Self loosening pivots
- Nick D. Fingerz
- Member
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 2:19 pm
- Location: N.E. Wisconsin
Re: Self loosening pivots
I've never had a pivot screw back way out, but I've had a few that won't hold a fine adjustment. So, blue loctite. At some point all of my knives get disassembled, cleaned and lubed. I put blue loctite on every screw when they go back together.
Re: Self loosening pivots
Only one, it was on a blue ano PITS that had no loctite whatsoever for some reason. Spyderco hooked me up with a replacement for a body screw I lost and included some blue loctite. Everything has been good to go since.
:spyder:
Re: Self loosening pivots
The blue film (coated onto threads like paint or hardened glue) type threadlocker seems to be the best at holding an adjustment that isn't just fully tightened, liquid threadlock is better than nothing, but the blue is a bit less retention than ideal and red a bit more...
-David
still more knives than sharpening stones...
still more knives than sharpening stones...
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- Member
- Posts: 278
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Country Knives - Intercourse, PA USA
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Re: Self loosening pivots
I've had this happen with several knives. When I buy a knife I usually adjust the pivot tension to where I want and use loctite or Teflon tape. Teflon tape doesn't require any wait time. I have a yo2 that I tuned perfectly to have no blade play at all and still drop shut. Sometimes I'll tighten them a hair more than I want so they will be smooth and play free after break in. I had a hinderer that would loosen within the first 2 or 3 uses of the flipper. I could watch the screw head turn. Definitely the worse I've had. After I used Teflon tape the pivot turns but it doesn't come loose. If I loctite a pivot or any other part of a knife I leave it alone for at least 24 hrs.
Re: Self loosening pivots
I've had pivot screws work loose on a handful of knives across multiple brands. Off the top of my head, some of the worst offenders were my RockJumper, Salt 2, Pacific Salt 2, Siren and BHQ Exclusive Native 5, among others. The worst of all, to the point where the pivot screw actually almost came completely out, was my Benchmade 940. In every case though, the issue was resolved by just a tiny dab of blue loctite.
It does seem to me that pivot screws seem to back out with greater ease and frequency in the Seki offerings. I've taken to loctite-ing the pivots on my Japanese Spydies as a preventative measure, regardless of whether or not I notice them starting to back out on their own.. Some don't really need it, but it gives me added peace of mind.
I don't consider pivots backing out to be a "problem" necessarily, rather just.. something that happens sometimes. Anything with screwed-construction, knife or otherwise, has the potential for a screw to loosen up as far as I'm concerned. In my experience though, I will notice the screw becoming loose long before there is any real chance of it falling out of the knife.. little dab of loctite and good to go..
It does seem to me that pivot screws seem to back out with greater ease and frequency in the Seki offerings. I've taken to loctite-ing the pivots on my Japanese Spydies as a preventative measure, regardless of whether or not I notice them starting to back out on their own.. Some don't really need it, but it gives me added peace of mind.
I don't consider pivots backing out to be a "problem" necessarily, rather just.. something that happens sometimes. Anything with screwed-construction, knife or otherwise, has the potential for a screw to loosen up as far as I'm concerned. In my experience though, I will notice the screw becoming loose long before there is any real chance of it falling out of the knife.. little dab of loctite and good to go..
Rick H.
..well, that escalated quickly..
..well, that escalated quickly..