PM2 became gritty

[qazy]

I have 2 month old camo PM2 that has barely any use. I was flicking it today and all of the sudden it became very gritty.
Opening and closing the blade require more force and you can hear the friction noise. However, when the compression lock is pressed the action is very smooth both ways without any friction.
Loosening the pivot screw did not help. It just made the unlocked action smoother - "free falling".

Anybody experienced this? How can it be fixed?

[ABX2011]

You need to lube the ball (detent).

[PayneTrain]

Agreed, sounds like it's a problem with the detent ball. Clean and lube it, and see if that helps. Make sure to clean the tang where it rides too, as the contamination may be there too. Heck, clean out the whole pivot while you're at it. Hot water and good pressure to flush it out, then make sure it dries completely before lubing. Don't lube a wet knife! Oil is thinner than water, floats on top of it, and can prevent it from evaporating.

[qazy]

I will try lubing it. Do I need to disasmble the knife or squeezing some into the gaps should be enough?

[jpm2]

Try first without disassembling. Just flush the area with wd40 if you're afraid of water.

[PayneTrain]

Yeah no need to disassemble, especially with the open construction of the PM2. I advise against WD40, as it leaves a film when it dries. Occasional use isn't bad, but over time it builds up. Proper penetrating lubricants aren't a bad idea to flush with, especially when sprayed from a can. Still, hot soapy water is fine. It's what I do.

[Fred Sanford]

ZERO need to disassemble.

Just oil it. You dont' need much. Spray it out with compressed air first and then oil.

[awa54]

ZERO need to disassemble.

Just oil it. You dont' need much. Spray it out with compressed air first and then oil.

I'd go with the air blaster before adding oil (if oil is needed at all)... when you put oil on grit, you get a grit slurry and that'll grind the detent ball down quicker than dry grit.

[qazy]

It worked. Thanks all.