Vertical blade play on high end knives

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donkbet45

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New to the forum here ☺️ What's everyone opinion on vertical blade play on high end knives? Should this be an absolute no-no or would you be okay with it? For instance my SPK Lamia has some slight play. It doesn't bother me too much though.
 
I believe that vertical is in the same axis with deployment; horizontal acts perpedicular to the pivot axis. The lamia is a frame lock. I find it hard to believe that anyone owning a SHF, a CRK, ect. would put up with any slop what-so-eva...
 
Fixedwing said:
I believe that vertical is in the same axis with deployment; horizontal acts perpedicular to the pivot axis. The lamia is a frame lock. I find it hard to believe that anyone owning a SHF, a CRK, ect. would put up with any slop what-so-eva...
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Yep, none of my SHFs have any play when locked, perhaps a minute amount of side to side, but that's just because I run the pivot a little loose.
 
donkbet45 said:
New to the forum here ☺️ What's everyone opinion on vertical blade play on high end knives? Should this be an absolute no-no or would you be okay with it? For instance my SPK Lamia has some slight play. It doesn't bother me too much though.
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Nope. Can’t stand it. Only blades I have with any play whatsoever are OTFs. Nature of the beast on those. Anything else I adjust it out or off it goes.
 
If I am paying good $ for a folding or fixed knife I do not want any play period . . Everyone that has a love of knives has their own little peeve ~ Mine is a blade that is loose in anyway.

I have had my share of expensive folders over the years and have had many disappointments
 
donkbet45 said:
How do you go about adjusting it? Just take it apart and apply some inward pressure on the lock bar?
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How long have you had the knife? If you just got it, exchange it where you bought it from.

If you’ve had it long enough that isn’t an option, I’d start by loosening the pivot and pushing in or pulling out on the blade while tightening the pivot. There are other finesse tricks that might work but I’d start there. Bending the lock bar would be a last resort - it’s easy to F that up.
 
As mentioned, when it comes to lock backs or OTF autos then some degree is to be expected - just how much is tolerable is up to each individual. Where frame locks, liner locks, etc. are concerned, I don’t consider any amount of play acceptable (regardless of cost.)
 
mat_ski said:
Is there a consensus on which way is horizontal and which way is vertical on a knife?

I always have trouble discerning…
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91bravo said:
Vertical is up/down. Side to side would be horizontal. The exact definition of those terms.
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Locutus D'Borg said:
Gotta love physics. But from a distance. I can barely tell which way is up.
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scorpnsnake said:
View attachment 2542868
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Maybe not as silly of a question as it might seem at first. I once saw somebody on here who was using propeller blade pitch terms to describe knife edge angles. It was really confusing for me to make heads or tails of when I dug into it. I eventually gave up trying. Maybe he was a pilot.

For ultimate clarity, vertical on a knife would be from the spine to the edge, and horizontal would be from one scale to the opposite scale.
 
I don't think it's acceptable on really any knife (save the aforementioned OTFs). Actually, I don't even think it should be accepted on axis-style locks. I've had a few crossbar locks from certain makers that have demonstrated that you absolutely can have zero blade play, lock-rock, and drop-shut smoothness (all at the same time), some companies just aren't putting out that kind of quality.

Really, unless it's an OTF, if it has consistent blade-play issues, I'll sell it. If I can fiddle a little and fix it, fine, but if not, to the exchange it goes!
 
I'm okay with play, a folding knife is mechanical and as such needs to have a certain amount of tolerance to allow the moving parts to, move --- now there's a difference between play and drunk swaying however
 
donkbet45 said:
How do you go about adjusting it? Just take it apart and apply some inward pressure on the lock bar?
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Can we clear up what kind of blade play you have first? Horizontal (left/right) or vertical (up/down)?
 
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