Impinda normally a bear to open?

[expidia1]

My 2nd day with the Impinda. Just wondering what others have experienced with a break in period?
With my Sebenzas some took like a few hundred opening and closing for the bronze washers to seat.
I’m finding his Impinda is a bear to open even though it has a deep nail nick.
I know it has two large bronze washers so is there a break in period that others have gone through before it opens like a folder?
Thx

 

[Josh K]

The Impinda will always (and should be) more resistive to opening than say a Sebenza. It’s a slipjoint, it’s a different style of knife. Instead of having a detent it has a spring, and that spring works to keep the knife open and closed.

That said, it should be a smooth open, not gritty or hesitating.

 

[expidia1]

Thanks Josh. I understand the nature of the design of it as a slip joint. I’m not trying to compare it to a Sebenza’s action. I’m only noting since a Sebenza uses bronze washers that eventually break in they are always easier to open down the road. But if it were not for the deep nail nick I would not be able to open it. I have to open it in stages. First get it started by the nailnick and then grab the blade. Maybe there are some youtube videos showing its action which I could compare mine to.
My question for current owners have you found it gets easier to open after it breaks in down the road as the washers might seat in better or should I send this one back to CRK for their opinion on how hard this “particular” unit is to open! I don’t mind being how hard it is to close as I know its the design of the spring tension makes it safer to use.

 

[u2u]

My Impinda had issues when I received it. Apparently I got a return, that had been toyed with, from a dealer who sold it as new. In any event, I had to totally disassemble, clean, and re-lube the knife then reassemble it properly (the pivot was awash in dry thread lock and the rear handle screw set had been placed in the lanyard hole!). Just set the tension you want on the pivot screw and a dab of thread lock will hold it there. An oddity in the design of the knife results in binding if you squeeze the pivot end of the handle slabs together as you operate the knife. Check your grip first, might not have to do anything but ease up on the knife. No one seems to speak about this "feature".
I set the tension just loose enough that the blade fully reaches and stays in the closed position. Too much tension and the tip will stay just proud of the slabs when closed and it becomes a hazardous knife to carry.

 

[expidia1]

My Impinda had issues when I received it. Apparently I got a return, that had been toyed with, from a dealer who sold it as new. In any event, I had to totally disassemble, clean, and re-lube the knife then reassemble it properly (the pivot was awash in dry thread lock and the rear handle screw set had been placed in the lanyard hole!). Just set the tension you want on the pivot screw and a dab of thread lock will hold it there. An oddity in the design of the knife results in binding if you squeeze the pivot end of the handle slabs together as you operate the knife. Check your grip first, might not have to do anything but ease up on the knife. No one seems to speak about this "feature".
I set the tension just loose enough that the blade fully reaches and stays in the closed position. Too much tension and the tip will stay just proud of the slabs when closed and it becomes a hazardous knife to carry.

Thx U2U. I loosened the pivot and its still stiff. Not grindy, just stiiff especially when the blade gets to the 90 degree angle point. I used a few drops of Nano oil on the pivot which made it a little easier to open but it still is hard getting it past the 90 degree point to fully open. I know the CRK grease is probably better but I was trying to avoid breaking down a brand new knife. Im a righty so I tend to grip the knife holding the lanyard end in my left hand so I can’t be squeezing the pivot end which would make the action tighter for sure.

 

[Josh K]

An oddity in the design of the knife results in binding if you squeeze the pivot end of the handle slabs together as you operate the knife. Check your grip first, might not have to do anything but ease up on the knife. No one seems to speak about this "feature".

I can’t say I’ve encountered this problem on any Impinda.

 

[expidia1]

I can’t say I’ve encountered this problem on any Impinda.

Josh said: "That said, it should be a smooth open, not gritty or hesitating".

