XM18 gen4 flipper thumb stud "problem"

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

Gus Liu

Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
9
Hello guys,

I know the title of this thread might look a bit odd, but please be patient.
I just got my XM18 gen4 3.5 flipper today, love the strong detent due to had accident of blade opened itself when carry tip-up in pocket, the gen4 i got obviously has a bigger& deeper drilled hole on the blade. But after playing it a while, I realized the detent is just too strong that I can't open it with thumb stud! I know I still have the flipper, but the reason I choose the flipper version is because of the look of it, and I can deploy the blade in two ways.

Does anyone have the same "problem"?
Any way to fix that? (a bigger ball bearing? put a buffer in the detent hole? flick it 1,000 times?)
All opinions and suggestions are welcome.

Thanks
Best Regards
Gus Liu
 
It should smooth out after a while, I have 2 Gen.4's a flipper and non flipper, both open very easy.

Also make sure you push upwards on the thumbstud.
 
Could be a problem but I doubt it. First of all the trick to deploying with the thumb stud is to not excert any pressure on the lockbar. If any fingers are on the lockbar then you are essentially pushing the ball into the detent hole. Open it it that way a bunch of times and it becomes second nature. Second thing is to just work the knife open with the flipper a whole bunch to break it in. If all else fails (and I doubt it will) you can take the knife apart and bend the lockbar out slightly.

Step 1 and 2 are easy and if you don't want to mess with the lockbar just email Rob and he'll help you out. EMBRACE THE DETENT. XM's fire open like a dream with the stronger detent.
 
Congrats on your new knife. Pics are always nice. :thumbup:
Fret not, every Hinderer I have ever gotten NIB was in need of "playtime" Flick it, use it, have fun with it.
Wait a couple weeks and see where you're at. Manufacturing stresses and tightness work out.
Enjoy.
 
Lots of good advice here already.
It will all work out. Knife will break in and your ability to use it will grow. These two things will prove to combine in bliss.
Now, that flipper is cool to look at, but a lot more fun to use. Enjoy your new XM.

Rubi, you look good in RED, Brother.
 
Thanks for reply guys! I'll break it in, and be honest with you guys, I just couldn't let it out of my hand now.

Best Regards
Gus Liu
 
My Gen. 4 XM-18 was easy to flick out with the flipper and thumb studs right from the box. The detent on mine isn't great either though. Easy deployment is important to me, so regardless of the detent I losen my pivot just to the point where the blade won't budge no matter how hard you try to wiggle it, and it opens like a dream with either deployment method. You may want to try that and switch the clip to tip down, that way you won't have to worry about the detent as much while being in your pocket and it'll flcik open smooth as hell both ways.
 
strider214 said:
Gus Liu - I'm too curious to just walk away. Did removing your fingers from the lock bar solve it?
Click to expand...
yes, I did try keep my fingers away from the lock bar, but it's still super tight when using thumb stud. will give it some time to break in, but I think some adjustment need to be done.
Thanks guys for the replies.
 
Gus Liu said:
yes, I did try keep my fingers away from the lock bar, but it's still super tight when using thumb stud. will give it some time to break in, but I think some adjustment need to be done.
Thanks guys for the replies.
Click to expand...

I am curious, open the knife, relieve the pressure of the lock/detent completely from the blade and hold the handle with one hand and take your other hand and move the blade, how much resistance do you feel from just the pivot?
 
RDA said:
I am curious, open the knife, relieve the pressure of the lock/detent completely from the blade and hold the handle with one hand and take your other hand and move the blade, how much resistance do you feel from just the pivot?
Click to expand...

The pivot tension is actually fine, blade can move easily.
 
Here comes the picture guys!

photo2epw.jpg

as you can see the hole is a bit rough, wonder if that's the damage when taking the burr off?

photo3ub.jpg

the hole is definetly bigger than the gen4 non flipper, and that makes the detent ball almost fully submerge into the detent hole, so when deploying, the detent hole must travel through a very steep angle(the side of ball bearing) to disengage.

Is there a specialty to this kind stuff? since I don't really want to send this knife back and wait, am thinking is there any proper and easy methods to "fix" it, or I should say "refine" it.
There are few things I want to try:
1. insert plastic film in to the detent hole (to decrease the depth) clever&stupid
2. chamfering the detent hole(smooth out the rough edge, create a "slope" for ball to travel) *warranty issue
3. replace a bigger ball bearing(need to enlarge the hole on lockbar) *warranty issue

any suggestions?
 
Gus-
Send an email to Rob Orlando ( click on his name for email option) and discuss your concerns directly with him. In the meantime refrain from "self-help" solutions until you have discussed it with Rob. Thanks.
Rubi
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top