Pivot System - Revision history

DexyStorm: add info on how to convert to bushings

2026-07-04T16:47:18Z

add info on how to convert to bushings

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 When you are disassembling an already assembled [[washer]] only balisong, make sure to note the orientation of each [[washer]] and reassemble everything exactly as it was. There is an exception: Sometimes phosphor bronze washers come with a smooth/rounded and a rough/blocky side. The smooth side should always face the blade to ensure a smooth swing and prevent binding. Some manifacturers overlook this detail and install the washers incorrectly. In that case you should flip the [[washer]] so the smooth side faces the blade.
 ==Bushing==
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 The only difference between a [[Pivot_System#Bushing|Traditional Bushing system]] and the Floating Washer system, is that in the Floating Washer system, the washers go around the bushing, "floating" in-between the handle and blade.
-===Tuning floating bushings===
+===Tuning Floating Bushings===
 ==Bearing==
 ==Checking Tolerances==
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 ====Wiggle Test On One Handle====
-To check for wiggle only on one handle, hold the balisong in the exact same way as described in the previous chapter [[Wiggle Test On Both Handles|#Wiggle Test On Both Handles]]. Now drop the lower handle so that it touches your palm and pinch the blade between your index and thumb, but be careful not to cut yourself. The blade should be inside the channel of the handle that is higher up. Now shake the balisong forwards and backwards quickly. If you can feel the balisong rattling/moving, you have play. If you can hear a "clicking/tapping" sound, then you have [[tap]].
+To check for wiggle only on one handle, hold the balisong in the exact same way as described in the previous chapter [[Wiggle Test On Both Handles|#Wiggle Test On Both Handles]]. Now drop the lower handle so that it touches your palm and pinch the blade between your index and thumb, but be careful not to cut yourself. The blade should be inside the channel of the handle that is higher up. Now shake the balisong forwards and backwards quickly. If you can feel the balisong rattling/moving, you have play. If you can hear a "clicking/tapping" sound, then you have [[

DexyStorm: add info on what's different between traditional bushing system and floating washer system

2026-07-04T16:23:48Z

add info on what's different between traditional bushing system and floating washer system

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:23, 4 July 2026
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	==Floating Washer==		==Floating Washer==

			The only difference between a [[Pivot_System#Bushing\|Traditional Bushing system]] and the Floating Washer system, is that in the Floating Washer system, the washers go around the bushing, "floating" in-between the handle and blade.

	===Tuning floating bushings===		===Tuning floating bushings===

DexyStorm: fix linking

2026-05-26T14:43:27Z

fix linking

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:43, 26 May 2026
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	If you have confirmed that your bushing is undersized but you still have a lot of play when you crank the screws, then your sex bolt is probably too long.		If you have confirmed that your bushing is undersized but you still have a lot of play when you crank the screws, then your sex bolt is probably too long.
	The sex bolt should not extend past the second handle halve, but rather sit recessed within it.<br>		The sex bolt should not extend past the second handle halve, but rather sit recessed within it.<br>
	To shorten the sex bolt, just use the same technique as described in the [[Lapping Methods]] chapters.		To shorten the sex bolt, just use the same technique as described in the [[#Lapping Methods]] chapters.

	====Unexpected Binding====		====Unexpected Binding====

DexyStorm: add Loose Tolerances With Undersized Bushing

2026-05-26T14:42:31Z

add Loose Tolerances With Undersized Bushing

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:42, 26 May 2026
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	If your handles shift or "click" forward and backward (towards or away from the blade when your balisong is open), the [[#Outer Diameter]] of your bushing is likely too small.		If your handles shift or "click" forward and backward (towards or away from the blade when your balisong is open), the [[#Outer Diameter]] of your bushing is likely too small.

			====Loose Tolerances With Undersized Bushing====

			If you have confirmed that your bushing is undersized but you still have a lot of play when you crank the screws, then your sex bolt is probably too long.
			The sex bolt should not extend past the second handle halve, but rather sit recessed within it.<br>
			To shorten the sex bolt, just use the same technique as described in the [[Lapping Methods]] chapters.

	====Unexpected Binding====		====Unexpected Binding====

DexyStorm: change Washer in header from plural to singular

2026-05-26T11:02:16Z

change Washer in header from plural to singular

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:02, 26 May 2026
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	Assemble your pivot lap as described in [[Pivot_System#KnifeDogs_Pivot_Lap]] and apply lots of pressure to the puck and '''almost no pressure at all''' on the plunger. Do lots of passes, around 50-100 depending on how uneven your bushing is and how far away from the target thickness you are and use the same technique of rotating the entire assembly after some amount of motions, as described in the [[#By Hand]] chapter. The flat surface of the pivot lap and low pressure of the plunger which rests on top of the bushing will make sure that almost all of the pressure is only applied to the thicker side of the bushing.		Assemble your pivot lap as described in [[Pivot_System#KnifeDogs_Pivot_Lap]] and apply lots of pressure to the puck and '''almost no pressure at all''' on the plunger. Do lots of passes, around 50-100 depending on how uneven your bushing is and how far away from the target thickness you are and use the same technique of rotating the entire assembly after some amount of motions, as described in the [[#By Hand]] chapter. The flat surface of the pivot lap and low pressure of the plunger which rests on top of the bushing will make sure that almost all of the pressure is only applied to the thicker side of the bushing.

