ZT 0551 with up & down blade play?

D

Derty

Joined
Dec 15, 2010
Messages
104
Ive had my ZT 0551 for a few weeks now and I love this knife. Its by far my favorite folder I own and I have a alot of nice folders. When I first got it it was real solid no play at all. Now that Ive opened and closed a few thousand times I noticed that on the thumb studs theres alittle rub where it hits the knife to stop. Also I have a small amount of up and down play in the blade I'm guessing from the wear to the studs. Is this a normal issue? Would Kershaw fix this issue? I'm the kind of guy that this sort of thing bothers me to no end.
 
Derty said:
Ive had my ZT 0551 for a few weeks now and I love this knife. Its by far my favorite folder I own and I have a alot of nice folders. When I first got it it was real solid no play at all. Now that Ive opened and closed a few thousand times I noticed that on the thumb studs theres alittle rub where it hits the knife to stop. Also I have a small amount of up and down play in the blade I'm guessing from the wear to the studs. Is this a normal issue? Would Kershaw fix this issue? I'm the kind of guy that this sort of thing bothers me to no end.
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The stud wear is no big deal and will happen to new studs as well.
On frame-locks I've had which developed the play you're speaking of, I just took them apart and bent the lock-bar a bit further in the locking direction.
Problem solved!

Pretty sure that Kershaw would fix the issue for you as well.
 
CrimsonTideShooter said:
Bending the lockbar will fix this for sure?
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As long as there's room for further wear across the tang, yes.:)
I have an SmF which needed that done for the exact same issue. After the further bend, it was rock-solid lock-up, and has remained that way.:thumbup:
 
I see what your saying its a lock bar issue and not the studs. When I press the lockbar in slightly it tightens it right up.
 
How did you guys with blade play wear through such a thick lockbar so fast?
 
Mine's the same. Gotta wait for the lock to settle. I had a similar issue with my 302 when I first got it and now it has a solid lockup.
 
CrimsonTideShooter said:
I had blade play on both right out of the box, and my lockup is really early at somewhere around 15%. The lockbar barely engages the tang on both knives.
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Hmmm that's interesting. I thought that blade play up and down was usually due to the lockbar wearing through the tang.
 
There seems to be much inconsistency with this knife. I can only assume by looking at the F&F KAI doesn't really care much about it as long as it sells...it's OK.

Similar to how many car manufacturers were back in the day. Sell it NOW...fix it later attitude.

I think it could just be a matter of doing a final fine tuning on the blades before sending it out that they skip on. Something their machining process leaves behind. Sanding them a little bit here, making an adjustment there is really all it would take to deliver a product you can say is worth every penny of that $200 you spent on the blade and then some.

I hate to say it must be a lack of training or poor management within the company?

BTW, I had two 0551 and sold both of them. Mostly for a small profit and partly cause I didn't want to keep a blade in my collection that cost $200 and I didn't think it was really worth that much.

I know an American Company can do better than this...

-Josh
 
you guys are lucky to even have a 0551. I've been looking all over for one without much luck. my backorders will probably go unfilled.
 
40Degrees said:
There seems to be much inconsistency with this knife. I can only assume by looking at the F&F KAI doesn't really care much about it as long as it sells...it's OK.

Similar to how many car manufacturers were back in the day. Sell it NOW...fix it later attitude.

I think it could just be a matter of doing a final fine tuning on the blades before sending it out that they skip on. Something their machining process leaves behind. Sanding them a little bit here, making an adjustment there is really all it would take to deliver a product you can say is worth every penny of that $200 you spent on the blade and then some.

I hate to say it must be a lack of training or poor management within the company?

BTW, I had two 0551 and sold both of them. Mostly for a small profit and partly cause I didn't want to keep a blade in my collection that cost $200 and I didn't think it was really worth that much.

I know an American Company can do better than this...

-Josh
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Why do you say that? Kershaw's QC has been pretty good in my experience. You'll see threads about problems for any knife company. And that doesn't mean their manufacturing is bad, because people who get good knives don't post "My knife came with no problems." I don't think the 0551 has gotten an inordinate amount of complaints, just a few that I can remember.
 
Glad im in a pass around for this one. Kershaw does tend to put a weak bend in the 0300 series. Which I did fix.
Hopefully I will see different results. Thnks for the heads up
Matt
 
Tsujigiri said:
Why do you say that? Kershaw's QC has been pretty good in my experience. You'll see threads about problems for any knife company. And that doesn't mean their manufacturing is bad, because people who get good knives don't post "My knife came with no problems." I don't think the 0551 has gotten an inordinate amount of complaints, just a few that I can remember.
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I'm referring to the overall fit and finish the machining leaves behind. It could be improved upon.
Laziness? Just don't care? It's one of the 2. Maybe being a craftsman myself I just expect more quality than they are capable of delivering?
I don't think an xtra 5 minutes per blade tops doing a final once over with some sanders to clean up some of the flaws the machining process leaves behind is asking for too much.
 
What are these issues that you have been having. Specific Q/C issues.. just wondering,

40Degrees said:
I'm referring to the overall fit and finish the machining leaves behind. It could be improved upon.
Laziness? Just don't care? It's one of the 2. Maybe being a craftsman myself I just expect more quality than they are capable of delivering?
I don't think an xtra 5-10 per blade doing a final once over with some sanders to clean up some of the flaws the machining process leaves behind is asking too much.
Click to expand...
 
40Degrees said:
I'm referring to the overall fit and finish the machining leaves behind. It could be improved upon.
Laziness? Just don't care? It's one of the 2. Maybe being a craftsman myself I just expect more quality than they are capable of delivering?
I don't think an xtra 5 minutes per blade tops doing a final once over with some sanders to clean up some of the flaws the machining process leaves behind is asking for too much.
Click to expand...

I suppose the finish is a bit rough, but I think that's more the style of the knife. The fit is excellent, and the parts that matter more that I see other companies slip up on (like blade grind) are perfect. Depends on whether you want a gentleman's folder or a heavy duty blade, I think...
 
Tsujigiri said:
I suppose the finish is a bit rough, but I think that's more the style of the knife. The fit is excellent, and the parts that matter more that I see other companies slip up on (like blade grind) are perfect. Depends on whether you want a gentleman's folder or a heavy duty blade, I think...
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I'm really picky and not into "gentelman's" folders. Grind was off on one where the main grind meets the swedge from one side to the other. not on the vertical distance from the spine, but the horizontal from the tip.
Like I said, maybe I'm just too picky and notice stuff like that?

I still think it's a good blade and would make a great edc. It's just not for me.
 
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