Bronze Washers or Ball Bearings?

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G11354

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Aug 26, 2020
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What are your opinions on bronze washers and ball bearings in folding knives and what is your preference if any?

I work in a hardware store and I always come home covered in dirt and dust and my pockets knives are subjected to it as well. I typically carry folders with bronze washers but have been considering a new knife(Buck Sprint) that utilizes ball bearings.

Im wondering if they will wear as well as the washers do and if occasional cleaning with compressed air and oil will be enough to maintain them?
 
I'm fine with either, and have had no issues with either.

The Buck Sprint is nice, I handled one yesterday, and might buy the micarta or CF version.
 
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It'll work just fine. Don't over lube so it does not attract dust, but even if you do compressed air will take care of it.
 
CVamberbonehead said:
I like washers in my knives. Ball bearings are a solution in search of a problem.
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While bearings can be super smooth right out of the box, no break-in required, there is that vulnerability to particle build-up. A set of phosphor bronze washers will require a little breaking in, but it's not much time to achieve nice smooth action... and the tight fit of the washers helps keep out debris.

I'm really happy with these washers in my Asher Nomad:

Asher-Knives-Nomad-01.jpg


Asher-Knives-Nomad-03.jpg
 
I'm willing to bet that ball bearings on knives with precise machining do fine, but my cheap ball bearing knife (a civivi mckenna) has displayed some galling on the pivot hole in the blade. My assumption is that on a cheaper knife with loose machining, the bearings don't do a good enough job supporting the blade around the pivot, allowing some torque to transfer into the pivot. Because of this, to me, it's not even a building-up-junk-in-the-pivot issue, it's a mechanical durability issue, and I trust washers to provide that durability at a lower price point than bearings.
 
I'll take either if it's a knife I really want, but given the chioce, I prefer PB washers.
 
CVamberbonehead said:
I like washers in my knives. Ball bearings are a solution in search of a problem.
Click to expand...

I tend to agree.
Have a flipper that ran me ~$100. Fun to play with around the house. But for actual carry I prefer something that feels more solid, so no ball bearings for my regular carry knives. I suppose a high end expensive flipper might be OK even with ball bearings, but the price vs performance comparison strongly suggests that I will never buy one to find out. I'm happy with what I got.
 
For whatever it worth, at the NY Knife Show a few years ago I met the guy from CultroTech. His opinion is washers are just as good as bearings overall. But the market dictates a perceived advantage to bearings.

That said, the better bearing systems are foolproof in actual use.
 
knarfeng said:
I tend to agree.
Have a flipper that ran me ~$100. Fun to play with around the house. But for actual carry I prefer something that feels more solid, so no ball bearings for my regular carry knives. I suppose a high end expensive flipper might be OK even with ball bearings, but the price vs performance comparison strongly suggests that I will never buy one to find out. I'm happy with what I got.
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Yep.

High end flippers benefitting from ball bearings are of no interest to me.

I ve reached a point where I don t need expensive knives to maintain an interest in this hobby. And I ve never liked flippers.
 
I’ve had plenty of knives over the years with bearings, but have determined knives with PB washers ultimately eventually develop just as smooth an action, and do tend to stay cleaner of debris and have generally less blade play due to the tighter tolerances. Additionally, I’ve always believed less moving parts always means less likelihood for trouble and need for replacement/repair. Almost all of my current folders run on washers.
 
The only con is see with washers is you need to be a bit more careful when disassembled and handling washers... A bent washers are rather problematic. For instance, CRK washers are large and rather fragile where ZTs washers are, well solid. But personally, ill go either way...
 
Either phosphor bronze or Teflon washers for me. I’d never buy one with bearings. I don’t need a knife to open in that manner, and it does nothing to add to the strength of the knife.
 
For known gritty/dirty use, washers and just don't worry about it.

I also prefer a knife that has a little hydraulic resistance to closing. I've flipped or dropped a blade onto my thumb knuckle when closing a drop-shut knife on bearings with no friction.
 
CVamberbonehead said:
I like washers in my knives. Ball bearings are a solution in search of a problem.
Click to expand...

I doubt I’ll buy another knife on bearings unless everything else about it is spectacular. Happy with bronze or nylon washers or even a well made knife without washers (Caly 3).

I have versions of the same custom knife with and without bearings and quite honestly the difference in action is, to me, insignificant. A well made knife doesn’t need bearings. Bearings have become the means for mass manufacturers with poor tolerances to achieve this “drop shut” thing that the kewl kids crave.
 
Both are equally fine to me, but I enjoy the smooth action and peculiar sound of my knives in bearings . I clean them regularly so there is never a gunk problem, and I don't go hard on them too, so there is no blade play problem either.
 
bronze washers 100% for me unless its a salt series and has no washers or bearings.

at this point i basically ignore any knife that is on bearings.
 
Both can be done well, both can be done poorly. I have no preference as long as it creates a blade that is smooth throughout the "walk and talk"of the blade with as little as possible play.
 
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