Just an ordinary pad?

13. května 2024

We recently received a question from a customer asking what kind of pads Mikov uses on the Predator knife. And it's an important question. Most of the time, we're interested in what's visible at first glance - the blade, the blade guard, or the bolsters. But there are other components on the knife. They're hidden, inconspicuous, and yet, if they were missing, the knife wouldn't work properly. The liner is a typical representative of them.

Washers as we know them today, simple metal rings, began to appear with the development of industry, especially in bolted connections. Over time, however, it was also discovered that when used in closing knives, they would make the knife open better and wear less. These washers at the axis around which the blade rotates tend to be steel, bronze, ceramic or Teflon. And these are what Mikov has in its knives.
Teflon, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), was accidentally discovered in 1938 by Roy Plunkett of DuPont while trying to find a new cooling gas. During World War II, Teflon was applied in the military industry, primarily for coating seals and valves in equipment that was exposed to aggressive chemicals and extreme temperatures. It was not until the 1980s that Teflon washers were introduced into knives.
The main reason Mikov chose Teflon washers is that they have a very low coefficient of friction, which ensures smooth opening and closing of the knife. This is important with all knives, but especially so with the Predator throwing knife. Teflon is also resistant to corrosion and chemicals, is also very lightweight, absorbs vibration well and needs no maintenance