	=====Uneven ~~Washers~~=====		=====Uneven Washer=====

	Washers usually do not become uneven on their own, especially if they are stainless steel washers, but just like with uneven bushings, uneven washers can also cause binding. As with an [[#Uneven_Bushing]], you can try sanding the side of the [[washer]] that is thicker. However, removing too much material can lead to other issues, such as the chanwich seam on [[Squid_Industries_Tsunami\|Tsunamis]] opening up. In most cases, you're better off simply replacing the washer.		Washers usually do not become uneven on their own, especially if they are stainless steel washers, but just like with uneven bushings, uneven washers can also cause binding. As with an [[#Uneven_Bushing]], you can try sanding the side of the [[washer]] that is thicker. However, removing too much material can lead to other issues, such as the chanwich seam on [[Squid_Industries_Tsunami\|Tsunamis]] opening up. In most cases, you're better off simply replacing the washer.

DexyStorm: fix linking

2026-05-11T10:50:39Z

fix linking

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:50, 11 May 2026
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	To see a list of which balisongs use which type of bushing, check out the [[Balisong_list\|balisong list]].<br>		To see a list of which balisongs use which type of bushing, check out the [[Balisong_list\|balisong list]].<br>

	While some of those differences may looks small (for example: 6.985 vs 7.052), they can still dictate whether a bushing might or might not fit inside the bushing hole of a [[blade]]. You can use a smaller bushing for a larger bushing hole (for example 6.985 inside a blade that needs 7.052) but that will introduce problems described in [[~~Tune~~#Handles Move Forwards And Backwards]].		While some of those differences may looks small (for example: 6.985 vs 7.052), they can still dictate whether a bushing might or might not fit inside the bushing hole of a [[blade]]. You can use a smaller bushing for a larger bushing hole (for example 6.985 inside a blade that needs 7.052) but that will introduce problems described in [[Pivot_System#Handles Move Forwards And Backwards]].

	====Length====		====Length====

DexyStorm: reordered bushing measurements to be alphabetical

2026-05-02T10:35:01Z

reordered bushing measurements to be alphabetical

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:35, 2 May 2026
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	===Sizes===		===Sizes===

	Bushings have 3 measurements: ~~[[Outer_Diameter\|outer diameter]]~~, ~~[[Inner_Diameter\|~~inner diameter~~]],~~ and ~~[[Height\|height]]~~.		Bushings have 3 measurements: height, inner diameter and outer diameter.

	====Inner Diameter====		====Inner Diameter====

DexyStorm: add video of visual demonstration on how the bushing system works

2026-05-02T07:03:47Z

add video of visual demonstration on how the bushing system works

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:03, 2 May 2026
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	The bushing pivot system is sometimes also called "traditional bushing system" or "normal bushing system" because there is another pivot system that uses bushings, the [[Floating_Washer\|floating washer]] system. However, since the traditional bushing system is by far the most common pivot system, people will assume you're reffering to traditional bushings, when you meantion "bushing".		The bushing pivot system is sometimes also called "traditional bushing system" or "normal bushing system" because there is another pivot system that uses bushings, the [[Floating_Washer\|floating washer]] system. However, since the traditional bushing system is by far the most common pivot system, people will assume you're reffering to traditional bushings, when you meantion "bushing".

	In a traditional bushing system, the bushing goes inside the [[blade]]'s pivot hole and gets sandwiched by two [[Washer\|washers]] on each side. This washer-bushing(which is inside the blade)-washer assembly is then clamped between the two handle halves. A sexbolt passes through the entire stack: handle-washer-bushing(which is inside the blade)-washer-handle, to keep it from fallig apart. A pivot screw is screwed in from the other side to keep the sexbolt from falling out. At this point, the sexbolt, washers, bushing, handles and screw function as a single, solid unit, meaning they move together without any friction between them. The blade acts as a second independent component, meaning it is allowed to freely swing around the handles. The only friction in this systems is between the washers and the blade and between the outer diameter of the bushing and the blade as the bushing "scrapes" against the insides of the bushing holes of the blade.		In a traditional bushing system, the bushing goes inside the [[blade]]'s pivot hole and gets sandwiched by two [[Washer\|washers]] on each side. This washer-bushing(which is inside the blade)-washer assembly is then clamped between the two handle halves. A sexbolt passes through the entire stack: handle-washer-bushing(which is inside the blade)-washer-handle, to keep it from fallig apart. A pivot screw is screwed in from the other side to keep the sexbolt from falling out. At this point, the sexbolt, washers, bushing, handles and screw function as a single, solid unit, meaning they move together without any friction between them. The blade acts as a second independent component, meaning it is allowed to freely swing around the handles. The only friction in this systems is between the washers and the blade and between the outer diameter of the bushing and the blade as the bushing "scrapes" against the insides of the bushing holes of the blade. For a visual demonstration, watch this video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRuyf2VN92A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRuyf2VN92A].

