What makes for super smooth and ultra slick?

MTHall720

MTHall720

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Sep 21, 2010
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I know this has been asked before, but I want opinions on what to do to make my folders open super smoothly and do so in a "slick" or smooth deployment?

What are the factors?

1] Pivot adjustment? If so, how do I adjust this?

2] What is a very high quality lubricant which won't attract too much dust, dirt and pocket lint?

3] Mods, or simply or adjustments?

Thanks to all. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts
 
1. Loosen and or tighten the pivot in small increments like 1/16th of a turn till you get the right amount of movement you like in the pivot.

2. tuf-glide, benchmade blue lube, militec are just a few.

3. I sometimes polish the tang of my blade and the washers if there phosphor bronze.
 
Would most pivots use hex or star?
I have tried militec but not blue lube. Is the blue better than most, and with no sticky dirt attracting residue?
 
I was skeptical of blue lube at first but after trying it I knew it was a well designed product. When it comes to oils or lubes most are designed for a specific application. We use motor oil for our cars and gun oil for our guns but I'm guilty myself of not always using a knife lube for my knives. Not to many actual knife lubes though and not something you find at the local hardware, so I don't think were guilty but just not well enough informed.

So about the blue lube... to sum it up, I'd like to try others but it works so well I don't feel the need to. All requirements we knife lovers demand of a lube are fulfilled by this product. Doesn't attract much dirt/dust, works for a long time, and the part I like most is that it make a knife buttery smooooooooooth.

For a knife to be smooth and slick a few things like lock type, pivot tension, quality (not price), and if the knife has been worn in or not all play just as big a part as proper lube. If its a NIB knife I usually (if needed) add a single very small drop of blue lube to each side then work it a few times and its good to go for about 6 months. About once or twice a year I take the knife apart to do a complete cleaning. I usually remove the tarnish and flatten the PB washers with 2k sandpaper but I don't sand any other surfaces. To me the knife should only be moving on the washers, so when putting the knife back together oil is only applied the the side of the washer touching the blade and not the frame/liners. If the washer is moving between the blade and frame/liners it will create more friction or simply feel wrong.

Once you have everything lubed up pivot tension will be next on the list of things to get right. I usually start by tightening the pivot completely then backing off until slight side to side play develops. I then slowly tighten with as small a 1/64in movement until side to side play stops. Sometimes no movement but just the pressure before the screw starts to turn is all that's needed in fine adjustment. I also use red loctite instead of blue for blades without a pivot bushing because the pivot screw is not under tension and "rests" in position.

The above methods are from years of trying to make a knife "just right" and works excellent for me, YMMV.
 
I've used a number of difference lubes on my Delica over the past 3 years of EDC including T9, White Lightning, Militec, Mineral Oil, ProLink, Hoppes and Triflow. Now YMMV but I'm currently using Triflow (couple drips in the pivot, blow out with compressed air and wipe clean with dry rag) it it is providing BY FAR the smoothest action. Haven't noticed it picking up much grit either... Actually its strange, when I was using Militec (heat cycled 3x and wiped off) it seemed to pick up MORE grit. But maybe that was just environmental conditions.

Anyways, while trying to smooth out my new FFG Endura I did the Militec heat cycle on the tang as well as the washers, wiped completely dry and assembled with a touch of Finish Line Xtreme Fluoro grease. Absolutely massive improvement (although something still isn't right). Wouldn't be my choice treatment just because of the work involved, but I'd like to see how slick a pivot on a normally functioning knife would be!
 
depends on the folder.....if its a metal one that be taken down (disassembled) you can "lap" the individual components like the inside of the frames, the washers, and the area where the blade comes into contact with the washers and frame.

I use 1000 grit autobody paper on a TRUE flat surface (lapping plate glass). A drop of water or three and lap the components to "true" flat and a high polish. Work thru the grits to 2000 grit, then switch to micron lapping grits up to 20,000 .

Reassemble, lube and it will be SILKY smooth and fast to open.
 
Buck268 said:
I've used a number of difference lubes on my Delica over the past 3 years of EDC including T9, White Lightning, Militec, Mineral Oil, ProLink, Hoppes and Triflow. Now YMMV but I'm currently using Triflow (couple drips in the pivot, blow out with compressed air and wipe clean with dry rag) it it is providing BY FAR the smoothest action. Haven't noticed it picking up much grit either... Actually its strange, when I was using Militec (heat cycled 3x and wiped off) it seemed to pick up MORE grit. But maybe that was just environmental conditions.

Anyways, while trying to smooth out my new FFG Endura I did the Militec heat cycle on the tang as well as the washers, wiped completely dry and assembled with a touch of Finish Line Xtreme Fluoro grease. Absolutely massive improvement (although something still isn't right). Wouldn't be my choice treatment just because of the work involved, but I'd like to see how slick a pivot on a normally functioning knife would be!
Click to expand...

Where do you buy your Finish Line Xtreme Flouro grease?
 
Yup, bike shops. Or google/amazon. Its not cheap, though. But really a fantastic grease if you can swing it (I've also used it with amazing results on higher end MTB hubs as well as flashlight threads and seals).
 
I think the lock type plays a big part in how smoothly you can deploy your folder. And with that in mind, I think an Axis lock is the smoothest. As for lubes, I've gone through all the knife-specific ones, lubes made for guns, locks, and cars. Right now, I prefer ordinary grease. When used properly, it stays clean enough and is faster than anything else.

On my Benchmade 710, after completely cleaning and degreasing the pivot, washers, and all bearing surfaces, I wipe everything down with ordinary urea based grease VERY sparingly, (imagine the size of the letter "o" in this post. Cut that in half for the amount of grease used) then reassemble, adjusting the pivot screw (that has a drop of Loctite on it) so that I get the tension I want; no blade wobble, but when I pull back on the lock the blade can fall free on its own. The blade comes out as fast and as smooth as any auto I've ever seen.


Stitchawl
 
Bushman5 said:
depends on the folder.....if its a metal one that be taken down (disassembled) you can "lap" the individual components like the inside of the frames, the washers, and the area where the blade comes into contact with the washers and frame.

I use 1000 grit autobody paper on a TRUE flat surface (lapping plate glass). A drop of water or three and lap the components to "true" flat and a high polish. Work thru the grits to 2000 grit, then switch to micron lapping grits up to 20,000 .

Reassemble, lube and it will be SILKY smooth and fast to open.
Click to expand...

Would hand sanding work ok? I don't have anything to power sand.
 
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