How To Any way to de-stickify a Native?

A

aram

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My first quality pocket knife was a Native III. I bought it around a decade and a half ago, and sent it through the washing machine not long after that. I'm a bad knife parent.

I still have it and it is mostly fine. But since the bath, it can't be flicked open. The scales are FRN with no liners, dunno if they warped in a bit or what, but the plastic grabs the blade. It takes a definite pull to open.

Is there anything I can do to reverse the sticking? The knife is riveted together as far as I can tell, so disassembly appears to be out.

Thanks,
Aram
 
FRN is a pretty stable material, and those Native handles were pretty thick, so I don't think it would have warped. Unless your washing machine got boiling hot, it might just be gunk in the pivot slowing it down. I'd just fill a bucket with warm water, add some dish soap, and hold the knife in there, working it open and closed to try and flush it out. Then just add a drop or two of oil once you've dried it off.
 
I have lightly trimmed FRN from the inside of handles where the blade rubs with good results, a few times. Make sure you lube the lock bar pivot too. Sometimes it causes sticking.
 
StuntDouble said:
FRN is a pretty stable material, and those Native handles were pretty thick, so I don't think it would have warped. Unless your washing machine got boiling hot, it might just be gunk in the pivot slowing it down. I'd just fill a bucket with warm water, add some dish soap, and hold the knife in there, working it open and closed to try and flush it out. Then just add a drop or two of oil once you've dried it off.
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Thanks. I think you're right. I've been playing with it for the first time in years, and suddenly it got a lot easier to open. I must have accidentally dislodged a small piece of debris, or knocked off a burr. It's still slightly grabby at one spot, but much better than before -- I can even Spyder-drop it, with a good flick. I'll try your wash suggestion and see if the last bit of stickiness loosens up.

Thanks for the help, everyone.

-Aram
 
aram said:
Thanks. I think you're right. I've been playing with it for the first time in years, and suddenly it got a lot easier to open. I must have accidentally dislodged a small piece of debris, or knocked off a burr. It's still slightly grabby at one spot, but much better than before -- I can even Spyder-drop it, with a good flick. I'll try your wash suggestion and see if the last bit of stickiness loosens up.

Thanks for the help, everyone.

-Aram
Click to expand...
Depending on what kind of washer you have, and the detergent you used, it may be the detergent itself gumming it up. That stuff can get kinda sticky if it dries.
 
Spray some rem oil or similar on it generously then work opening and closing a few times and blow the excess off with air compressor. It’s crude but works :)
 
As said earlier, FRN is a very stable material and could go through the washer and drier without a problem. I have a few of the Native 5 Lightweight knives, which are screwed together. Still, if the older pinned one is the same otherwise, there are no washers and the blade pivots on the FRN. If I wanted to clean something I am unable to disassemble, that went through the wash, I might consider WD40 (WD = Water Displacement). Alternately, I would use compressed air into the pivot area while moving the pivot back and forth (try not to blow debris into your eyes). Afterward, I would lightly lube the pivot and lock interface and work it back and forth.
 
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