Making a Hinderer great again

Hi,
Old thread, I know, but I have a question regarding the washers:
The Teflon washers on my 3.5” XM-18 are different sizes. Can I use the 1/4” x 1/2” x .015 PB washers on both sides or do I need a smaller size for the lock side?
Thanks!
 
I discovered this thread this past Thursday night, as I'm looking to rehabilitate an older XM-18 3" model that doesn't flip well at all. I gotta believe that replacing the teflon will help some. Anyway, I've ordered the 1/4" x 1/2" x .015th PB washers from USA Knife Maker, and if they don't fit on the lock side, I'll just work one down with a Dremel, or simply use a diamond stone. It's a cheap enough experiment that I won't feel too bad either way, and it's a good way to pass an evening.
 
I discovered this thread this past Thursday night, as I'm looking to rehabilitate an older XM-18 3" model that doesn't flip well at all. I gotta believe that replacing the teflon will help some. Anyway, I've ordered the 1/4" x 1/2" x .015th PB washers from USA Knife Maker, and if they don't fit on the lock side, I'll just work one down with a Dremel, or simply use a diamond stone. It's a cheap enough experiment that I won't feel too bad either way, and it's a good way to pass an evening.
It won't help with the action... Teflon actually has a lower coefficient of friction than pb. If you want it to flip good you will need to do some detent work.
 
It won't help with the action... Teflon actually has a lower coefficient of friction than pb. If you want it to flip good you will need to do some detent work.

Agreed, but I received the PBs today. I polished them up and put ‘em in. It flips ... okay, about like before, but I actually like this knife for hard(ish) use and EDC. And the PBs did seem to make the centering easier. So I can live with that.

I might mess with the detent, but I’ve got plenty of other bearing-action knives for effortless action. I’ve not carried this Hinderer for a couple years or more, and it’ll be great to have it in the rotation for slightly harder use. I’m not out there digging ditches, but when I’m doing backyard stuff on the weekend or putting up the Xmas lights, I’ll have less compunction about sticking this XM-18 in my pocket.

BTW, Warbow, I used the same sized washer on either side of the pivot. There’s not a lot of clearance on the lock side, but it’s working fine. I don’t see any reason to take any of the edge off other than cosmetics, and I can respect that, but this is fine for my use. Pax!
 
I enjoyed reading through this thread. Thanks for sharing. I, too, have polished PB washers in my hinderer XM-18 Skinner. I like the feel of them a little better. I'm about to take it a notch farther though. I'm going to put multiple washers on each side (thinner ones, of course). Many of the G-10 Spyderco's that I've disassembled have had multiples on each side of the blade. They are all as smooth as butter. I'm curious to see if it will affect it at all.

How did that work with multiple PB washers on each side? Did you compare it to the action with just one PB washer per side?
 
It won't help with the action... Teflon actually has a lower coefficient of friction than pb. If you want it to flip good you will need to do some detent work.

What do you mean by detent work? Bending the lockbar in (towards the blade) or out (away from the blade)?
 
I used the dimensions given above on both sides when I had a Jurassic and they fit just fine.

Thanks for responding and keeping this great thread active!

First, If I buy PB washers, do you think it would be ok to polish them with fine steel wool, instead of the fine grit sandpaper that you used?

Also, I have a Wicked Edge sharpening system (100/200, 400/600, 800/1000 grit diamond stones, 1200/1600 grit super fine ceramic stones, 1.4 micron/.6 micron micro fine ceramic stones, and leather strops with 1/0.5 micron diamond paste). I don’t get the results that you do.
How do you get such beautiful edges?
Do you use these exact stones when sharpening your knives?
Do you progress through each one of these stones to achieve your results?
I’ve used my leather strops with nothing on them. I’ve never put the 1/0.5 micron diamond paste on the strops.
How do you do it!

Thank you!
 
What do you mean by detent work? Bending the lockbar in (towards the blade) or out (away from the blade)?

Lockbar tension adjustment may help, so yes that's part of it. But I'm more meaning having the proper detent ball depth sitting in the hole in the tang so it has high retention when closed and snaps open.
 
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