Torx screwdrivers for SRM knives? Yeah, right!

I'm starting to think that maybe even the Exduct screwdriver would not work on the SRM B4-735. I mean, it probably works for a lot of SanRenMu knives, but I have two different T6 and T10 screwdriver bits and they don't fit. I think I need to track down someone that has actually taken a B4-735 apart. Also, I could contact Exduct to see what they think would work.

Can you make a macro photo of the screw in question?

When i can't find the right bit i take a budget bit (the one with the nearest measure) and simply mod it with a file or with a grinding wheel.

I took some regular photos and they turned out horrible. Can I take a macro photo with a Canon Powershot A590 IS?

I can with my IXUS 80 , there is that flower symbol button which activates macro mode but unzoom first.... you can go very close to the object, like 5-20 cm .... manual of your cam page 61... you should get something like this:

Here's my best macro shot so far. I didn't read the manual (yet). I'm pretty sure a tripod would have made the picture better. Also, the screw on the left is somewhat stripped.

That doesn't look like torx. It looks like hex key. Now the question is: "is it metric or not"?.

More about hex: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hex_key

Thanks for the pics, that helps a lot. I think like rzezniq that this is a hex screw of the metric kind ... probably the 1.5 or 2 mm version like on the clip/pivot screws on my SRMs. If you are lucky a 1/16" hex also fits... but that is not the case on all the SRMs I tried. I have a bit set that sports all hex kinds, both metric and inch. Do you have a well well-assorted hardware store nearby, where you can try them out?

I know it's not a Star1.5mm, Star2.0mm, Hex2.5, or bigger Hex. It could very well be Hex1.5 or Hex2.0 as I don't have those. Not a Torx screw, hmm? I obviously would have never guessed... Tomorrow I see the dentist and afterwards I can check out Wal-Mart as it's practically next door. They probably have small hex keys. By the way, the first macro photo doesn't show it very well but the stripped hex screw on the left looks a lot like a Torx screw in person.

The mystery of the phantom Torx screw has been solved... And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids.

I found my hex keys! I was looking for them about a month and a half ago when I first tried to tweak my SanRenMu 735. I couldn't find them, but then for some crazy reason I thought I need Torx keys. (Darn you Exduct!) Actually my mother knew where the hex keys were in the garage the whole time.

I've got English and Metric. My knife required the two smallest English hex keys I've got. I removed the screws and the knife still doesn't flip open. Maybe some WD-40 will fix that?

Ah so that's an hex key !! we call them allen keys over here :-)

I hope that you don't have the problem, that I still have with my 908. Does it move more easily, if you hold down the liner manually? I have the suspicion that this might be an issue on some coated blades from SRM. I am still waiting for my SRM 939, which will also have a coating.

A lot of SRMs use metric hex wrenches. As to your knife being a little slow to deploy, some of the SRMs that are coated needed to be oiled and broken in by opening and closing them a few dozen times to get the washers in a nice groove. This is pretty normal for a lot of knives - Spydercos ALWAYS need a break in period, as do a lot of Cold Steel knives.

I have a different problem now. Once I had the right hex keys, disassembling the knife was easy. Two screws hold the clip onto the knife and the three main screws hold the knife together. I removed all the screws, and now I can't reassemble the knife. So I may have wasted a $9 knife. I can still try to put it back together, but the knife isn't cooperating. Lesson learned.

Please don't give up and take some pics along the way of trying to put it back together. Might be educational...

I think the most crucial thing is the placing of the teflon/bronze washers.

What's the problem you're having with reassembly?

Luckily I still have the placement of the teflon/bronze washers in the original order. In fact I think I have all the pieces in the proper order. The problem I'm having is pressing the knife pieces together and attaching the screws. If I could find a reassembly video online, that would probably do the trick. But I'm not worried about it any more. I'll give it another shot tomorrow.

I think I kinda know what you're doing... when you re-assemble a knife that has a frame or liner lock, you need to reassemble the knife with the blade in the fully opened position, otherwise the lock will push the blade out of position and make it nearly impossible to put back together as the alignment of the scales will be off.

I've assembled/disassembled about a zillion different knives in my lifetime, so try this sequence. You should wipe down everything with some non-linting cloth before you reassemble and add some lubricant (lithium grease if you have it, mineral oil also works very well and is food safe). A very light coating is all you need.

1. First take the non-lockbar scale (the side with the engraving) and insert the pivot pin. There should be a slight flat to the pin to keep it from rotating.

2. Press the stop pin in to place (the unthreaded pin that the blade pushes against when opened). Press in to place any other unthreaded pins. Press the back spacer in to place on any pressed-in pins.

3. Put the washer on the pivot, and then blade in the fully open position, and then the second washer.

4. Add back the second scale, taking care to make sure that the lock bar stays on the left side of the blade (blade forward and open, looking down). Line it up using any pressed stop pins and the pivot. Add the male pivot screw and very lightly screw it down, but don't tighten it fully.

5. Line up any pressed-in pins and use a rubber mallet or something similar to set them in the scale.

6. Install the frame screws, back to front. If the back spacer isn't lined up perfectly, use a small screwdriver to push it in to place as you insert the screws. Tighten them down fully.

7. Remove the male pivot screw, and add a threadlocker. Re-install the male pivot screw and adjust the tension until you have it where you want. You have 5-6 minutes of working before the threadlocker sets. It's not completely necessary to use thread locker, but it's helpful for the pivot screw. It's not necessary for the frame screws.

Add inbus to the names list from me. :)