What are the Boker Epicenter problems?

[joeyza]

I'm very interested in the boker epicenter but have heard a lot about issues different people have had with their knives..
just wondering what types of problems these are if anyone knows?

 

[C_Becker]

try searching the boker forum, "epicenter" should turn up a couple of threads.
But AFAIR it was mainly the two scales not being the same size. Looks like they fixed it for the second production run though.
The one I held some time ago in their store had pretty good f&f

EDIT: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/830439-B%C3%B6ker-Plus-Epicenter?highlight=epicenter

 

[jbmonkey]

don't know a complete list, but what i know about........first generations and some of the early second generations (like mine) had mismatched scales. screws were sunk at different levels, another cosmetic issue. i had a few other complaints on the boker forum thread about this, most were mainly cosmetic, but i got over them and i kept mine to use as a user. no other issues on my early 2nd generation. i rotate mine for carry and use it often, without issues on use.

Edit part....I had forgotten to add, the detent hole is larger than the ball, so the blade when closed wobbles up and down far more than it should and is quite annoying, but I learned to live with it as well.

 

[Vivaldi]

I just received my Epicenter. I can't open it by pushing on the stud with my thumb. Trying to do it with two hand is no easier. There is very little in blade surface for the fingers to grasp. I ended up pulling on the studs and open the knife. It was very awkward and that's how fingers get cut..

I'm very interested in the boker epicenter but have heard a lot about issues different people have had with their knives..
just wondering what types of problems these are if anyone knows?

 

[Bigfatts]

I just received my Epicenter. I can't open it by pushing on the stud with my thumb. Trying to do it with two hand is no easier. There is very little in blade surface for the fingers to grasp. I ended up pulling on the studs and open the knife. It was very awkward and that's how fingers get cut..

IIRC from mine, you need to push UP on the thumbstud, not down.

 

[dano]

i have two of them, both have side to side blade play, and the grinds are way off on the blades.

 

[TacOpsEDC]

I have a 2nd Gen Epicenter and I love it.

The biggest issues were with the 1st Gen models, and there were some significant ones at that.

The issues you may run into with a current 2nd Gen model are uneven grinds and slight blade play/lock rock.

I haven't experienced any play or rock with mine "yet" and hopefully never will lol.

My grinds aren't off by much at all, very slight and it doesn't bother me at all.

Even with the little issues I still recommend the knife, as I think its a awesome all around EDC for a great price.

 

[FearAgent]

I got my Epicenter last week and its honestly amazing. Excellent fit and finish, solid lock-up, great detent, beautiful blade finish, and I hate the clip, but VERY happy with the knife. Defenitying going to change the clip out though

 

[Vivaldi]

IIRC from mine, you need to push UP on the thumbstud, not down.

Thanks for the suggestion but no way..., no how! I tried and two of my friends who are all thumbs tried, pushing, pulling, pressing, either singhly or in every imaginable combination. Finally I took the knife apart. Guess what, there was no evidence of any lubricant at all. The blade was sandwiched between two completely dry washers. I put a few dabs of Wilson's Ultima-Lube (Wilson, the custom 1911 pistolsmith) on both sides of the washers and on the post on which the blade pivots. Lo and behold I am now able to deploy the balde with my thumb. It is still stiff. I was told by the seller that the stiffness is by design. The problem si not HOW I tried to deploy the blade; it is assembly and quality control. I dare say no one tried to deploy the blade of this knife before it left the factory.

I own a few folders with thumb studs: a Hinderer, 3 Striders, 2 Emersons, and a Microtech Select Fire. I became adapt with thumbing open a knife as my modest collection increased in number. The Microtech Select Fire is an awkward exception with the strange placement of the thumb stud in relation to the blade and its shape.

Naaaa, the problem with this Epicenter is poor quality control. Rexford should know about this. After all, his name is also on the blade.

 

[Vivaldi]

I'm very interested in the boker epicenter but have heard a lot about issues different people have had with their knives..
just wondering what types of problems these are if anyone knows?

My problem was not being able to thumb open the knife. A cupla knife collecting friends of my also tried but without success. I took the knife apart and found that there was no evidence whatsoever of lubricant having been applied. The blade was simply sandwiched between two completely unlubricated barss washers. I put little dabs of lubricant on both sides of the washers and on the post on which the blade pivots and that did the job. It is still stiff but at least I am able to deploy the blade now.

I find very little that is wrong with the knife once the deployment problem is resolved. It's a lot of knife for the price but you might have to tinker with it.