A thought on blade play

C

crbauhs

Joined
Dec 2, 2007
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I know we all hate blade play. But the real question is, how do we determine what is or is not blade play. I will use a few of my knives for instance. One my 8ot, if I hold the blade at any of its length, and using little pressure then there is no blade play. If I do the same but hold the tip of the blade and use more strength there is play. So what would we classify the knife as having? Blade play or none?

Or do we compare it all to the SAK's we all know and love which have no blade play ever of any kind no matter the amount of strength you use, atleast on my alox farmer that is how it is. And then there is an older Schrade and Case that I have. There blade have the tiniest amount of wiggle when you use moderate amount of pressure while holding the tips. Does that mean it is a bad knife? Is unsafe? Has too much blade play just because it is not peen'd as tight as some others?

I do think that sometimes we take blade play a bit far and think too much of it. I had a thread asking how to fix blade play in the previously mentioned older Case knife I have. But having used it for the past few days for all different tasks, realizing that my older Schrade had a bit more play than this one and I still love and use it alot, why do I need to send it in? Anyway, I just got thinking about it and was wondering what all of your guys out there think.
 
I am generally forgiving of a small amount of blade play in most instances. The feedback from my fingers and overall general perception of the knife let me know if it falls within acceptable parameters.

Like sharpness, this is a matter of increments, degree and nuance and thus very difficult to quantify.

In the end it is a personal and subjective decision as to where the line may need to be drawn.
 
I admit to being a bladeplay hater. And worse, I know I've actually created bladeplay while checking for it (holding blade between thumb and forefinger and wiggling it back and forth while firmly holding the handle).
I attend Bladeplay Anonymous meetings every week and its really helped me to calm down.
 
I would have to agree with Elliott... To be quite honest, checkin for blade play is one of the last things on my list to check for when I get a new knife...

I have had knives that I sold in the past, and actually had to get them out and check to see if they had any because I knew folks would ask...

IMHO, if its a new knife, it shouldn't have any play. If its a user thats had a hard life, its more acceptable. YMMV
 
I know with me too is that if I get a knife with blade play and use it for a while and keep it nice and oiled, the blade play seems to lessen in severity. It's either that or it just seems like it because I'm used to it.
 
Blues said:
The feedback from my fingers and overall general perception of the knife let me know if it falls within acceptable parameters.

Like sharpness, this is a matter of increments, degree and nuance and thus very difficult to quantify.
Click to expand...

I agree with Elliot here. I guess that I don't mind a little blade play per se, but I definitely do not like a slip joint whose blade wiggles.
 
on a newer knife it can be disappointing for sure, but depending on the circumstances i might forgive a little not much though...
Now on an older slipjoint it's not so much an issue if i really like the knife, i can look past it, lord knows ive looked past worse:D
ivan
 
If it's a user, I'll expect a little sideways play... at least until I tighten the pivot back up. Slipjoints are just as user-serviceable as modern screw-construction folders... You just maintain them differently.
 
Same for me. I agree with Blues.A small amount is acceptable to me. After all, a blade cuts, so a little side to side doesn't affect function or safety(unless it's rediculously loose maybe).
This thread just prompted me to send Case an email to see if they could tighten a blade on an older stockman without replacing the original blade, or if they have the same blades in stock to repair with. it's an older 8 dot, so I would hate to see a new stamp in there. Has anyone done this? I've had them repair a crunchy opening knife which they did beautifully.
 
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I am just as guilty as everyone else when I say this....

I think we all concentrate too much about blade play. If a knife has good walk and talk (nice snap) but some play I accept it.

As I get older (only 36 now) I realize that as technology gets better and things that can be automated become more streamlined there is less to complain about so we find things. Now I don't think that blade play is always acceptable because heck, Victorinox can produce them with no play at all. I realize that the factories here, for the most part, are not like what Victorinox has in Switzerland.

However as a society the better stuff gets for us the more we seem to seek out something to complain about. Weird.
 
I don't mind a little blade play. If it's an old knife I don't even mind a moderate amount of blade play. That knife has worked hard, and it's okay to be a little worn. I have some knives that some of you wouldn't be happy with because of the wobble in the joint. But somewhere over the years I've developed some play in the joints, and gotten grey, so I won't hold it agaiinst an old companion if it got that way too.

Besides, the nature of the beast, the way a slip joint is used, it doesn't really make any difference on how it functions, so the heck with it.

However, in a new knife, I don't want to feel it. If Victorinox can make something near to cutlery perfection, I expect the rest of them to at least come close. I was a machinst for too long to forgive sloppy work. With the modern machines, it's in spec or it ain't.

Blade play; it's okay if it's there by years of good honest work. Besides, it makes it easier for the oil to flush the grit out of the joints. Kind of like the slop in a good old issue 1911A1.:thumbup:
 
Being a knife knut, as we all are, I spend a good deal of my time engaged in blade play. :D
 
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If I were an EDC, well, let's say I'm gettin' a little worn and would be developing a little play myself.;)
 
ditto to elliot.when checking hold the blade at base not by the tip.i,ve seen guys actually bend the blade to check for wiggle , sometimes people actually created play by severe pressure.on some knives like my cuda maxx i do'nt give it a 2nd thought but on a 700$ custom i would expect more.
 
I dunno. I grew up never knowing that there were knives that did not have blade play. It sort of colored my expectations. So for me, a bit a blade play is acceptable, though I admit that it is very nice if the knife doesn't have any.
 
I had a Canal Street 1/2 Moon trapper that had blade play, enough that the knife was uncomfortable to use where I did not feel in control of a cut.
It is not a cheap knife with all the fancy pouch and numbering.

So I sent it back to them, which is a hassle from out of CONUS

And Canal Street did good, and now it is a very pleasant user
 
I'm just going to read the posts in this thread and not make any comments on this 485th thread on "blade play".

...actually, I just pulled that number out of somewhere. ;)

and speaking of making up numbers, did you know that 85% of the people that quote statistics make them up. :D
 
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