knife or just adjusting it can violate the terms of the warranty and shouldn't be necessary for a knife costing that much. The last 3 Striders I bought were virtually perfect with no play and excellent fit and finish. I expect no less from them and will return a less expensive knife showing those defects.

If you buy a new knife especially for the cost a Strider commands why would anyone want to adjust anything? I don't understand that. Their QC has been really good as of the last year or two. If it's not any more it's news to me. None of mine came with any play or movement, or alignment problems. Yours shouldn't either. Describing to you how to violate your warranty doesn't seem like doing you any favors either. If Strider messed up a knife and shipped it I'd bet they want to know what and why too.

Joe
 
Directly from Josh at Strider knives. Nowhere does it say disassembly/pivot adjustment will void the warranty


If you send in your knife for repair
include your name and address and contact phone #
your forum name is not enough info for my records
Also include $25.00 for return shipping and handling
if you took apart the knife and broke it ..........
we will have to charge you for repairs
if you took apart the knife and lost the washers.....
we will have to charge you for repairs
if you took apart the knife and stripped out the screws....
we will have to charge you for repairs
WE DO NOT SEND OUT ANY PARTS .....
yes we have in the past BUT WE WILL NO LONGER SEND OUT ANY PARTS

Regarding the Strider Warranty:

the parts of our folders are not interchangeable
none of them are
each folder is made to fit
the G10 fits the TI which fits the blade
we mark them when we put then together to keep them in order
so if you swap out parts and send in your folder with the wrong parts we will not be able to "fit" it back together
IF YOU PURCHASE A USED STRIDER FOLDER BE SURE TO ASK IF THE PARTS HAVE BEEN SWAPPED OUT we do not cover "parts" knives

If your folding knife has been modified we won't fix it so don't send it in
modified= if any tools were used on your knife to change its appearance Your warranty is void
Change the blade grind= void
Polish the screws, blade or titanium=void
Modify the handle=void
File your lock bar=void
Drill any holes in your knife=void
burn up your knife in a fire= VOID
If you strip a screw we will repllace it for a charge
If you break the tip or chip the blade we will fix it no charge
If you take the knife apart and ruin the lock up thier might be a charge
***charges are detirmined on how long it takes us to fix it****
WE WILL NOT SEND OUT OR SELL ANY PARTS

If you have any questions regarding repairs: josh@striderknives.com







.
 
Strider has taken care of me in the past, not sending it in, but by other means. And I told them I take it apart all the time. That is just me, but I assume unless you do something stupid they will warranty the knife.
Im sorry ( not to the OP, just in general), but when someone sends a knife back because of a pivot that needs to be tightened, I just shake my head. Be it a Strider, benchmade or any other knife with an adjustable pivot. What a company will see as no blade play will vary for the end user.
 
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On their site it says...

Disassembly and end user modification:
Strider products are not a set of LEGOTM building blocks. Any malfunction due to end user modification, "pimping your blade", or disassembly will not be covered under warranty repair.

It gives them wiggle room if you mess up....
 
Silvanus said:
Directly from Josh at Strider knives.
....
Also include $25.00 for return shipping and handling

the parts of our folders are not interchangeable
Click to expand...

two points:

Wow that's pretty steep for shipping. Last time I sent one in I believe it was $10 or $15. That was some years ago though.

Second, there is a guy around here who likes to swap out parts and even emailed me asking if I'd trade him out some parts once.
I told him he shouldn't be doing that, and especially not be selling his frankenstein Striders. I hope he is reading this.
 
Hey all, just got the new knife in and it has the same play. Oh well I guess. I'll play with it for a few days and see if she starts locking up with no play.

A few notes:

If I open it at a slow/normal speed there is play.

If I open it wicked fast there is play.

If I flick it open but not wicked fast it's solid but this creates really bad lock stick.
 
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