Titanium Military Blade Play

kbrouwer · #1

Yup

after flicking it open for a while, I'm noticing some side to side blade play on my Ti Military. I heard that's to be expected with Ti Frame Locks. is this the truth? If not, is it worth doing anything about it? I don't have the tools to tighten it otherwise I'd just tighten the pivot a little.

kbrouwer · #2

Anyone know if this is to be expected with ti frame locks?

rycen · #3

Side to side play likely means the pivot needs to be tightened.

Fancier · #4

They sell Torx on your favorite online sales store Kirk. A good set of Wiha short arm torx wrenches can be had for less than $20.

phaust · #5

rycen wrote:Side to side play likely means the pivot needs to be tightened.

+1

Just tighten and loctite. Since you're flicking it, you're putting additional force on ther pivot, making it loosen even faster.

JNewell · #6

phaust wrote:+1

Just tighten and loctite. Since you're flicking it, you're putting additional force on ther pivot, making it loosen even faster.

It is that simple. Just ordinary care and maintenance.

kbrouwer · #7

How can I be sure not to screw up centering?

Sonny · #8

rycen wrote:Side to side play likely means the pivot needs to be tightened.

Yessir. And side-play is NOT a necessary or expected part of titanium frame-locks.

kbrouwer · #9

Ordered a Gorilla Grip torx key thing. Anyone have tips on keeping the blade centering good? Also, it seems to me that the Timi has only one adjustable pivot screw. The other side seems to be just a doing piece of metal. Why is this?

rycen · #10

Having a screw on the other side of this type of pivot isn't necessary. As to the centering you just have to look while you are tightening the pivot, very simple.

Blerv · #11

Superglue fixes blade-play. True story.

kbrouwer · #12

Blerv wrote:Superglue fixes blade-play. True story.

I should try that lol

ChaoticMayhem65 · #13

Blerv wrote:Superglue fixes blade-play. True story.

Turns it into a fixed blade? :confused:

kbrouwer · #14

Assuming the pivot torx size is like a t10 right?

defenestrate · #15

Blerv is just trying not to let slip the *real* secret to a play-free blade. Welding. A properly welded pivot will exhibit no play without physically destroying the knife. PROTIP: Take your hands OFF of the blade before applying welding heat to it. This is the #1 mistake made by folks reporting to hospitals with disfiguring knife pivot welding injuries.

Zenith · #16

kbrouwer wrote:Ordered a Gorilla Grip torx key thing. Anyone have tips on keeping the blade centering good? Also, it seems to me that the Timi has only one adjustable pivot screw. The other side seems to be just a doing piece of metal. Why is this?

There are two parts to the pivot design. You have a male part, the screw, and a female part, the other side of the pivot that is domed.

The female part has a flat area to make sure it can only go into the knife in a certain way. This is vital and many people end up forcing it in. Big mistake.

Here you can see the male and female parts on the military and CRK Umnumzaan

http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... ning-pivot

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showt ... ivot/page8

[video=youtube;ryou0sMRGNY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryou0sMRGNY[/video]

At the end, you should just tighten the male screw a bit, judge centering by the eye and do not take it apart.

eloreno · #17

kbrouwer wrote:Assuming the pivot torx size is like a t10 right?

I don't have a regular ti military, but I've got G10 and fluted militaries, and those are T15 IIRC. Definitely larger than T10 either way.

spyderedge · #18

The knife does not have to be centered to work, a nice thing to have, but not necessarily a must.
Some knives can not be centered without bladeplay, just the way it is.