Very Strong detent

L

longbow

Basic Member
Joined
Jan 9, 1999
Messages
4,365
How does one over come this or at least fix it? Picked up a Super Beast I have been looking for. I've a Beast from 3 Sisters Forge and about the finest small folder I've ever owned. SO wanted the Super. Got one and the detent is so friggin strong it is nearly impossible for me to open with my thumb. Any suggestions? thanks and keepem sharp
 
My recommendation would be to break the hole knife down and lightly sand the detent ball......make sure the sand paper is on a flat surface though, don't want to scratch up the ti!

Also on a side note the idea behind a good detent: if you measured the washer with calipers, you can then take that measurement and use it in the following way.....the detent ball shold protrude from the lock bar less than the thickness of the washer...

Tell me if that made any sense.....

-niner

P.S

Use the finest sand paper available, and go slow.
 
It'll wear in. Now you have a good reason to play with it! I personally DO NOT recommend bending, sanding, or altering the knife in any way in this case. In my experience a detent ball (even CRK's ceramic ones) wear and flatten out quicker than I'd like anyway. If the closed retention was poor it'd be another story. IMO a stout detent is a very good thing.
 
archieblue said:
It'll wear in. Now you have a good reason to play with it! I personally DO NOT recommend bending, sanding, or altering the knife in any way in this case. In my experience a detent ball (even CRK's ceramic ones) wear and flatten out quicker than I'd like anyway. If the closed retention was poor it'd be another story. IMO a stout detent is a very good thing.
Click to expand...

^ this
 
I've been working the Spyderco Bob Terzuola slip joint for over a year now - and it has yet to break in. This knife is kind of notorious in terms of its aggressive three-position detent. It certainly feel secure in hand for a non-locking knife. But whew! I've just about worn out my thumb! :cool:

Because of this, I've been thinking about a take-down and a bit of sanding. Afraid to muck things up, but it would make the Terzuola much more useable...

TedP
 
Guys sanding down the top won't necessarily help. The detent doesnt just depend on how high the ball is as it catches more toward the side of the ball not the top. So in other words it depends on how far toward the widest part of the ball its catching on. The wider the stronger the detent. Makes sense? Why don't you just ask the maker if he can lighten it up for you?
 
I contacted Dr. Jim. He hasn't made a Super in a long time he said. He said wouldn't promise anything but may send it to him. Hardest knife I've ever tried to open and the stickiest lock I've experienced and the hardest knife I've had to sharpen. But I like it! Keepem sharp
 
Jim will make it right--he's a great guy and a stand up knife maker. I love my Beast, but it does have a very strong detent, and that helps it fly open.

DJK
 
longbow said:
I contacted Dr. Jim. He hasn't made a Super in a long time he said. He said wouldn't promise anything but may send it to him. Hardest knife I've ever tried to open and the stickiest lock I've experienced and the hardest knife I've had to sharpen. But I like it! Keepem sharp
Click to expand...

Sounds like an awful knife. Don't convince yourself to like something if it isn't user friendly.
 
I have a small Mcusta Nami framelock - can't open it with one hand without risking losing some flesh.
I should have returned it, and regret that I didn't.
 
Fixed it pretty easily. Opens very very smooth now and it was a cinch. For some reason loosening the pivot screw on the right hand side did the trick-am talking just a about a half turn too. I also put about a half turn on the screws that hold the blade stop. The super sticky lock was remedied too doing that. Weird but true. Working on sharpening it now. Kind of a thick edge but cleanly slices paper now(newsprint). Then I took a stone to the top of the thumb stud on opening side and makes it more thumb friendly. thanks and keepem sharp
 
raylaconico said:
Guys sanding down the top won't necessarily help. The detent doesnt just depend on how high the ball is as it catches more toward the side of the ball not the top. So in other words it depends on how far toward the widest part of the ball its catching on. The wider the stronger the detent. Makes sense? Why don't you just ask the maker if he can lighten it up for you?
Click to expand...

I think I get it. Sanding off the top only works if you remove essentially all of the detent which removes the interference.

So why don't more makers chamfer the detent hole to make the contact surfaces more consistent? + use a larger ball diameter.
 
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