Breaking in new knife

[redhawk44357]

I got my Delica Wave two days early. It came lightly oiled so first thing I did was flip the clip for a left hand pocket. I noticed a slight drag on the blade when it first starts to open. I loosened the pivot a little and started working the blade back and forth. Did any of you have this problem and what did you do?

[mattman]

Generally, first step here is to see what your experience is... Is this your first Spydie backlock? (The springs make them feel much different than other locks.)

If not, you *may* have some residual grit from production that has emerged from it's hidey-hole, and needs flushing.

Dish soap, and hot, full pressure rinse, whilst working the (preferably loosened) pivot under the stream will work 95% of the time, followed by a full dry (preferably pressurized air, WD40 blast to displace any remaining water, wipe WD40 remnants away, and finally applying your lube of choice sparingly.

(Edited for sprelling)

[redhawk44357]

Although this is not my first ever spyderco it is the first I was able to #work# on. All others are much older models. Thanks Matt man for you suggestions.

[mattman]

Actually, I should rephrase... Is this your first modern backlock, with one-hand opening?

The spring pressure on the tang makes these feel significantly different than other locks, *especially* with the Spydie hole...

Either way, it shouldn't feel gritty, but sometimes your fingers can pick up the "unbroken-in, fresh from manufacture" grind lines on the steel, and interpret that as grittiness... (Especially new knives with detent balls)

[Evil D]

There will always be a decent amount of resistance with this lock but it should operate smoothly. The best thing you can do is just use it.

[Sharp Guy]

I like to add a drop of oil to the blade tang (where the lock bar rides).

[gmhauy]

(Edited for sprelling)

That's funny.


(Sorry, don't mean to make fun of you :) )

Gerard

[mattman]

(Edited for sprelling)

That's funny.


(Sorry, don't mean to make fun of you :) )

Gerard

No worries! It's on purpose... I've seen sal do this type of thing in edit notes many times, obviously on purpose, so it a hat-tip to that, because I enjoy them as "Easter eggs", too.

[FWR132]

Generally, first step here is to see what your experience is... Is this your first Spydie backlock? (The springs make them feel much different than other locks.)

If not, you *may* have some residual grit from production that has emerged from it's hidey-hole, and needs flushing.

Dish soap, and hot, full pressure rinse, whilst working the (preferably loosened) pivot under the stream will work 95% of the time, followed by a full dry (preferably pressurized air, WD40 blast to displace any remaining water, wipe WD40 remnants away, and finally applying your lube of choice sparingly.

(Edited for sprelling)

Thanks for the good advice. I will be cleaning my knives in the way you've described!

How is 3 in 1 Oil for lubricant? I've also seen videos on YouTube saying that 5w30 (or any lightweight synthetic engine oil) is great for knife pivot lubrication.

I have no way of getting Tuff Glide, Nano Oil, etc where I live, unless I want to pay 20usd shipping for a small bottle and waiting 6 weeks for it to arrive...

[mattman]

Any decent light oil will work fine. WD40 is NOT a good lubricant, especially long term, regardless of their marketing hype.

You will see many discussions here about the "best" lube, but you gotta remember, we are *enthusiasts* ... we must discuss all aspects, all the time, but in reality, any decent oil will work. Mineral oil is cheap, if you require something food-safe.

I personally prefer nano-oil, fluorine grease, and moly powder, depending on the knife.

[Bloke]

What I’ve found with my Delica and Stretch is the recess in the FRN is a little deeper than the liner and the bronze thrust washer and this causes the FRN to rub on the blade around the area of the pivot causing a little binding and those not so nice rotational scratches. :eek:

It annoys me so I’ve disassembled both and lightly sanded the FRN on a flat surface and only around the pivot area. I deburred the liners and lightly stoned the bottom of the lock bar where it engages the tang and that’s smoothed things out quite nicely. :)

[anagarika]

(Edited for sprelling)

That's funny.


(Sorry, don't mean to make fun of you :) )

Gerard

No worries! It's on purpose... I've seen sal do this type of thing in edit notes many times, obviously on purpose, so it a hat-tip to that, because I enjoy them as "Easter eggs", too.

This forum lacks ‘like button’.
@Nigel, sorry for OT, enjoy it, the lockback will be smooth just by using it ..