	===Sizes===		===Sizes===

DexyStorm: fixed small typo

2026-04-08T05:07:44Z

fixed small typo

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:07, 8 April 2026
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	The KnifeDogs pivot lap includes one puck, multiple adapters and multiple plungers. Every plunger fits exactly one adapter perfectly.		The KnifeDogs pivot lap includes one puck, multiple adapters and multiple plungers. Every plunger fits exactly one adapter perfectly.

	To begin, you first need to figure out which adapter fits your bushing. Start by try placing your bushing insde one of the the adapters. If the adapter hole is too small, try one one with a larger hole. If the bushing is loose inisde the adapter, pick an adapter with a smaller hole. If your bushing fits perfectly inside the adapter with little to no wiggle, you have the correct adapter. Next, you need to find the correct plunger. Use the same process as before, ~~but instead~~ but instead of putting the bushing into the adapter, you need to try putting the plunger into the adapter.		To begin, you first need to figure out which adapter fits your bushing. Start by try placing your bushing insde one of the the adapters. If the adapter hole is too small, try one one with a larger hole. If the bushing is loose inisde the adapter, pick an adapter with a smaller hole. If your bushing fits perfectly inside the adapter with little to no wiggle, you have the correct adapter. Next, you need to find the correct plunger. Use the same process as before, but instead of putting the bushing into the adapter, you need to try putting the plunger into the adapter.

	After you have found the correct adapter and plunger, place the puck on worn out 600-800 grit sand paper with the logo/text "KNIFEDOGS PIVOT LAP" facing toward you. It is very important that your sandpaper is already very worn out, as wearing the sandpaper out will create a much more even surface which will make producing even bushings much easier. Insert the adapter into the puck and place your bushing inside the adapter with the side that you want to sand, facing downward. Next, insert the plunger into the adapter so it sits on top of the bushing.		After you have found the correct adapter and plunger, place the puck on worn out 600-800 grit sand paper with the logo/text "KNIFEDOGS PIVOT LAP" facing toward you. It is very important that your sandpaper is already very worn out, as wearing the sandpaper out will create a much more even surface which will make producing even bushings much easier. Insert the adapter into the puck and place your bushing inside the adapter with the side that you want to sand, facing downward. Next, insert the plunger into the adapter so it sits on top of the bushing.

DexyStorm: added info that reusing washers is bad

2026-02-26T06:12:33Z

added info that reusing washers is bad

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:12, 26 February 2026
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	Phosphor bronze or brass Washers will wear down with time and they will develop a groove in the center due to the pressure from the bushing. When you reassemble your balisong, it's pretty much impossible to align the bushing perfectly with that groove again. As a result, one side of the [[washer]] will press harder against the blade than the other, which can lead to binding.		Phosphor bronze or brass Washers will wear down with time and they will develop a groove in the center due to the pressure from the bushing. When you reassemble your balisong, it's pretty much impossible to align the bushing perfectly with that groove again. As a result, one side of the [[washer]] will press harder against the blade than the other, which can lead to binding.

	To fix this issue, you can lightly sand both sides of the [[washer]] with a high grit [[#Lapping_Surface]] until the wear marks are completely gone. This usually only takes a couple of circles or figure-eights per side, as phosphor bronze and brass is a lot softer than stainless steel. After that, you can [[Strop]] the surface of the washer. Do about 100 circles or figure-eights per side. Stropping removes almost no, if any material, but helps to refine the surface further. After stropping, your washers should have a reflective finish, though not quite necessarily a full mirror polish.		To fix this issue, you should use new washers every time you re-assemble your balisong. This however can get very expensive very fast and is unnecessary if your tune is not tight. Instead you can try to lightly sand both sides of the [[washer]] with a high grit [[#Lapping_Surface]] until the wear marks are completely gone. This usually only takes a couple of circles or figure-eights per side, as phosphor bronze and brass is a lot softer than stainless steel. After that, you can [[Strop]] the surface of the washer. Do about 100 circles or figure-eights per side. Stropping removes almost no, if any material, but helps to refine the surface further. After stropping, your washers should have a reflective finish, though not quite necessarily a full mirror polish.

	You can also try applying pressure to the pivot area as if you were trying to snap the handles off the blade. For a visual demonstration, watch this video: [https://youtu.be/tcGMmcxFaQM?feature=shared&t=1316 https://youtu.be/tcGMmcxFaQM?feature=shared&t=1316] and jump to the 21:56 mark.		You can also try applying pressure to the pivot area as if you were trying to snap the handles off the blade. For a visual demonstration, watch this video: [https://youtu.be/tcGMmcxFaQM?feature=shared&t=1316 https://youtu.be/tcGMmcxFaQM?feature=shared&t=1316] and jump to the 21:56 mark.