PM2 and blade play question...

[DrtyHarry]

I have several PM2s. Some say that when you depress the lock, the blade should freely swing close. I can tune any of my PM2s to do that, and some have come from the factory like that, however....those that do swing freely closed like that, all have a tiny bit of play.

However, if you tighten up the pivot pin to the proper tension where there isn't any more blade play, the blade will NOT drop freely. I have seen a lot of people posting videos of their PM2s that drop upon touching the lock...but I honestly don't think the lock up is that secure. Am I mistaken here? I mean...I can get the blade to drop very easily with a hair of blade play, but I can not get it to drop freely with absolutely NO play. Maybe 98%? But for a 100% no blade play, I don't think the PM2 blade can drop like that.

I would rather it lock up 100% tight and not have it swing freely closed...don't think it's possible for the blade to do BOTH.



Harry

[FK]

A suggestion,,,, I use Nano-Oil on the pivot and washers,,,, after a few days of cycling the blade,,, then a very small adjustment on the pivot screw side opposite the factory clip. This gives me very smooth gravity drop of the blade and zero blade play.
The PM2 in my case only required about 1/8 turn for free action.

Many state the Nano-Oil is only over priced common light oil,,, I have found it actually works as advertised when properly applied.
Without the additional oil the blade is rather difficult to get that fine tuned adjustment.

The same application with new Endura and Delica knives for a very smooth action.

Regards,
FK

[DrtyHarry]

I use Nano....but even after doing the above, there is a TINY TINY bit of wiggle room. The only way I can get it 100% is if I torque it down to the point where it's actually difficult to close. But hey...98% isn't bad (guestimate).


Harry

[DrtyHarry]

What weight Nano Oil do you use?? I have always used 10....

[awa54]

I'd say that sample variation and break-in state affect this quite a bit. I have three PM2s and none of them will drop free without having a slight amount of play in the blade, OTOH none of them has had a real torture session of hard cutting to really bed in the washers and pivot. I also have two Manix 2s and both of those will drop open or closed when the lock tension is released, but both have also had multiple yard-work beater sessions, which required re-tenssioning the pivot afterward, so have had much more break in. Neither of my Sage 3s will drop unless they're *perfectly* clean either, though the lock is the smoothest feeling of the three.

[DrtyHarry]

I tried just about everything....some have claimed they were able to achieve a free dropping blade while having 100% solid lock up. I simply can't get that, no matter what I do. I can get it to lock up 100%, but it won't drop free. Dropping free really isn't a big deal to be honest, I'd rather have a better lock up than being able to watch it freely drop. I was just wondering if there really are any the lock up 100% and still drop free...


Harry

[Sharp Guy]

I only have the one example but my PM2 is a free dropper with absolutely no blade play. Same with all three of my Manix 2's.

[farnorthdan]

I have maybe a dozen or so PM2's Harry, I'd say about 3/4 of them the blade would drop when the lock is engaged when new the others not so much, they do loosen up over time but I still have 1 or 2 that still aren't free dropping when engaged but still come open with a little wrist flick.

[awa54]

I tried just about everything....some have claimed they were able to achieve a free dropping blade while having 100% solid lock up. I simply can't get that, no matter what I do. I can get it to lock up 100%, but it won't drop free. Dropping free really isn't a big deal to be honest, I'd rather have a better lock up than being able to watch it freely drop. I was just wondering if there really are any the lock up 100% and still drop free...


Harry

Hmm... rock solid *lockup* and no play when *not* locked are two different animals! My PM2 that comes closest to dropping is the BHQ M4 exclusive and it has perceptible play when open, but not locked, however when flicked open, or opened and used to cut something (ensures that lock has fully settled), there is absolutely no play in the blade to handle relationship.

PM2s are easy to close one handed anyway, so I'd personally err on the side of setting the pivot to be just loose enough to flip open and let the lock do its job. Worrying about minor blade play when the lock isn't engaged is a pointless exercise of perfectionism.

[jalcon]

I think everyone's perception of solid lockup is different. I mean, technically it's impossible for a folder to have NO play. But still...also - I think some people perceive blade flex as blade play which makes things even more complicated.

[Johnnie1801]

Another option might be to add a drop of grease to the detent ball but to be honest personaly I'm not interested in a free falling blade and I don't think the knife was designed with that in mind. If I need to close it quickly then just disengaging the lock and giving it a wrist flick to close is enough for me, solid lock up is more important.

[FK]

I agree, my judgement for blade play is with relatively easy lateral pressure on the blade tip.
In addition, free drop closing to me is not quickly dropping with gravity only,,, my knives need a little nudge with gentle wrist action.

It is a folding knife with pivot and side support washers tolerance.

My favorite PM2 with S110V has zero lateral blade movement with easy drop closing,,, a lightly used BHQ M4 is identical out of the box new. Two other PM2 are NIB and slightly stiff however, they can be fine tuned.

I start with first application of Nano-Oil 5wt, work it in and then change to 10wt with a drop or two weekly.

Be certain to apply on the dedent ball area, noticable improvement to smooth action.

Regards,
FK

[ejames13]

I think everyone's perception of solid lockup is different. I mean, technically it's impossible for a folder to have NO play. But still...also - I think some people perceive blade flex as blade play which makes things even more complicated.

This. I bet I could induce a teeny amount of play on many of the knives people claim have zero play.

I would rather my knives have zero play and be a tiny bit stiff when opening closing, than drop freely and have blade play.

And I don't care if you're using unicorn tears...I simply don't think it's possible to really have zero play and the blade drop without even a nudge.

[mattman]

Tension on the stop pin screws is also a factor, as it effects parallelism of the liners.

[timlara]

After owning maybe 6 PM2s (obviously, not a huge sample overall), it has also been my experience that some of them come "free falling" from the factory and have no play when locked, some come over-tightened and are stiff when new, but free up with a small pivot adjustment, some nano-oil, and lot of use, and some are not possible to adjust for free-falling operation with no play, no matter what.

That said, I was under the impression that the design of the compression lock makes it less likely to fail due to slight blade play compared to many other locks. Wouldn't there have to be a HUGE amount of blade play, like visibly wobbly, before the "compression liner" (or whatever Sal calls the lock bar in this case...) would be able to get out of the slot in the tang? It seems like even if the blade could wiggle around like crazy, the lock still wouldn't fail unless something else structurally failed / bent to allow the lock bar to get out of the tang slot.

Not to say blade play isn't super annoying and less than ideal, but is mild blade play really a safety hazard with the compression lock?

[Sharp Guy]

And I don't care if you're using unicorn tears...I simply don't think it's possible to really have zero play and the blade drop without even a nudge.

I have a Manix 2 G10 you need to check out.

[10just]

i got 2 free fallers, no blade play. both have been flicked in the thousands..

[SG89]

My PM2 free falls like Tom Petty :D

[Sharp Guy]

My PM2 free falls like Tom Petty :D

Now I have that song stuck in my head!

[SG89]

My PM2 free falls like Tom Petty :D

Now I have that song stuck in my head!

You're welcome