Slip Joint Centering

Lance Leon

Lance Leon

Joined
May 3, 2017
Messages
900
I'm new to this sub-forum, so excuse me if this is a topic that's been covered already.

I have a Pena custom slip joint that's got an off center blade, and I was wondering how to go about getting it centered. My first choice would've been to have Pena fix it, but he didn't reply to my email after I sent him a photo of the centering. It's not touching the liners, but centering is something I'm really neurotic about.

I've seen some mention of 'crinking', but I don't know what exactly that involves. I'm also wondering if there's anyone whom I could send the knife to for fixing - I've sent my modern/locking folders to Josh at Razor Edge Knives before, but I don't know of an equivalent service provider in the traditional realm.
 
Timely!
I just got a slip joint of which blade is off-center as well.
I am following this with a great interest.
 
Well, Enrique just responded to my email, so hopefully I'll get it fixed that way. Still, if anyone wants to chime in for curiosity's sake and to help miso2, that'd be cool.
 
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I see that tweaking the kick would change the centering, from GEC factory video.
So, I am going to sand the kick for a slip joint knife, of which the blade is not centered.
Can anyone tell me whether I should sane the same side as the blade is biased to?
Or is it the other way around?
 
Off center does not affect the way it cuts, opens or closes. It is merely cosmetic. Even if I find a folding knife of mine is rubbing the liner as it
closes, that doesn't bother me. DM
 
David Martin said:
Off center does not affect the way it cuts, opens or closes. It is merely cosmetic. Even if I find a folding knife of mine is rubbing the liner as it
closes, that doesn't bother me. DM
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True, it doesn't affect functionality (assuming the blade isn't rubbing the liners). Nonetheless, off center blades do bother me, especially since the knives I own are customs and cost a significant amount of money - there's an expectation that goes along with the cost that they would be well built and finished.
 
Custom knives are & should be at a higher level. On those I would expect the blade to not be touching the liner. DM
 
miso2 said:
I see that tweaking the kick would change the centering, from GEC factory video.
So, I am going to sand the kick for a slip joint knife, of which the blade is not centered.
Can anyone tell me whether I should sane the same side as the blade is biased to?
Or is it the other way around?
Click to expand...

Sanding or filing the kick will not affect centering.... Modifying the kick affects the height of the blade in the blade well... If you want to center the blade it needs crinked which will move it left or right..... Do a search for crinking... There is info describing the process...
 
Lance Leon said:
True, it doesn't affect functionality (assuming the blade isn't rubbing the liners). Nonetheless, off center blades do bother me, especially since the knives I own are customs and cost a significant amount of money - there's an expectation that goes along with the cost that they would be well built and finished.
Click to expand...

Exactly - seems to me that a custom knife should be centered - just an aspect of good work. I don't understand how a custom maker could deliver an off centered blade folder and call it finished. :confused:

What are the dynamics (other than using the blade for prying) that would make a centered blade (particularly a pinned slip joint, rather than a screwed pivot folder) drift overtime? I have walked away from a lot of otherwise beautiful knives because the centering wasn't. :(

Ray
 
RayseM said:
Exactly - seems to me that a custom knife should be centered - just an aspect of good work. I don't understand how a custom maker could deliver an off centered blade folder and call it finished. :confused:

What are the dynamics (other than using the blade for prying) that would make a centered blade (particularly a pinned slip joint, rather than a screwed pivot folder) drift overtime? I have walked away from a lot of otherwise beautiful knives because the centering wasn't. :(

Ray
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Agreed. A lot of knives on the exchange pique my interest, but then I see an off center blade and lose all desire to purchase.

I will be fair to Pena though - it's not terribly bad centering, just a tad off. It didn't rub the liners and it was otherwise immaculate. He's also asked for the knife to be sent to him; hopefully I'll get a perfect knife back.
 
RayseM said:
What are the dynamics (other than using the blade for prying) that would make a centered blade (particularly a pinned slip joint, rather than a screwed pivot folder) drift overtime? I have walked away from a lot of otherwise beautiful knives because the centering wasn't. :(

Ray
Click to expand...
Hey Ray,
Well it might be an obvious answer, but I have a Boker Barlow slipjoint that suffered a drop on a tile floor and has not been the same since-- way off center. It only fell from the height of being seated in a chair when it slipped out of my hands.
Big bummer. I've tried crinking it, but it ain't working.
:(
 
Hi Don - I get the drop and bend potential but what mystifies me is how a blade might drift from centered to not. Will a new blade that is a bit tight on the pull - 7 and over - if not used, not really broken in over the years, move away from centered just because of the tension of the pivot? If you don't use - will you lose it - centering, that is?

Ray
 
I would be leery of crinking if, iirc pena fully hardens his blades unlike most traditional which have a soft tang (maybe @Sharp & Fiery can chime in more, just recently learned this from him).
 
Pinemoon said:
Can you post this video or share a link?
Click to expand...

At about 15 min, the owner explains how to adjust blade centering with a kick press.
I thought that is to modify the kick shape, but realized at a re-review that he clearly mentions to kink the blade at the tang.
So I guess that is "crinking" you guys are talking about.
 
miso2 said:
At about 15 min, the owner explains how to adjust blade centering with a kick press.
I thought that is to modify the kick shape, but realized at a re-review that he clearly mentions to kink the blade at the tang.
So I guess that is "crinking" you guys are talking about.
Click to expand...
Thanks, yeah he appears to be doing something to the kick area with that press. Too bad it's not shown really in any way what exactly is happening. He does mention the tang is "pre-softened" (annealed) allowing for some adjustment. This was discussed as an important factor in the other thread. Not all manufacturers take this extra step it seems.
 
I have attempted to bend mine several times, to no avail.
No change in the centering.

Then, I stumbled upon two videos yesterday on this very topic!

Immediately, I tried this "hammering on the blade" method.
It worked on a 62 HRc blade!
(I don't know if the tang is softened on this one)
It took about 5 min.

Try at your own risk.
 
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The term is "crinking." It's bending the blade.
The kick has nothing to do with blade centering. It's purpose is to keep the edge off of the backspring.
Leave the kick alone.
 
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