Zaan opening question

Joined
Apr 29, 2012
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753
Hey all, just picked up a new startac and man is it hard to open! I'm pushing parallel to the knife as the instruction card says, but still need to push extremely hard. When it does open it is very jerky and not smooth at all. I'm being careful to not put pressure on the lock bar and have even tried loosening the pivot a bit. Any advice? It is a new pivot/LBS model. Thanks!
 
Make sure of zero pressure on the lockbar, and follow the groove with your thumb. The detent probably needs to wear in a little, and it'll get a lot smoother with time. Get ready for a sore thumb for the next few days.
 
Takes a while to get the motion down. I find that if I sweep my thumb in a radius around the pivot it opens up a lot easier.
 
I haven't had this problem since new. Maybe pivot is too tight?
Watch out for the lockbar and click...;)
 
just keep opening and closing it. It will break in. Your thumb will also become tougher over time as you this. The combination of these two things will make worlds of difference. Just give it time.
 
I agree, compared to the 25 and large 21, opening the Zaan is a bit of a challenge until you get used to it.

You might want to disassemble and make sure the washers etc. are all seated correctly, especially if it was purchased second-hand
 
I agree, compared to the 25 and large 21, opening the Zaan is a bit of a challenge until you get used to it.

You might want to disassemble and make sure the washers etc. are all seated correctly, especially if it was purchased second-hand

What do you mean by seated correctly? I tore it down and they look the same on both sides. I cleaned everything an out some grease on the washers. It's a little better now, but I'm worried about cutting my finger and the blade kind of bounces open instead of a smooth arc. I'll keep messing with the pivot I guess. I'm tempted to trade it off for a 25
 
You can over tighten the pivot. Back off the pivot until it is snug, do not push parallel, instead push out on the thumb stud and continue with an arcing method to open. It does take some getting use to.
I had to back way off on my Startac pivot before I got it broke in. Be careful about the pivot screw becoming too loose and the blade getting off center.
What rubicon said
 
What do you mean by seated correctly? I tore it down and they look the same on both sides. I cleaned everything an out some grease on the washers. It's a little better now, but I'm worried about cutting my finger and the blade kind of bounces open instead of a smooth arc. I'll keep messing with the pivot I guess. I'm tempted to trade it off for a 25

Sorry, I was thinking about the 21 with bushings. The Zaan is pretty fool-proof to reassemble, so it's probably just lube, break-in, and getting used to it.
 
You can over tighten the pivot. Back off the pivot until it is snug, do not push parallel, instead push out on the thumb stud and continue with an arcing method to open. It does take some getting use to.
I had to back way off on my Startac pivot before I got it broke in. Be careful about the pivot screw becoming too loose and the blade getting off center.
What rubicon said

I've been trying to push almost diagonal off parallel and it's been working pretty good. Trying to give my thumb some rest :)
 
If you use the glass breaker to get the blade past the detent then use the thumb stud to open it the rest of the way does it feel the same ?

A blocky feeling action that happens in stages rather than one smooth movement is nearly always down to lack of or type of lube and/or the pivot being too tight... also user error is an option. :p
 
If you use the glass breaker to get the blade past the detent then use the thumb stud to open it the rest of the way does it feel the same ?

A blocky feeling action that happens in stages rather than one smooth movement is nearly always down to lack of or type of lube and/or the pivot being too tight... also user error is an option. :p

It's way too stiff to use the glass breaker. I tried using it and it wouldn't even budge. Wonder if the detent just has to wear in.
 
It's way too stiff to use the glass breaker. I tried using it and it wouldn't even budge. Wonder if the detent just has to wear in.

I would say the pivot is a bit tight. CRKs tend not to have much breaking in to do, I suppose "settling in" would be a better way to put it.

The pivot has a pretty long thread so the adjustment margin between too much and not enough is small. I would try playing with the pivot to find that sweet spot. You said you had it taken the knife down and greased it up so that should not be the problem. :)
 
My first old model Zaan was very hard to open at first. I must have opened/closed it several hundred times before it started to get smoother.

My advice is give some time o/c, o/c, o/c,...................................................................................................................................................................................
 
I slide my thumb right along the bevel into the stud and it opens much easier. When I first got it it was real hit or miss until I started using the bevel.
 
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