Josh this is exactly not what I'm getting as to the hydraulic action I thought I was going to to enjoy as with my other Sebs. Its not grindy, but its far from a smooth opening motion. Its a big hesitation at 90 degrees. I have the pivot set at max looseness to isolate the issue. The nano oil helped its opening action as it probably circulated better into the washers overnight. but I think this one has a bent washer from how you describe it should open. When I open it to a 45 degree angle its like hitting a brick wall! I'll have to break it down later today. I was getting dried flakes on my jersey when I was opening and closing it last night in bed trying to break the washers in.
The poster above had described dried thread lock in his Impinda.
I'm leaning towards a bent washer. Sad part is its only 3 days old for me and now I know I'll lose it for 4 weeks sending it back to CRK for new washers. I'm not saying this seller bent the washers. because he represented it as new knife even though it was July 2019 birthdate. My guess is it might have come from the factory like this. I've bought Seb 21's that came with bent washers because CRK includes a wrench and grease which too many owners think the first thing they need to do is break it down and re-grease it. Then they bend a washer putting it back together.

I picked up a small Seb 21 used here for an officemate last year. I was on the phone and the box came in and was sitting on my desk. He walked by and saw it. I'm still on the phone and I watched him open the box, take out the knife and proceed to take it all apart and bent the washers putting it together again . . . all while I was still on the phone.
He lost it for 6 weeks while waiting for CRK to Spa it

 

[expidia1]

On second thought . . . I'm not even going to bother taking this apart. If a washer is bent I'd have to send it in for a Spa anyway. I'd prefer to get CRK's opinion on the hydraulic action of this particular knife. I can send it in from my office overnight Airborne account for $5-6 dollars and use the same Airborne account for them returning it and avoid the CRK $17 return postage fee.
If they deem its operation is normal, they can just send it right back to me again.

I've experienced this type of issue 3 times already when I buy a catch and release CRK over the 20 or so knives that have passed through my fingers as I was building my collection. Saddly, this is always a danger when buying knives in the after market here or on FB.

I'll update the thread after CRK gives me their findings. I have several other slipjoint brands and I was expecting CRK's new model entry to be the BMW of slipjoints as to its overall hydraulic action. The design, build and tolerances of the Impinda IMO is outstanding. I'm 90% positive this particular knife has a bad washer causing its binding up at the 90 degree opening point.

 

[m.and]

I'm sorry you're not 100% satisfied with the action on the Impinda. Since I sold you the knife, I'll chime in here. The knife was purchased brand new from an authorized dealer, by me, on November 26, 2019. As stated in the sales thread I did not carry or use it in any way, let alone take it apart.

The few times that I did open and close it I didn't find the action to be bad in any way, just different. I have owned many slip joint knives from various makers. I also knew what to expect after watching several youtube reviews.

If you watch this review from about the 4:50 mark on you will see he points out the same "increased pull" from about 90 degrees to open.

And in this review (starting at about 11:14) he points out that this knife will never be smooth in the same way as a Sebenza.

If you do end up sending it in to CRK I would be interested to hear what they say.

Best,
Matthew

 

[expidia1]

Hi Matthew. I appreciated that you chimed in. I was never in doubt of how you represented this knife. I even sent you an email of thanks as it is exactly as you described. I bought from you with confidence as I thought your feedback was like 123. I had no way of knowing that “you” purchased it new “yourself”. But just as another poster mentioned above that he thought he was buying new yet his Impinda had issues. I had emailed you as to if you thought the action was binding at 90 degrees? But I figured you had nothing to compare it with to either as this is a new design. The nano oil really helped the initial opening, but its either just the design of that strong spring getting over that 90 degree hump or from what I’ve learned over the years with CRK’s and their bronze washer hydraulic actions I figured it would be a lot smoother for a slipjoint.

Its already in Airborne's pick up box. I’ll let you know what CRK says.

I’ll watch the vids you posted this afternoon.

As to leaving feedback I’ll still leave positive comments for you but I no longer leave feedback first! My rating is probably over 30 but regrettably I’ve left feedback and the other parties you did not do the same for me. And then some got insulted when I emailed them again requesting feedback. Problem with this forum's system is once you leave it you can’t take it back again or delete it.

