Lock Bar tension on Sebenza 31

Peter Hartwig said:
I would give them a call 1st, just in case they could help without sending it. They are very easy to deal with .
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Peter, I am calling first thing tomorrow, or Tuesday if tomorrow is a holiday. Of course I would prefer to extend the breaking-in period if that's all that is needed. My problem may be a combination of inexperience and ignorance. /Charles
 
I have adjusted the lockbar on most of my folding knives. Here is the process I use:

After disassembly examine the bend of the lockbar. Some bend from the root, some are bent in the middle, making a much stiffer action. Every Civivi I’ve had has been like this.

Place the liner in a vise with the lockbar above the jaws. I use wood blocks to keep from marring the finish. If the lockbar is bent in the middle you need to straighten it out so you can properly bend it from the root. If you need to do this reset the scale in the vise so that only the portion of the lockbar that you want to bend is sticking out.

To bend it you will need two crescent wrenches. Wrap the jaws of one with tape to prevent scratching the lockbar, then finger tighten it on the lockbar next to where you want to bend. Now use the other crescent wrench on the first one as a lever to turn it, bending the lockbar. The lock bar is surprisingly stiff. Go easy, it might take a few adjustments to get the action you like.
 
Wild Willie said:
It could very well be your detent, that's a big ol' ball that has to wear a ramp into a pretty wear resistant steel. It took a bit for my small 31, but it broke in eventually.
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Willie - Maybe you have hit the nail on the head. When I open and close the knife in an attempt to break it in, I have not been fully closing the knife. I just push the blade back and forth without bothering to close it all the way. Could this explain why the knife initially feels so hard to open but once free it just slides the rest of the way into place? /Charles
 
Charles Carroll said:
Willie - Maybe you have hit the nail on the head. When I open and close the knife in an attempt to break it in, I have not been fully closing the knife. I just push the blade back and forth without bothering to close it all the way. Could this explain why the knife initially feels so hard to open but once out it just slides the rest of the way into place?
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I have a sample size of 1, so I'm no expert. It just seems that the issue you're having is overcoming that particular part of the opening. After having mine for a while, it definitely appears that the ball has made itself a "ramp" for lack of a better term.

Hopefully, your discussion with CS will clear up any doubt.
 
Wild Willie said:
I have a sample size of 1, so I'm no expert. It just seems that the issue you're having is overcoming that particular part of the opening. After having mine for a while, it definitely appears that the ball has made itself a "ramp" for lack of a better term.

Hopefully, your discussion with CS will clear up any doubt.
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Just to let you know I have opened and closed the knife fully about 100 times since I last posted. It is already starting to become easier to open. Can you believe it? Spero lucem post tenebras. (I hope for light after darkness.) Thank-you. /Charles
 
Wild Willie said:
It could very well be your detent, that's a big ol' ball that has to wear a ramp into a pretty wear resistant steel. It took a bit for my small 31, but it broke in eventually.
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As promised I called Chris Reeve this morning and spoke to a young lady named Cher. It turns out that I was right to assume that I have misunderstood the correct way to break-in the two Sebenezas — that is, I have been trying to create the groove for the detent to follow by repetitively opening and closing the knife without the blade’s being fully locked. As a result the groove was never completed, as evidenced that the thumb lug never relaxed its resistance to a push against it.

On a second point, Cher agreed with me that when the blade is perpendicular to the knife and drops smoothly and swiftly and settles with a loud click when the lock bar is released, it is highly unlikely that a washer has been crimped. So she saw no reason to send the knife to Chris Reeve.

Lastly Cher also reminded me that Chris Reeve was there if I needed help. Beautiful knife! Great Company!

Again, thanks for all the help,
/Charles
 
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