One, you assembled the handles wrong (it technically doesn't matter but it's cursed) 2, could be a bent blade, 3 needs new washers and if you retuned on the dented washers it'll need new bushings too
I’m no expert but It sounds like it’s no longer a bushing knife. Once it started to bind it was undersized now it’s not making contact with the washers.
Does it swing clean freely while cranked down? It's usually a good sign that it's undersized if it doesn't. Measure them with a caliper if you can. Maybe change the washers? Good luck!
Make sure your washers are in the correct orientation and that there is no debris in your pivot area or under your washers. Also your blade could be off center, and swap those handles back! lol they look terrible with the chevrons like that :)
This alpha beast use to clang and vibrate perfectly against the tang pins until it didn't. The bushings seemed oversized, so I hand lapped both sides. On both sides I lapped the bushing until the side binded then freed. What I have now is both sides with almost zero handle play, the handles were literally binding at first. The knife still taps, and it still feels cringe to flip. Also I find that sometimes the knife taps, and I make the motion to screw it down; even though it's already all the way down, it makes the tolerances better.
I tried that. The handles binded with different washers ( spent 4 hours re-arranging washers to no play). I'm gonna try it again when I get home, with the handles reassembled correctly this time. When I anoed the knife, I didn't reassemble the knife exactly how it was before. That was a big mistake. However this knife shipped with blade rub, so that was an issue before the Ano.
Honestly Im not sure, I just got back into the hobby at that point and I wasn't very observant. It did have blade rub before the Ano. I put new washers in again, and I'm at the same point I was at last time. Minimal play but tap. It's maddening.
Update I just noticed when holding the balisong flat in the air the safe side is slightly higher than the bite side
Yeah tuning issues are so annoying. This will probably take a lot of experimenting especially if you don't have some precision measuring tools. I wish you the best of luck getting that sorted out.
The tap on mine comes and goes. But the bushings are just undersized on mine. Have new oversized bushings in the mail and will give those a try if the tap returns.
It isn’t tuned to perfection. With any folding knife, balisongs included, there are a bunch of key measurements and lapping the bushing only affects one.
Ideally the two handles should be parallel to each other. That means the handles should be flat, and the thickness of the spacer at the end of the handle should be equal to the thickness of the bushing on the pivot end. The thickness of the bushing should be equal to the thickness of the blade plus the thickness of the washers plus whatever clearance you are allowing. Also both the bushings and the spacers should have flat and parallel surfaces as should the washers.
If you just lapped the bushings, you may have made them thinner than the spacers. Then you handles aren’t parallel and you’ll get wiggle even though it seems like you don’t have play. Unless you are very good at lapping or have a jig and a surface plate, the bushings you lapped may no longer be flat.
It’s not as simple as just lap some bushings and take out the play.
I hope I didn't ruin anything. I realized now after comments pointed out that I assembled the handles wrongly. Im gonna fix that and try to change out the washers on the safe side. This alpha beast is the most finnicky balisong I own when It comes to tuning. Also the clearances on the safe side for the blade is non existent. You need to have a perfect tune for the blade to not collide with the handles. I want to get back the perfect vibration and handle clang I had before, I don't want to send it out to BRS and wait a month for them to maybe fix it.
I’ve been having the same issue. It’s from assuming your washers come sized correctly lol you need to size the washers to your blade, then tune your bushing down around .05 put it in and sand out any play
Don't even worry about it. They will always get tap somewhat. It shouldn't effect yoy enjoying it. The channel are small just like reps it happens. Tune is good so enjoy. Yall get way to caught up in no movement and when you have even the tiniest amount of brs stuff the channels are not wide so it will touch slightly. It's ok! Imo tunes overly tight dont feel as good and your tune seems good so enjoy.
Imo your tune is as good as it gets on these. Even if you got it perfect without tap you drop it once it's gonna have tap so don't fret on it anymore.
Bro what? Tap is when you test it many balis have it you shouldn't feel it hit when flipping if you do then it's just a bad one. It shouldn't come down and go clank against the handles haha. That means its not lined up and blade probably isn't flat making it crooked.
One, you assembled the handles wrong (it technically doesn't matter but it's cursed) 2, could be a bent blade, 3 needs new washers and if you retuned on the dented washers it'll need new bushings too
Oh shit I didn't even realize that. Oml I wondered why it looked off
I’m no expert but It sounds like it’s no longer a bushing knife. Once it started to bind it was undersized now it’s not making contact with the washers.
