First off this thread will be fairly technical on the basis of knife technologies. This could even be compared to the whole debate on steel lock bar inserts. So to the main point, I’m starting to see a possible fault in the design of ball bearing picked in knives, like KVT or IKBS. It seems that through hard use or extended use over time the ball bearings would grind a groove in the frame of the knife especially if that frame was titanium or non heat-treated steel. This brings me mw to my rational on the topic The standard titanium used in knives is 6Al4V titanium which has a Rockwell hardness of 35-40 depending on the maker Most ball bearings are made of either 440c, 52100, or ceramic, 440c bearings are hardened to 58 Rockwell, 52100 bearings are a little harder at 60 Rockwell, and ceramics are much higher on a whole different scale since it is essentially a rock. Blade steels vary in hardness from high 50’s to low 60’s. The hardness of all of these pose a problem to me, the small hard contact points of the bearings should and will indent the softer titanium frame eventually wearing the material down and thus creating blade play or rendering the knife useless. There’s even a video out there showing bits of titanium grind out of the frame effecting the blade’s action. Sure it’s a nice feature and all, I mean who doesn’t like their knife to fly out easily and smoothly, but I’m not sure if the engineering behind it completely weighed out the pros and cons. Although it may prove no issue to the knife at all, but maybe some of the individuals out there with well used bearing pivot knives or even the Umnumzaan or Sebenza 25 owners at there can chime in as to the ceramic detent ball’s effect on the lock. So is there anything you all could add a counter argument or anything? I think I might want to get rid of all my knives with bearings because of this information. . .