Microtech H.A.L.O. Assembly

You know you shouldn't take apart your Microtech H.A.L.O. knife -- it's got a lifetime warranty if anything is wrong, and they are built so well they aren't going to break. But if you must -- you must see what is inside -- or clean out all the chocolate syrup you got in it -- a tip or two.

This information is from me, not endorsed by Microtech in any way. I do not warrant it in any way, shape, or form. If you are not qualified to work on knives of this type -- don't. Microtech and H.A.L.O. are likely registered trademarks.

Parts List

(8) Cap-Head Screws (all the same)
(1) Unlock Button
(1) Unlock Button Spring (under it)
(1) Blade with two pressed in pins
(1) Bottom Side Plate (with detents)
(1) Top Side Plate (with Unlock Button hole and track for Blade Retractor)
(1) Blade Retractor
(1) Main Spring
(2) Spring End Caps
(1) Spring Rod

These are all the parts you will have when you remove the 8 screws holding it all together. The pins could be pressed out of the Blade if you were deluded, and the detents (2) and their springs (2) can be removed from the Bottom Side Plate by driving out the retaining pins (2) from the outside.

When you take this knife apart the Main Spring, Spring End Caps, and the Spring Rod will fly out across the room unless you are very careful to capture them. The entire challenge to working on this knife, from assembly to disassembly, is to not lose these pieces by letting them fly off to parts unknown. Be careful, planned, and deliberate in your actions. You might even want to work with your hands and all the parts inside a large, clear plastic bag.

Reassembly

Lay the Bottom Side Plate down in front of you.
Install the Blade in the retracted position -- the circular cutout on top of the blade should line up with the hole for the Unlock Button. I put a drop of oil on each side of the Blade in the area where the pins are pressed into it.
Install the Unlock Button and Unlock Button Spring. I use a drop of oil on both sections of the Unlock Button.
Note the rectangular area cut-out in the blade to the left, cut out in the Bottom Side Plate to the right, about 1" overall. This is where you will be installing the Spring Assembly.
Fully insert the Blade Retractor into the Top Side Plate. I put a tiny drop of oil on each Blade Retractor edge.
Get the screws ready along with an Allen wrench to install them.
Now comes the tricky part.
Put the Spring Rod into one of the Spring End Caps
Start feeding and capturing the spring over the Spring Rod and into the Spring Cap. Don't let any of these parts go flying and lose them!
You should be able to gather up the whole Spring over the Spring Rod. When you have, carefully slip the second Spring Cap over the top. You should now have the entire spring held within the two Spring Caps. Hold this Spring Assembly by its ends very carefully, don't let go.
(The previous 3 steps might be easier if you take the guts out of a ball-point pen and use the tube as a guide to stack and compress everything. This worked for me, but I don't have the skill to pass on all the details in print.)
Slip the Spring Assembly into the cut-out area in the Blade and Bottom Side Plate. Hold it down in place with a fingertip while you pick up the Top Side Plate and carefully install it. The two detents will snap as the Top Side Plate is pushed in place.
Immediately install all 8 Screws almost tight.
Cycle the knife several times to make sure all is well.
Fully tighten all the screws.

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