PS: baby oil works well too. And I like the smell. It should be available in any store (seeing your location). Another good solid grease is Vaseline Petroleum Jelly.

[Evil D]

Any decent light oil will work fine. WD40 is NOT a good lubricant, especially long term, regardless of their marketing hype.

You will see many discussions here about the "best" lube, but you gotta remember, we are *enthusiasts* ... we must discuss all aspects, all the time, but in reality, any decent oil will work. Mineral oil is cheap, if you require something food-safe.

I personally prefer nano-oil, fluorine grease, and moly powder, depending on the knife.

A little engine oil will work just fine, in fact it's probably the most overkill oil you could use considering the absolute **** that engine oil is subjected to vs what it will see in a knife pivot. Personally I prefer a light weight bearing grease for my pivots and currently use Phil Wood grease. I also like and use Vaseline.

[FWR132]

(Edited for sprelling)

That's funny.


(Sorry, don't mean to make fun of you :) )

Gerard

No worries! It's on purpose... I've seen sal do this type of thing in edit notes many times, obviously on purpose, so it a hat-tip to that, because I enjoy them as "Easter eggs", too.

This forum lacks ‘like button’.
@Nigel, sorry for OT, enjoy it, the lockback will be smooth just by using it ..

PS: baby oil works well too. And I like the smell. It should be available in any store (seeing your location). Another good solid grease is Vaseline Petroleum Jelly.

Hi Chris, thanks for the info! yes baby oil (classic smell, reminds me of when I was a child, haha) is readily available and cheap. Vaseline is good for greasing up knives too? I use Vaseline on my Fenix Lights, they seem to work well, but people recommend against them. they do seem to get dirty, though (with Vaseline).

[FWR132]

Any decent light oil will work fine. WD40 is NOT a good lubricant, especially long term, regardless of their marketing hype.

You will see many discussions here about the "best" lube, but you gotta remember, we are *enthusiasts* ... we must discuss all aspects, all the time, but in reality, any decent oil will work. Mineral oil is cheap, if you require something food-safe.

I personally prefer nano-oil, fluorine grease, and moly powder, depending on the knife.

A little engine oil will work just fine, in fact it's probably the most overkill oil you could use considering the absolute **** that engine oil is subjected to vs what it will see in a knife pivot. Personally I prefer a light weight bearing grease for my pivots and currently use Phil Wood grease. I also like and use Vaseline.

Seems Vaseline is liked by many...that's good, it's something easily available where I am!
How do you apply Vaseline, without dismantling the knife?
Ahh Phil Wood...best cycling headsets/Bottom brackets...
I want to try engine oil one day :P

another question, how much lubricant to use? in the past, I've used 3 in 1 and I found oil seeps out long after I've lubricated the pivot. takes a while of wiping until there is no more excess seepage.

[vivi]

One drop of mineral oil to the pivot is all I use. $1 bottle lasts for years and you can buy it in any town in the country.

Backlocks will have some resistance when opening and closing. Cycle the action repeatedly over the next few weeks while watching tv etc and it will break in very fast. I always cycle my new lockbacks a few hundred times as I work them into my carry rotation.

[FWR132]

One drop of mineral oil to the pivot is all I use. $1 bottle lasts for years and you can buy it in any town in the country.

I think I will give this a shot.

I want my knives to be relatively food-safe, and the 3 in 1 oil smell lasts too long and smells...interesting.

Thanks, Vivi

[The Mastiff]

I clean the knives before anything else to get out any buffer grit before it gets dragged into the lock bearing surface. Only then do I oil it. IMO, you shouldn't be doing anything to the pivot until the knife is clean, lubed if needed and broken in. Only then if needed and when you are satisfied it's needed because something is not right should you attempt to adjust anything. They are set the way they are by a cutler for a reason.

I run my Enduras dry and clean. When I lube I use only dry lubes ( spray on teflon for instance) as I don't want grit or pocket stuff trapped and dragged in the bearing surface ( on a back lock the whole curved back of the blade). I have knives going back to the very first model Enduras that are smooth as glass and ready for several more decades.

Don't make it more complicated than it has to be. I have never had to change a pivot set from the factory. Doing it before it has been cleaned and broken in means you have changed it before you have really gotten it figured out. It's certainly an option but not the right one for me.

Joe

[Doc Dan]

I also like and use Vaseline.

+1 on the Vaseline.