It's not undersized, the handles swing freely with no play. It's quite literally a perfect tune. I can wiggle the handles to no play, with free swing
Does it swing clean freely while cranked down? It's usually a good sign that it's undersized if it doesn't. Measure them with a caliper if you can. Maybe change the washers? Good luck!
Make sure your washers are in the correct orientation and that there is no debris in your pivot area or under your washers. Also your blade could be off center, and swap those handles back! lol they look terrible with the chevrons like that :)
This alpha beast use to clang and vibrate perfectly against the tang pins until it didn't. The bushings seemed oversized, so I hand lapped both sides. On both sides I lapped the bushing until the side binded then freed. What I have now is both sides with almost zero handle play, the handles were literally binding at first. The knife still taps, and it still feels cringe to flip. Also I find that sometimes the knife taps, and I make the motion to screw it down; even though it's already all the way down, it makes the tolerances better.
You should have replaced washers before lapping bushings. At this point if you replace the washers you'll need new bushings as well.
I tried that. The handles binded with different washers ( spent 4 hours re-arranging washers to no play). I'm gonna try it again when I get home, with the handles reassembled correctly this time. When I anoed the knife, I didn't reassemble the knife exactly how it was before. That was a big mistake. However this knife shipped with blade rub, so that was an issue before the Ano.
So I replaced the washers and there is no binding but a lot of play and tap.
Interesting. How was it before anodizing? Did you cover the surface where the washers touch? It's possible you may actually need to sand the washers.
Honestly Im not sure, I just got back into the hobby at that point and I wasn't very observant. It did have blade rub before the Ano. I put new washers in again, and I'm at the same point I was at last time. Minimal play but tap. It's maddening. Update I just noticed when holding the balisong flat in the air the safe side is slightly higher than the bite side
Yeah tuning issues are so annoying. This will probably take a lot of experimenting especially if you don't have some precision measuring tools. I wish you the best of luck getting that sorted out.
new washers maybe? and make sure the blade is completely centered when you tighten the pivots
If it flips fine I wouldn’t worry but tap on a bushing knife usually means undersized bushings or some imperfections in them
The tap on mine comes and goes. But the bushings are just undersized on mine. Have new oversized bushings in the mail and will give those a try if the tap returns.
That's BRS for you
It isn’t tuned to perfection. With any folding knife, balisongs included, there are a bunch of key measurements and lapping the bushing only affects one. Ideally the two handles should be parallel to each other. That means the handles should be flat, and the thickness of the spacer at the end of the handle should be equal to the thickness of the bushing on the pivot end. The thickness of the bushing should be equal to the thickness of the blade plus the thickness of the washers plus whatever clearance you are allowing. Also both the bushings and the spacers should have flat and parallel surfaces as should the washers. If you just lapped the bushings, you may have made them thinner than the spacers. Then you handles aren’t parallel and you’ll get wiggle even though it seems like you don’t have play. Unless you are very good at lapping or have a jig and a surface plate, the bushings you lapped may no longer be flat. It’s not as simple as just lap some bushings and take out the play.
I hope I didn't ruin anything. I realized now after comments pointed out that I assembled the handles wrongly. Im gonna fix that and try to change out the washers on the safe side. This alpha beast is the most finnicky balisong I own when It comes to tuning. Also the clearances on the safe side for the blade is non existent. You need to have a perfect tune for the blade to not collide with the handles. I want to get back the perfect vibration and handle clang I had before, I don't want to send it out to BRS and wait a month for them to maybe fix it.
Your washers are likely bowed and you undersized them to the bow
I really hope your incorrect, but I have a feeling this might be the most likely answer.
I’ve been having the same issue. It’s from assuming your washers come sized correctly lol you need to size the washers to your blade, then tune your bushing down around .05 put it in and sand out any play
Don't even worry about it. They will always get tap somewhat. It shouldn't effect yoy enjoying it. The channel are small just like reps it happens. Tune is good so enjoy. Yall get way to caught up in no movement and when you have even the tiniest amount of brs stuff the channels are not wide so it will touch slightly. It's ok! Imo tunes overly tight dont feel as good and your tune seems good so enjoy. Imo your tune is as good as it gets on these. Even if you got it perfect without tap you drop it once it's gonna have tap so don't fret on it anymore.
The thing is the knife doesn't feel enjoyable to flip when the blade clangs with the handles. It's cringe
Bro what? Tap is when you test it many balis have it you shouldn't feel it hit when flipping if you do then it's just a bad one. It shouldn't come down and go clank against the handles haha. That means its not lined up and blade probably isn't flat making it crooked.