Who else here hates pivot bearings?

Would you rather have pivot bearings or PB washers?

  • Pivot Bearings

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Phosphor Bronze Washers

    Votes: 3 100.0%
  • Total voters
    3
Can I vote neither?

Bearing pivots are fun. They make knives smooth and flippers snappy and it's fun to sit on the couch and flip my bearing pivot knives and that's a good thing.

Do they make knives better? No. I've never tried to open a knife and thought, "Damn! If only this pivot had bearings I could have done this job better!"

Bottom line, they're there to make knives feel nice, not to make them function better. I like them on my fidgety knives, I'd rather not pay the increased price on my workhorses.
 
JR88FAN said:
I don't "hate" bearing pivots, but I prefer PB washers.

I don't really feel that bearings offer much of an advantage of any kind.
I have had knives that ran on bearings that where really smooth and opened "fast" and I have had knives on PB washers that where just as good.

At the end of the day, the less parts the better. And that's why PB gets my vote....
Click to expand...

KISS is a valid concept, but I don't know if I've ever seen much evidence behind sticking to it with folding knives. Honestly, once you've introduced the aspect of the blade folding into the handle, other small mechanisms are pretty inconsequential as far as additional potential failure risks. Never seen a steel lockbar insert pop out, never heard of a bearing pivot failing in operation, etc
 
jill jackson said:
Do any knives have bearings that aren't flippers? I can't think of any, I like my bearing flippers but don't care if the rest have washers. I also think Hinderers flip great with plastic washers. So, it's a toss up for me.
Click to expand...

Benchmade 761 is on bearings and it has just one thumbstud.
It also opens with a lightning fast authority that pb washers can't touch in my experience.
Necessary? Maybe not. Sure is fun though.
 
I love bearings. I have never had any of the problems you have had. Different strokes for different folks.

jill jackson said:
Do any knives have bearings that aren't flippers? I can't think of any, I like my bearing flippers but don't care if the rest have washers. I also think Hinderers flip great with plastic washers. So, it's a toss up for me.
Click to expand...

A few I know of are Bastinelli Creations RED & BBR2, Benchmade 761, Liontsteel TRE (removable flipper), Lionsteel TM1. Quite a few customs as well.
 
Last edited:
David Lowry said:
Gummed up may have been a bad word. I just mean they get grit and dirt and lint and stuff in there. It happens because there is always a gap where the bearings run. There is no gap between washers and a blade.

I don't have any pics. Maybe someone else has pics.
Click to expand...

Understandable sir. I was cranky at work :D.
 
You need another pole option. For " no preference".
I will say my sebbie's and many axis lock models with pb washers gummed up more than my bearings.
I do use crk grease on my ti-lock and a friends 0561 every few months. No issues there. I do a lube job every two months and it does not even need it then I will say too much of any lube can be bad for bearing washers. Maybe try running them dry.
 
BellaBlades said:
You need another pole option. For " no preference".
I will say my sebbie's and many axis lock models with pb washers gummed up more than my bearings.
I do use crk grease on my ti-lock and a friends 0561 every few months. No issues there. I do a lube job every two months and it does not even need it then I will say too much of any lube can be bad for bearing washers. Maybe try running them dry.
Click to expand...

Perhaps you'd be interested in signing my petition to help reform over-lubers? I'm the founding member of the Run 'Em Dry society. ;)
 
Insipid Moniker said:
Perhaps you'd be interested in signing my petition to help reform over-lubers? I'm the founding member of the Run 'Em Dry society. ;)
Click to expand...

I'm a new member to that club. I cringe with every new super lube start up claiming to be the best lube every. These days I actually remove the stuff instead of add it.
 
Agree. My ancient Mitchell 300 and 302 spinning reels have just one bearing, and a few bushings. They've already lasted longer (50 years and counting) and caught more fish than any 12 plus bearing spinning reel made today.

Bearings in knives and reels are way over rated.
 
PURPLEDC said:
I'm a new member to that club. I cringe with every new super lube start up claiming to be the best lube every. These days I actually remove the stuff instead of add it.
Click to expand...

Amen, brother! It took me awhile to come around, but once I did I noticed little to no difference in the action of my knives and that they actually stayed cleaner.
 
BluegrassBrian said:
Benchmade 761 is on bearings and it has just one thumbstud.
It also opens with a lightning fast authority that pb washers can't touch in my experience.
Necessary? Maybe not. Sure is fun though.
Click to expand...

Plastic does really well, I love my bearing flippers but this XM-24 is snappy.

[video=youtube;1FqxxE5aVlY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FqxxE5aVlY[/video]
 
I should say I don't hate bearing pivots either....I just prefer PB washers.

I own a ZT 0450 and it's one of the best knives I've ever owned. Love it. I'd love it just as much (I think) if it were on washers. :)

BellaBlades said:
You need another pole option. For " no preference".
I will say my sebbie's and many axis lock models with pb washers gummed up more than my bearings.
I do use crk grease on my ti-lock and a friends 0561 every few months. No issues there. I do a lube job every two months and it does not even need it then I will say too much of any lube can be bad for bearing washers. Maybe try running them dry.
Click to expand...

You're right. I should have added that. Doesn't look like I can edit the poll though.

kniferbro said:
Understandable sir. I was cranky at work :D.
Click to expand...

We all get that way. All good bruh. :)
 
From an engineering standpoint, the bearing cage setup makes the least sense (for a folding knife, anyway), as it provides the least amount of contact between the blade and the handles/liner.
For strength when open, the goal should be to have the MOST contact, in order to emulate a fixed blade as much as possible.

The best setup for strength would be direct contact between the blade and liner. If you want to trade off strength for ease/speed of opening, add extra materials at the pivot point.
There's always a tradeoff as soon as you move from the most simple structure to a more complicated one.
 
I've had knives with bearings and washers get equally as dirty, essentially effecting the open/close action.

The only advantage I see with bearings is on the manufacturers end. Bearings have less surface area than washers, making it easier to make the mating surfaces "true". I also read somewhere (can't remember where) that bearings are made at more precise tolerances than washers, which eliminates the need to hone washers in order to center the blade.
 
It depends on the knife. Features should be chosen based off a design philosophy not just for marketing! I love PB washers in my Seb and i love bearings in my 452cf it just depends on the design.
 
Ever drop a bearing on the floor and try to find it? Believe me it will change your mind about bearing knives. They are slippery little devils though.
 
Maybe slightly irrelevant, but the 0770cf would have benefitted greatly from bearings IMO. Assisted! What were they thinking? Mine flips like crapballs on the washers deassisted.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top