" All folding knives have some form of blade play"

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I asked a high volume knife seller about a supposed new knife they had for sale. I asked if it had any bladeplay, to which I received this response:

"All folding knives have some form of blade play in them because they are not a fixed blade; and blade play is not even considered a defect unless it is really extreme to the point where there is something wrong with it."


Wow. Just thought I'd share.
 
Sal Glesser and Chris Reeve would probably give this guy a blank stare and just continue whatever it was they were doing.
 
I have Al Mar's that have zero discernible blade play in any direction.--KV
 
minimize said:
I asked a high volume knife seller about a supposed new knife they had for sale. I asked if it had any bladeplay, to which I received this response:

"All folding knives have some form of blade play in them because they are not a fixed blade; and blade play is not even considered a defect unless it is really extreme to the point where there is something wrong with it."


Wow. Just thought I'd share.
Click to expand...


And that's how to know not to buy what he was offering.
 
hehe, well, if there wasn't ANY play, the silly thing wouldn't open, so in point of fact folders do have 'some' blade play, albeit some are not discernable when opened and the blade is in place.

I've always found it interesting that most all, if not all, Victorinox folders seem free of visible blade play, while other company's struggle with that, of course they have peened over pins and have had years of experience at making them which I'm sure accounts for why they have such good action and fitup.

Definitions are tricky in this I think, what some would consider play, others might consider as acceptable movement, myself, I prefer that once open, they become almost fixed blade in nature ;)

I have one folder right now that has visible blade play, the fellow I traded with did disclose that before we traded, he had offered to hammer on it with a rubber mallet, but I cautioned him that might not be the best thing to do at the time. So we traded and yep, it has quite visible side to side play. I'm on the fence right now as to sending it back, mainly because back means to France :) not your everyday mailing and I'm such a worry wart! I have another knife inbound that is made by the same folks, if it shows, to me, as solid fitup, then I'll proceed to return the knife, just doesn't sit right with me when the blade wobbles...

G2
 
Technically doesnt it have to have play? With zero movement at all wouldn't the knife be unable to glide freely around the pivot when opening and closing? Maybe you would need like the Hubble telescope to look down the pivot of the knife but doesnt it have to have the most minute amount of play even if its not able to be seen by the naked eye or felt by the bare hand?
 
I don't have a lot of problem with the statement. Just about every knife using traditional construction (pivot with washers) will have some movement between blade and handle unless tightened to the point of needing two hands to open. I think there is only one knife I have held that I haven't been able to detect some movement. That was a ZT 0500 MUDD which has a really big portion of tang in contact with the washers and handle.

Now in my opinion this shouldn't be considered 'blade play' and is just inherent to a folding knife. But I do think there are quite a few knife enthusiasts that do call any movement play, no matter how minute it is, and will complain about it. This is being way to anal. I would be willing to bet I can take just about any folding knife and be able to detect some movement. Just depends on what someone considers blade play. To me blade play is enough movement that you can actually see the blade move in relation to the handle. Even then I don't think it is always an issue, especially in certain lock designs.

I can see how the reply could be annoying if just asking for them to check that there is no blade play. But I'm sure they are just covering their butt because they have had knives returned by anal buyers who think any movement is blade play. Everyone seems to have their own definition. I also imagine some of the newer knives with bearings can be tightened down enough to not feel movement and yet still be smooth and easy opening, but I don't have much experience with knives that contain bearings.
 
Czechmate said:
Maybe flex, but not bladeplay. I have many folders I can twist, reef on etc. and there's no movement whatsoever...
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*Some* can be as small as a human hair. If it was size on size it would bind. Add temperature into the mix and you'd really have a problem between different metals.
 
Interesting. I would ask also to define "some" blade play.

Are we talking about barely detectable via dial indicator and a fixture or are we talking about barely detectable by hand? But then that would be subjective wouldn't it?
 
Well of course there is some blade play. A feeler gauge would probably show you you that. Afterall, like others have said, you wouldn't be able to open the knife without blade play. However, when it is to the point where you can feel it by moving the blade with your hand... well that is too much.
 
texas gun person said:
Well of course there is some blade play. A feeler gauge would probably show you you that. Afterall, like others have said, you wouldn't be able to open the knife without blade play. However, when it is to the point where you can feel it by moving the blade with your hand... well that is too much.
Click to expand...

i think this whole conversation has what blade play is and what we refer to it as all skewed. Blade play is the movement in the blade. Our definition of blade play is when we try to wiggle the blade in our hands if we can feel it.
 
The correct way to say it, as one poster noted, is "any discernible blade play." Sound like the high volume seller does not sell the higher quality knives.
 
Correct. If you can feel it I would call it excessive. But as a blanket statement "all knives have some form of blade play" is not wrong.
 
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