Southard Pivot Bearing Rust w/ Pics

[veeteetee]

From the engineering point of view, a knife bearing is no different from any other bearing i.e. it REQUIRES lubrication for smooth operation and waterproof grease just the ticket. Non-lubricated folder is like running a car engine w/o oil, it will fail.

[xinam]

Surf, Disassembling the knife isn't necessary with the white lithium just use the straw and give it a tiny shot, it sprays thin then sort of expands. If you are game for taking it apart I would use a heavier red lithium( as Spyberg suggested) and just work it in with clean fingers, wipe off excess and put er back together. Also Rem oil with teflon works nice and I find that its not too messy and doesn't smell unpleasant... just doesn't last that long.

If I were to be using a knife like the southard in a salt environment I would def go with the heavier lithium or even moly grease for the best consistent coverage and protection.

[MattM68]

I always run my knives dry, but I figured I should lubricate my Domino, since it's on bearings as well. I sprayed a little white lithium grease in the pivot, and it made a huge difference. At first, it slowed the action quite a bit, and felt gritty. So I played with it for a few minutes, put it in my pocket, went to the store, came back and it was smoother than ever before. :D

So how often do I have to use this on my knife?

Matt

[xinam]

^ when its not sooth anymore :)

[xinam]

pow! pow! double tap

[Surfingringo]

I'm curious as well Matt. Sounds like the white lithium grease is fairly user friendly. For those of you who use it (on a knife you carry most days for example) how often do you find you need to reapply? Ballpark. Once a week? Once a month?...Once a year?

[MattM68]

I'm curious as well Matt. Sounds like the white lithium grease is fairly user friendly. For those of you who use it (on a knife you carry most days for example) how often do you find you need to reapply? Ballpark. Once a week? Once a month?...Once a year?

Exactly! And my Domino is still smooth without the white lithium grease, so how will I know when to reapply? I guess I'll figure it out eventually! By the way, what knife did you buy with bearings?

Matt

[Surfingringo]

I'm curious as well Matt. Sounds like the white lithium grease is fairly user friendly. For those of you who use it (on a knife you carry most days for example) how often do you find you need to reapply? Ballpark. Once a week? Once a month?...Once a year?

Exactly! And my Domino is still smooth without the white lithium grease, so how will I know when to reapply? I guess I'll figure it out eventually! By the way, what knife did you buy with bearings?

Matt

It is a custom flipper that Gayle Bradley is making for me. He let me handle one at the Blade show and I had to have one! Awesome knife!

[xinam]

A can will last the life of the knife:) I normally lube them and use em, when it looses smoothness it gets a bath and another shot. Its hard to estimate with the many variables, I'd guess pocket carry edc, prob about week.

Be interested to see a shot of the custom when you get it !

[PayneTrain]

I thought white lithium was a thick paste that came in a tub. I swear that's what I have in my large supply of auto-related chemicals.

The reason I'm hesitant to use greases and most oils is I'm always cutting food with my knives and I don't want any of that stuff creeping out onto the blade. I'm sure if I use something heavy and use it sparingly it probably won't but still I worry. I used to use mineral oil, but it dries rather quickly and it's actually doing nothing for my Southard right now. It's pretty well soaked in there, detent ball included, and it's still not working like it should. I haven't yet given it a thorough bath like you suggested victor, so we'll see.

[spyderg]

I'm curious as well Matt. Sounds like the white lithium grease is fairly user friendly. For those of you who use it (on a knife you carry most days for example) how often do you find you need to reapply? Ballpark. Once a week? Once a month?...Once a year?

On my SSF I would have to reapply every 20 flips or so, so 5 min? I've found that it's not for me on my knives. It's also kind of messy when it sprays. It's great for things like my garage door though.

[victorf]

CRK use relabled Christo Lube and with great success. Fairly expensive, depending on where you get it, price range from $7 - $15 for a meager .5g.

It came with my Insingo, then, try them on my collection, ranging from Spydercos to Rocksteads. Compared to my "other" common lubes, Breakfree CLP to Nano 80 Wt. None can compare to Christo Lube (CRK private labled). Unlike oil type lube, one application is all needed on my knives. Google Christo Lube for its many uses.

This is what came with my Insingo, meager .5g, comparing to the life time supply of 2 oz.:



This is where I got mine, price went up, I paid $21.81:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JA ... UTF8&psc=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[awa54]

We do have CLR. Not sure what's in it though, so I'm hesitant to put it in my knife in case it reacts with something, ruins the finish, dissolves the nylon(?) bearing cage, or who knows. I've never used it and really don't know anything about it.

CLR contains acids, hence the great performance removing calcium and lime (bases).

I'd be hesitant to use it on any steel parts that you don't want to etch...

[awa54]

If you want to lube the bearings with something that will attract *less* grit and gunk, you may want to try moly paste. Molybdenum disulfide is a terrific metal to metal lube and usually the paste form has less of a grease component than other thick bodied lubes, it also works great on non-bb blade pivots, just be sure to keep it off any threads you want to stay tight!

[eqlzr]

How well does that Christo Lube stuff in the syringe flow? In other words, can you squirt some into the pivot area of a knife and expect it to flow in a ways to do its work, or do you really need to disassemble the knife to get it exactly where you want?

[xinam]

A heavier grease could be applied in the pivot area without disassembly by adding a small amount on the top side and using a hair drier or other heat source to help it flow downward. Add working the action to the mix and you should be good.

[victorf]

How well does that Christo Lube stuff in the syringe flow? In other words, can you squirt some into the pivot area of a knife and expect it to flow in a ways to do its work, or do you really need to disassemble the knife to get it exactly where you want?

I don't use original syringe what Christo Lube came with. It certainly is convenient for large application or for transferring into smaller applicator.

For less mess and pinpoint application, I transferred into this plastic tipped medical syringe:



In the case of application without complete disassemble, the above syringe can be placed next to the pivot interface internal, multiple small pin drop can be precisely laid down. Follow with computer type dry "canned" compress air, gently "force" grease into crevice, then, open/close pivot several times - repeat until no visible grease remains. Very clean and effective.

[eqlzr]

Thanks for the further details about precise application of the Christo Lube

[SpeedHoles]

Anyone else here use Tri-Flow?
Popular in cycling applications.
And I know a lot of people, myself included, with heim steering on their vehicles use it with great success, and that is a very exposed interface with no seal where you don't want to attract grit with grease.


I seldom use only a few of my folding knives for food prep...

[Evil D]

I used TriFlow for many years and really liked it. I've used it for decades on my bikes so I'm pretty familiar with it's performance. I've also used various types of White Lightning with great success. Still, I would take the Phil Wood grease over any of them.