Wobble question

akadave2

akadave2

Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
7,923
So is any side to side movement acceptable with a slipjoint. The Wharncliffe on my 2012 BF knife has just a touch of side to side but is not what I would call loose. I have a couple other knives that have a little as well.

thanks
 
I sent my cattle knife back to GEC for side to side play and it came back perfect in less than 3 weeks.
 
Just my own opinion - Since there must be clearance in the knife so that you can open and close it, there is always some play whether you notice it or not. Also whether you notice it or not is dependant on how much of it there is. If it is really sloppy, it needs to be addressed. If it is not bothering you when you are using the knife, then you need not do anything. However, since you are bringing it up here, I feel that it is bothering you. So I think you should contact GEC about your knife.

I have a few knives with some wobble; one which, while brand new has excessive wobble and will be going back to Case for repair or replacment. It is a new knife. Never carried or used and it has as much wobble in the sheepsfoot as a knife that has been used every day for 30 years. Actually it might even be worse than that. So it has clearance to the point of defect and I will be requiring Case to remedy the situation.

We knife knuts can be really particular and nit picky; some defects that we get uptight about really have nothing at all to do with the usability and functionality of the knife as a tool. Our perception becomes our reality; we want, expect, and demand that our knife tools be well made. As we ought. Bringing issues to the doorstep of the makers can be as important to them as to us. After all, even the common person wants a well made tool.

In this case, the BF knife being what cannot be termed as an inexpensive, entry level piece, should have top notch construction and workmanship. If the wobble is bothering you, send it back in for adjustment; there is no reason to live with it.

Ed J
 
I never worry about a little wobble. Like I've said before, I think a bit of wobble from a little extra clearance is a good thing. Lets a drop of oil run in where it's needed, lets dirt run out with the extra oil on occasion, and less friction. I'd rather it be a little loose than too tight. I've got a few very old knives, maybe 40 years old or more, and they have a good amount of wobble. They cut just fine.

Carl.
 
I have a #54 Big Jack with a bit of play that's only noticeable from time to time. Not sending it back, it's a good user.
 
I've got mixed feelings on this subject. Although most slip joints will develop some wobble over time (it's the nature of the beast), I don't like to see it in a new knife.
My reasoning is; if it wobbles when it's new, it's likely to wobble more quicker.
I also am one of those that feels any folder should be sharp with no wobble, when it comes out of the box.
If it's a new knife and you won't miss it too much, let the manufacturer tighten it up.
 
Peregrin said:
I've got mixed feelings on this subject. Although most slip joints will develop some wobble over time (it's the nature of the beast), I don't like to see it in a new knife.
My reasoning is; if it wobbles when it's new, it's likely to wobble more quicker.
I also am one of those that feels any folder should be sharp with no wobble, when it comes out of the box.
If it's a new knife and you won't miss it too much, let the manufacturer tighten it up.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think I agree with this, and for the same reasons.
 
IMO, it's something I more or less expect from any knife with a peened joint. Eventually, anyway.

I've learned that I'm harder on knives than some others are. It's one reason why I've gravitated to Opinels I think. They just don't develop play.

Wobble can generally be easily fixed. If you're the DIY type, a common way is to press carefully in a padded vice. Careful. Easy to go too far. When in doubt, send to manufacturt
 
Depends on the price, I suppose. I'm not surprised or disappointed if a $5 Pakistan import has a loose blade. But when the price is $50, $100, or more it becomes harder to tolerate.
 
The only wobble that bugs me at all, is when it's enough to notice the blade 'shift' (with a distinct 'thunk') when I lay it on the strop. If it's moving enough for me to feel it there, I view it somewhat negatively. Having said that, it's still usually not enough to make me worry about the useability or functionality of the knife overall. Even on those knives, there still seems to be a finite limit to how much the blade moves, and it doesn't seem to get progressively worse.


