XM-18 Yes there is a sweet spot

Sloop

Sloop

Joined
Sep 27, 2017
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I've had my XM-18 apart, cleaned and lubed, re-assembled and have spent a lot of time trying to find the sweet spot to give me the best flipping action. Found that I was at quite a disadvantage without have the spanner tool, so I ended up buying one from Rick. Not cheap, but a beautifully made precision tool that really helps if you are going to go through this process. It is the spanner side that you need, as a simple penny works well on the slot side.

I found that the sweet spot is "just this side" of the pivot screw having all the play (or slack) removed. So I guess there is still a tiny bit of slack, but I really can't feel it. Sorry. but that is the best I can do to explain it.

Now, while the blade will flip open relatively easy without moving the knife, I like to also flip my wrist outward (at the same time) to get a nice solid snap out of it.

I do have one question from the brain trust. I have read and also experienced myself that the thumb studs will not work with the blade closed. There is simply too much detent to overcome. Is it possible to lessen the detent ever so slightly? If so, how?
 
I can use the thumbstuds on my 18 but not on my 24. You’ll probably find others here that will differ and possibly be opposite of what I have experienced. Hinderer doesn’t adjust detents as I recall if you send them in. Hopefully someone can chime in on how you can do that.
 
I have recently went through this very conundrum! I was so unthrilled with the flipping action of my first hinderer An xm18 3” spanto, i removed the flipper. But the problem was that your very issue of too strong of detent for stud flipping! I sent mine to razor edge company to repair a spot I messed up like a dummy and he said he could improve it by putting in a larger detent ball so it didn’t sink so far into blade hole, which was the problem with mine. That and or lock bar tension being too tight. Hope this helps but i am by no means an expert just my mileage
 
The tools are quite awesome in person. I thought the $ was quite high until I had one in hand.

I've owned xm's with varying degrees of detent strength, and could thumb flick all of them except a wharnie that was pretty strong.

I was having my pivot loosen up on my slicer every few weeks very slightly, so I ended up putting a small amount of blue lock tite and dialed her in. It's been months since and it's centered, solid and flips really nicely.
 
Dallas T said:
I have recently went through this very conundrum! I was so unthrilled with the flipping action of my first hinderer An xm18 3” spanto, i removed the flipper. But the problem was that your very issue of too strong of detent for stud flipping! I sent mine to razor edge company to repair a spot I messed up like a dummy and he said he could improve it by putting in a larger detent ball so it didn’t sink so far into blade hole, which was the problem with mine. That and or lock bar tension being too tight. Hope this helps but i am by no means an expert just my mileage
Click to expand...

Looking at the detent and the hole in the blade (knife fully assembled), I don't see how a larger ball could be put in place? Wouldn't it be quite a chore to drill out the hole on the lockbar?
 
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It seems that the newer the production, the stronger detent they have, thus making the studs more difficult to operate. My latest, a 3" recurve, has great flipping action but difficult to slow open with the studs. Can still be thumb flicked easily, but as soon as the detent is overcome it flies out like a rocket. I should also add it's noticeably the smoothest XM I've owned.
Point being, if the lockbar rests or touches the blade when closed, it means the detent ball is fully seated in its hole, and it will probably be difficult to open it slowly or controlled via the studs. I generally look for milling on the lockbar cutout. That means it's a newer production and will probably have a stronger detent and good flipping action.
 
My 24 works great with stud or flipper. My 18 is harder to thumb with the stud, but still doable (flips great though). For the ones like my 18, what I recommend is to put pressure on the stud with your thumb, then just the slightest touch on the flipper (index finger) and it smoothly and easily thumbs open, which is nice for "discrete" opening.
 
Yeah, the sweet spot is what you described. I think it all comes down to a person's perception of bladeplay. You can tighten down the pivot, and check the lock up...and it is a VAULT..I mean...like...nothing....but guess what? You can't flip it open anymore lol. Turn the pivot back like a tenth of a degree, and now it shoots open..check for blade play.....still solid, and no rock really....but..for some reason doesn't feel as vault like as before...still not really bladeplay though...hard to explain. Idk, that's my experience anyway. I like to keep it dialed in right there.

So..in summary. I really don't think there is much variance in each knife. It's just perception.

Person A: "Does your XM flip good, mine doesn't"

Person B: "Yeah mine flips amazing!

...well...that's probably because person B has there pivot looser...that's all....however person A would not be happy with person B's because although solid, it doesn't lock up like an absolute bank vault.

Idk, that's the way I see it anyway haha..

As for the thumbstuds, yeah the detent on mine is too strong to really use them. She flips nice though. Latest generation signature series harpoon spearpoint btw.
 
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If the practically imperceptible "play" is bothersome, swap out a polished set of PB washers and problem solved in all likelihood, albeit at the expense of the complete corrosion resistance of the stock setup.
 
The detent on mine was really light. Thumb studs worked well. The flipper would only work with a wrist flick. I couldn't get the blade centered.
I disassembled and adjusted the lock bar tension to be a little lighter. This took care of the centering. Then I made the detent hole a little larger to allow the detent ball to seat half way in. This fixed the flipping issue.
The thumb studs still work and it flips without a wrist flick. I used a thin lubricant and it is perfect for me. Although everyone is different and it may not be for someone else.
 
From what I understand, the original design of the xm-18 was not to be an easy flipper per se. It was designed to be used with by firefighters with gloves on so the flipper was used to open the blade slightly so that you could do continue the opening with the thumb studs.

Or at least that was the excuse I was given for the action.
 
Out of the 4 3.5" and 1 3.0" xm-18's I've owned, I've never had an issue when the detent. Though all 5 of them were gen 4's.

I have one that is a 3.5 with a flipper delete and the detent on it is remarkable. Just perfect. Almost as if that's how it was supposed to be, even though it's older. So that might have something to do with it.

With all the other I have no issue using the studs as long as you don't have anything resting on the lock to prevent the ball from coming out of the hole. I've learned to push down on the flipper to get more of a thorough flip than pulling back until the knife is worn in and smooth.

Also on another note, I have never used the spanner tool. Started with a penny cut to shape and once the loctite is broken I just use my finger to get it nice and tight. Haven't ever had an issue with the pivot coming loose though I have with the standoff nuts. Keep playing around with it
 
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