# Griptilian bladeplay. What's wrong?



## GunnarGG (Aug 23, 2011)

Let’s see if I can explain this in an understandable way. 

I have a Griptilian 551 since a little more than one year. 
It is very hard to open/close unless I open the pivot screw so much that there is a lot of bladeplay.

I then got a mini griptilian a few month ago and noticed the difference. It's very smooth, if I open the axis lock the blade moves freely and there is still no bladeplay at all.

When I measure on my mini griptilian the distance between the liners in the upper part of the knife next to the spacer that stops the blade in open position that distance is 3.35 mm. 
The distance between the liners on the other side, where the finger choil is that is also 3.35mm. 
That means that the liners are parallel, right?

There is no bladeplay at all and that means that the thickness of the blade + the 2 washers is also 3.35 mm (or maybe some 1/100 mm less). The blade swings freely when I hold the axislock. Excellent! 

Now, I make the same measurements on the full size Griptilian:

The distance between the liners in the upper part of the knife next to the spacer that stops the blade in open position is 4.7 mm. 
The blade thickness is 2.85 mm and the washers are 0.6 mm each. 
Total thickness for blade and 2 washers is then 4.05mm. 
That gives a bladeplay of 0.65 mm.

When I tighten the pivot screw the liners comes closer to each other where the pivot screw is but the spacer on top is still 4,7 mm long of course.
That means that the liners are no longer parallel to each other but instead a little V shaped. They then starts to pinch the blade and washers in the lower part and still there is bladeplay in the upper part. If I tighten the screw so much that the bladeplay almost disappears I can not open the knife at all even with two hands.

I emailed Benchmade and they answered that they should send me some other washers to try (I asked if I could fix it myself because I live in Sweden and preferred not to send the knife to them). That’s nice of them but the washers came today and have the same thickness as the original and the problem is then the same. 

So what is then wrong?

I guess the washer thickness is correct, 0.6 mm. 
Is my blade, 2.85 mm, to thin? 
Is the spacer, 4.7 mm, to long?

Maybe I have to send it to Benchmade anyway, but that will cost time and money and maybe problems with custom. I bought it from Midway Sweden and maybe they can help but I have had it for more than a year so I’m not sure about that. I’ll send them an email later.

I have tried to find some washers myself that is a little thicker without success so far, I have also thought about some thinner whashers that I could add to the washers that are already there. 

Is there some of you guys with a nice and smooth Griptilian that could check these measurements and see if they differs from what I get?

Sorry for the long post.


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## GunnarGG (Sep 14, 2011)

Not so much response here...

I'm not asking anybody to disassemble his knife or so.

Please, if you have a Griptilian and a calipper, can you measure:

1: the distance between the liners in the upper part of the knife next to the spacer that stops the blade in open position
2: the distance between the liners on the other side, where the finger choil is (or jimping for the indexfinger).

Inch or mm doesn't matter.

I suspect that the spacer mentioned above may be to long on my knife but I don't know.


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## mahoney (Sep 14, 2011)

There is some flex to the liners so the measurements can vary 0.1mm pretty easily depending on finger pressure on the caliper. So trying to use consistent pressure...measurements from 5 griptilians in mm

[email protected] jimping: 4.15, 4.15, 4.15, 4.10, 4.20
rear @ pin: 4.32, 4.30, 4.45, 4.45, 4.30

It seems like your spacer pin may be too long, perhaps a local machinist can trim it?


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## HotWire (Sep 15, 2011)

I bought a knife from the same company years ago. It never worked right. I sent it back and it was worse when I got it back. I've not purchased a knife from that company since. I recommend a William Henry knife.... but they are very expensive. If the spacers don't work and nothing obvious is the problem I would get an RMA and send it back. Good luck!


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## Lanque (Sep 15, 2011)

I got a Grip 551 a few weeks ago, and I have the same problem. Liner spacing at the spine was 4.7mm, and at the slicing end 4.1mm. Either I have a lot of blade play, or a tight blade, depending of how I adjust it. 
I emailed Benchmade a few days ago, but still no response. From the measurements noted above, I assume its also the spacer pin which is too long. Having bought it from a US dealer, it would be cheaper to buy a new one (which I won't) than send it back from SA. I'll probably attempt to shim it up with an extra 0.5mm washer (or a thicker washer) , of failing that, get the spacer looked at by someone local.


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## GunnarGG (Sep 15, 2011)

Thanks for your input!
It seems to me that mahoney got several Griptilians with a shorter spacer on the knife back. Are your knives smooth and with little or no bladeplay?

Langue, it looks like your knife is like mine.
Today I got 2 pcs of fosfor-bronze plate, 0,2 and 0,3 mm thick and cut out some washers.
If I put in one 0,2 mm on one side and one 0,3 on the other side (and keep the 2 original 0,6 mm) I get it pretty good.
very little blade play and reasonable smooth. I can open the knife easy with the thumbstud and a discrete flick with my hand.
But the blade does not move free if I release the axislock as my minigrip does.
Maybe it's a question of break in now.

I tried to use 2 0,3 mm washers but then it got so wide that the axis lock couldn't be moved.

Those William Henry knives look great but for me those are more art than tools. Even if I could spend that money I don't think I would actually use the knife, I would be afraid of loosing it.

My minigrip is really nice and it's actually also a better size for me. I also have a Spyderco Dragonfly G10 and a Fällkniven U2 that I rotate between.
Those occasions when I find the size of the full size Griptilian possible to carry I often also have a Mora or Hultafors HVK or GK at hand. (These Hultafors knives are btw really good beaters)

To be really honest my little Victorinox Rambler is enough for me but my other knives are so nice that I have to carry them to. 

Well, to sum it up I think my Griptillian works acceptible now and it is a nice and comfortable knife with a good blade.
It's just a shame that it needs this kind of mod to work well.
I'm sure though that Benchmade would have helped me if I actually did send it in.


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## mahoney (Sep 16, 2011)

All my Griptilians have no blade play, all open smoothly. I adjusted the pivots so all can be flicked closed , but while some can be flicked open, some must be opened using the thumbstud/hole.


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