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Blade Centering

bob s.

Greetings You All,

I know this has been covered but not to my way of thinking or satisfaction. There is only ONE correct way to center a blade/assemble a knife.
1- loosen all handle screws, not too much.
2- close the blade, tighten the pivot screw to where the blade does not easily move or at all. Be careful on bearing folders.
Now you have the blade, washers and liners/handles all perfectly parallel, the ideal situation on any knife or the only correct situation. 
3- now tighten all the handle fasteners fully, starting CLOSEST to the pivot and working your way out.
4- correctly adjust the pivot fastener. Done.

If the knife was made correctly and no blade warp is involved the blade will be correctly centered every time.
All this forcing the blade one way and tightening may center the blade at the cost of misaligned of the pivot which is far more important. Forcing the blade one way and tightening handle screws is only covering up defects in manufacturing. 

Thanks

2

Comments

16 comments

Date Votes
  • bm-butterfly

    Thanks for the info

     

    Kind of strange that he doesn’t have a Likes button to tick at the bottom and has one at the top

    0
  • tu
    bm-butterfly posted:

    Thanks for the info

     

    Kind of strange that he doesn’t have a Likes button to tick at the bottom and has one at the top

    I think all first posts on a thread are like that

    1
  • boinkman

    One thing I've noticed regarding the forcing method is that afterwards the blade can be more sensitive to horizontal movement.  I'm not a huge fan of that, but it can usually be reset by using the above method.  Sometimes blades are slightly warped so even if you do get it centered the blade will lean when opened.  

    0
  • colinp

    Thanks for the info. I bought a NOS 908 SBK Stryker a month ago, that was favouring the show side. Followed your instructions and by George, she's now perfectly centered.

    1
  • Tim O

    I might add that sometimes I've found that between the loosening and tightening steps you can use an awl to shift the scales/liners. Slide the awl into the lanyard hole prior to tightening. Next push or pull the awl / toward or away from the lean of the blade and once you're centered tighten all the screws. I do this as a last ditch on knives that just won't center.

    1
  • bob s.
    Tim O posted:

    I might add that sometimes I've found that between the loosening and tightening steps you can use an awl to shift the scales/liners. Slide the awl into the lanyard hole prior to tightening. Next push or pull the awl / toward or away from the lean of the blade and once you're centered tighten all the screws. I do this as a last ditch on knives that just won't center.

    That would jackup the pivot alignment.

    There is never a need for any of this if things are built correctly.

    I would be VERY unhappy if I bought a knife that had been manipulated in such a manner. 

    0
  • tu

    Another oddity of the bali laws. I live in Oregon & can go to the Benchmade store to buy a bali. However I've been refused online sales due to shipping to Oregon

    0
  • bob s.
    tu posted:

    Another oddity of the bali laws. I live in Oregon & can go to the Benchmade store to buy a bali. However I've been refused online sales due to shipping to Oregon

    Have them put it in Will Call and pick it up.

    0
  • boinkman
    bob s. posted:
    Tim O posted:

    I might add that sometimes I've found that between the loosening and tightening steps you can use an awl to shift the scales/liners. Slide the awl into the lanyard hole prior to tightening. Next push or pull the awl / toward or away from the lean of the blade and once you're centered tighten all the screws. I do this as a last ditch on knives that just won't center.

    That would jackup the pivot alignment.

    There is never a need for any of this if things are built correctly.

    I would be VERY unhappy if I bought a knife that had been manipulated in such a manner. 

    I think what Tim is describing sounds worse than it is.  Often the scales, liners and standoffs can get glued together so loosening/tightening screws isn't going to make a difference.  Obviously over torquing things could cause damage but often in these cases some amount of force is required to get separation.   

    1
  • bob s.
    boinkman posted:
    bob s. posted:
    Tim O posted:

    I might add that sometimes I've found that between the loosening and tightening steps you can use an awl to shift the scales/liners. Slide the awl into the lanyard hole prior to tightening. Next push or pull the awl / toward or away from the lean of the blade and once you're centered tighten all the screws. I do this as a last ditch on knives that just won't center.

    That would jackup the pivot alignment.

    There is never a need for any of this if things are built correctly.

    I would be VERY unhappy if I bought a knife that had been manipulated in such a manner. 

    I think what Tim is describing sounds worse than it is.  Often the scales, liners and standoffs can get glued together so loosening/tightening screws isn't going to make a difference.  Obviously over torquing things could cause damage but often in these cases some amount of force is required to get separation.   

    I would reread or read my original post. Nothing there can be disputed. There is ONLY ONE CORRECT WAY TO SET UP a knife.

    If all the holes are exactly where they should be AND NO blade warpage it would be impossible to have an off center blade unless you pry it, I'm not gonna draw a pic.

    0
  • bob s.
    boinkman posted:
    bob s. posted:
    Tim O posted:

    I might add that sometimes I've found that between the loosening and tightening steps you can use an awl to shift the scales/liners. Slide the awl into the lanyard hole prior to tightening. Next push or pull the awl / toward or away from the lean of the blade and once you're centered tighten all the screws. I do this as a last ditch on knives that just won't center.

    That would jackup the pivot alignment.

    There is never a need for any of this if things are built correctly.

    I would be VERY unhappy if I bought a knife that had been manipulated in such a manner. 

    I think what Tim is describing sounds worse than it is.  Often the scales, liners and standoffs can get glued together so loosening/tightening screws isn't going to make a difference.  Obviously over torquing things could cause damage but often in these cases some amount of force is required to get separation.   

    I would reread or read my original post. Nothing there can be disputed. There is ONLY ONE CORRECT WAY TO SET UP a knife.

    If all the holes are exactly where they should be AND NO blade warpage it would be impossible to have an off center blade unless you pry it, I'm not gonna draw a pic.

    0
  • bob s.

    The key word Is 'Correct'.

    0
  • Tim O
    boinkman posted:
    bob s. posted:
    Tim O posted:

    I might add that sometimes I've found that between the loosening and tightening steps you can use an awl to shift the scales/liners. Slide the awl into the lanyard hole prior to tightening. Next push or pull the awl / toward or away from the lean of the blade and once you're centered tighten all the screws. I do this as a last ditch on knives that just won't center.

    That would jackup the pivot alignment.

    There is never a need for any of this if things are built correctly.

    I would be VERY unhappy if I bought a knife that had been manipulated in such a manner. 

    I think what Tim is describing sounds worse than it is.  Often the scales, liners and standoffs can get glued together so loosening/tightening screws isn't going to make a difference.  Obviously over torquing things could cause damage but often in these cases some amount of force is required to get separation.   

    Exactly Nate!

    And the funny thing is, I've never had to do it with a Benchmade.  Had to do it  with a few Spydercos and a couple of Kershaws. Never had to do it with any of the ZTs I've acquired either.

    Again as I said "Done as a last ditch effort". 

    Not everyone carries their knives in a front knife pocket. And there are those who end up putting a few hundred pounds of ass on a knife in a back pocket over and over which can bend liners and warp scales over time.

    If a knife is that bad it should be completely torn down, cleaned and straightened. And then properly reassembled. 

     

    0
  • billhammer

    /|\ 👀 Seriously, guys who carry back pocket carry to outside of pocket so doubt butt damage to a folder happens. If it does must be once in a fat Blue Moon 🌚 !

    0
  • tu

    A little off topic, but we just had an equally rare black moon

    0
  • bob s.
    tu posted:

    A little off topic, but we just had an equally rare black moon

    So what your saying is the entire thread was off topic, I concur.

    0

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