David
 
Last edited:
Peregrin said:
I've got mixed feelings on this subject. Although most slip joints will develop some wobble over time (it's the nature of the beast), I don't like to see it in a new knife.
My reasoning is; if it wobbles when it's new, it's likely to wobble more quicker.
I also am one of those that feels any folder should be sharp with no wobble, when it comes out of the box.
If it's a new knife and you won't miss it too much, let the manufacturer tighten it up.
Click to expand...

Perfect. Couldn't have said it better.

If I was able to buy knives for 40 years that didn't, I should be able to buy them now. I don't buy junk, so I think the fit is part of what I pay for when purchasing. If the knife blade will wobble, it should earn that right through years of work, not poor workmanship.

Robert
 
I tend to fix them my self if they get a bit loose.

I have not had to do that with any of my GEC yet.

I have a vice that I pad with leather, with an anvil on it. Little squeeze, little tappy tap with my hammer, and a quick sand and polish on my strop. Good as new!
 
Bigfattyt said:
I tend to fix them my self if they get a bit loose.

I have not had to do that with any of my GEC yet.

I have a vice that I pad with leather, with an anvil on it. Little squeeze, little tappy tap with my hammer, and a quick sand and polish on my strop. Good as new!
Click to expand...

You sand to remove any tool marks and/or to make the end of the bolster "disappear" again, yes?

What do you sand with?

~ P.
 
Any chance of keeping this thread on blade wobble, looseness, etc. instead of sanding and what to sand with and why? Plenty of that info in the Maintenance forum.

Unless any looseness or wobble is noticeable when opening a blade, I don't worry about it. It's hard to tell how much wobble bothers someone else unless measurements are given and in most cases the amount of wobble is far too little for most of us to describe as we don't have the proper equipment to measure it.

I agree with TLARbb when he says:

Since there must be clearance in the knife so that you can open and close it, there is always some play whether you notice it or not.
Click to expand...

If you've got a knife that bothers you, send it to the maker or give it a squeeze.
 
Somehow, when a knife is new it should not exhibit play, but most do due to the nature of backsprung knives.
What interests me is why some don't from new and stay that way, whereas many move a lot! Is it simply the tolerances? (of construction I mean not ours....)
If they don't wobble it's an added plus point to the knife.

I wonder if wobble over time begins to compromise the snap on a knife? I have a feeling it does.

Thanks, W
 
With the Wharncliffe blade in my BF knife its more a feel than a visual. It doesnt appear to move just feels like it...hard to describe. Doesnt really bother me much just asking for future eval of new knives.
 
Of my 15 GECs, none have ANY wobble and all get used, so i think a brand new GEC with wobble should be sent straight back to them. And i guarantee they will take care or you.
 
akadave2 said:
With the Wharncliffe blade in my BF knife its more a feel than a visual. It doesnt appear to move just feels like it...hard to describe. Doesnt really bother me much just asking for future eval of new knives.
Click to expand...

You are going to think this is silly - possibly stupid BUT remember the old trick of holding a long, lead, pencil between your thumb and forefinger and then moving your had up and down? It gives the appearance that the pencil is bending but in reality, it isn't.

I think that happens sometimes when we (me included) hold a knife by the frame and then hold a/the blade between our thumb and forefinger. The flex/padding of our thumb and forefinger gives the appearance sometimes of back and forth blade movement.

I've noticed this when testing a few of my knives in the past - no movement but just the illusion of movement.
 
I can agree what Ed is talking about. I´ve had this almost with everyone of my knife. But there´s mostly no wobble.

I made the experience is, that when you feel the wobble at the pivot (you know what I mean?) then there is some wobble at the blade. It should be feelable, when it happens.

However - on a new knife wobble is usually a deal-breaker for me. I don´t like that in any way. It makes the knife feel not well made, that´s all. Maybe I´m a little picky, but when I spend my hard earned money on a knife, I´d like to have a knife without wobbling. Poor F&F is not that bad.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top