If CRK says its the way it should be then it will be another catch and release and back on the block it goes. At least I got it from you at a great price, so I’ll just have CRK install a new clip while its there.

 

[Art Lewis]

If it feels gritty on opening, take out and check the pin. It should be smooth and without dents/nicks/notches.

 

[expidia1]

If it feels gritty on opening, take out and check the pin. It should be smooth and without dents/nicks/notches.

Ya I already shipped it off to CRK Art this AM. I’m happy with CRK checking it out. I’ve found a bent washer is not that easy to spot. And if one is bent I’d have to send it in anyway.

 

[expidia1]

Interesting vid on a review of the Impinda. He also mentions his came with a burr on the tension spring causing it to be rough to open. He had to send it back to CRK for them to fix the issue. When you are shipping a lot of any product bugs can get through the final check point.

 

[expidia1]

Update: CRK sent my Impinda back a few days ago. Even though I never held or opened an Impinda I knew right away that this particular knife was not working as CRK designed it to.
Now it opens very easily by the nail nick to start the first stage of opening it. Previous to sending it into CRK one could snap a finger nail with the pressure it took to open it from a totally closed position.
Next is the point where it reaches the 90 degree open where you had to push very hard to get over the hump as the tension spring takes over. Smooth as butter now!
It never was grindy, just a very bindy action at that 90 degree hump.

CRK's explanation for this was not a burr or bent washer. They said non CRK grease or some type of foreign lubricant was built up in the washer holes causing the knife to bind up. When this happens it makes the action even worse not better causing the knife's action to bind up.
I noticed myself that bluish green flakes were falling out of the pivot area my first night opening and closing it, thinking the washers were so new that had not seated or broken in.
I had tried a few drops of nano oil and that helped a little but I could still feel it was not operating correctly.

CRK also said it is not recommended to put any lubricant on the face of the blade that moves on the torsion spring as its not needed and will only serve to catch dirt and wear faster. Makes sense.

Also attached is a pic of their fluorinated grease oozing out of the washers, so it looks like they grease them up pretty good!

I'm a big fan of the Seb 21's and was not really a slip jointer, but this particular Impinda is extremely smooth now as it was designed to be. I highly recommend the Impinda as to its sleekness, beefiness and smooth opening and closing by design.
I even just bought a Ti-Lock "used" which is another slip joint design and its arriving tommorrow.

I really like this Impinda now and I'm glad CRK tuned it up so quickly and shipped it back in just a few days.
Another nice thing about sending a newly aquired CRK knife on various forums is at least I know it was not a counterfit CRK . . . if it was they don't send it back to you

Also regarding the stock overly tight OEM clip . . . CRK bent it back to their OEM position and I was able to once again bend it to just enough light between the clip bump and the handle enough snugness to not destroy dress pants, yet still fit snug and also not to be too tight that it would rip up thicker material jeans. The pic now shows what should be CRK's OEM clip position IMO. TIP: I found using a sharpie cap (the size in the pic) fits over the clip and works well as having something to grip while bending the titanium clip out, yet it leaves no marks like a screwdriver or piece of wood might. If you go too far just remove clip, slide cap back over it and press the other end into a magazine thats flat on a table. Takes a few tries bending it to the best position.

 

[Art Lewis]

To improve the "walk and talk" of the knife futhermore: I polished all contact surfaces of the blade and spring. Takes it from smooth to super smooth. Everything can be improved... even a CRK;-)

 

[expidia1]

Thx Art, good idea. But I hate to screw around with my CRK's as if I resell them at some point, I want them as OEM as possible and represent it as such. I even had CRK send me a new clip for $12 incase I go to resell it, I can put an OEM clip back on it.

 

[Josh K]

To improve the "walk and talk" of the knife futhermore: I polished all contact surfaces of the blade and spring. Takes it from smooth to super smooth. Everything can be improved... even a CRK;-)

Wow.