TLC Time

And today....

Always suspected its an internal stop pin for the lack of an external visible one on this knife, the 100 piece collaboration, Tetra. But a pivot bushing! Wow! I certainly didn't expect that.. For all the Shirogorov I had.. this would be a first with such an assembly.. I was aware some of their knives were with bushing but never knew all the specific ones.

Next came the washer.. hmmm funny shape with a cutout.



 Simple enough to put it back eh... or so I thought... and good thing I have not 1 but 2 of those club shaped bits... to help counter torque as things start to tighten...

Some knives behave nice and will simply
center upon pivot and back screws being assembled back without much fuss. afterwhich it is just a matter of fine tuning  the pivot tension right. Anymore desired will most likely need a tweak to lock bar tension or mucking with detent ball and tracks etc.

Some knives are more finicky and centers well only when assembled in an open position

Only problem was  no matter which way I try, there is a horrible amount of play of the blade between the handles when screw was already tight and there is no way to over tighten with a bushing assembly.

Tried doing it with blade close, open in locked up position and open with lock pushed aside like in pic.. in a bid to keep blade centered before screwing in to tighten

Zilch -- and the blade will stay rubbed on non lock side as the lock pushes against it when closed.

Troubleshooting:

(a) washer is worn too thin and bushing is extended now as a result?

(b) over clamped when in the vice?

(c) washer somehow was dropped away from pivot hole when assembling?

Nope.. all was good and only lightly slotted the backend on the vice., hardly any pressure at all?

The play...

about to give up... thinking of the worse scenario is finding a way to send it back to factory... Something that I really dread.

Break!

Came home and took it apart again.. then I started to think if the cutout bit on the washer means it has to be fitted in a specific position.

Place them on and turn. Bingo! the Cut out fits nicely to the stop pin. As I slowly move the blade.. the entire washer is now rotating. Something that just doesn't happen with most washer knives!

Proceeded to put everything back together with the washer cut out positioned against the stop pin and tighten.

Bingo! Knife was back in order. Almost perfect and "self centering" as pivot tension kicks in.
As what was mentioned somewhere, bushing system can't be overtightened. The adjustable range of the pivot tension is really narrow after  the full assembly but yup, everything is back in order now.