Adjusting the eccentric pivot pin

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marty123

Joined
Oct 31, 2000
Messages
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My Starmate has a little vertical blade play.
It was like that when I bought it from the store a few months ago, and I accept small imperfections like this. Tightening the pivot pin doesn't help. It passes the spine-whack test and I'm going to leave it for now. It should be just fine.
BUT, I may want to adjust it in the future.
Has anybody successfully adjusted the eccentric pivot pin on a Spyderco knife? I know that officially it should be send in to Spyderco for adjustment, but I might want to do it myself, if possible. I'm not one to take my knives apart gratuitously, but I'd like to know how to do this.
I recall a older posting about this, with Sal replying that it's best done by the factory with their special tools. Still, I'd like to hear what experiences others have had
adjusting the eccentric pivot pin. Thanks.
 
I have done it myself without any problems, but I understand Sal's position about sending the knife in.
They say about very expensive things that "if you need to ask the price, then you can't afford it", maybe the same is true here: "if you need to ask how to do it, then you'd better leave it alone".
I don't want to say more on a public forum, if you want, you can e-mail me and I will tell you how to do it AT YOUR OWN RISK.
 
Could you tell me as well? Thanks!

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Well, Costas gave me some interesting advice.
Thanks Costas. Doesn't anybody else have something to say?
Also, if the eccentric pivot allows for precise adjustment at the factory, as opposed to the usual concentric pivot, why is there some vertical blade play in my knife? Why wasn't it better adjusted at the factory?
Don't get me wrong. I like Spyderco knives. I like my Starmate, as well as my Native and my Wayne Goddard micarta. Is a little play considered good enough? Just wondering.

[This message has been edited by marty123 (edited 06-26-2001).]
 
Marty123
You wanted more responses. Here's one:
I regard any vertical blade play as unacceptable. Hopefully our definitions of vertical play coincide. In the case of your Starmate, I assume the locking bar has moved all the way across the ramp on the blade tang to the opposite scale and still the top of the blade is not in solid contact with the stop pin. The thing to do is contact Spyderco customer service and send the knife back for adjustment or replacement. I advise not fiddling with the knife yourself. As I understand the procedure of adjusting the eccentric pin, it is much easier if you have a fixture made for the job...not that the layman could not accomplish this at home....but For a knife costing $100+, I would expect and prefer the company do this for me. My first Military needed this adjustment. I sent it back. They adjusted it and the locking position has barely moved in the year and a half since, despite rather heavy use.

regards,
Phil
 
ptn: My situation is different than yours. The lockbar has not moved all the way over. The lockbar, on opening, initially stops at around half-way across the ramp. When mild down and up pressure is put on the blade it moves down and up a little, more than I think it should. If I look at the lockbar when I press down on the blade I can see the lockbar slip from the middle of the ramp to the begining, where it stops and holds.
I don't want to send it in because of the
trouble and expense of shipping a knife across the border from Canada to the U.S., and back. I guess that's why Costas, in Greece, did it himself. Also, it seems okay for now, and adjusting it myself doesn't sound too difficult. I might give it a try one day.
So,is that it? Anybody else?
 
marty123
The problem you describe certainly is different from mine. In the case of my Military there was absolutely no vertical plade play. I was merely dissatisfied that the locking bar's locked position was beyond the halfway point across the tang ramp on a new knife.

The problem you describe is puzzling to me and I wonder if it's reason goes beyond the pivot pin adjustment. I understand your reluctance to engage in the cross border mail hassle but I still maintain that any vertical play on your Starmate is unacceptable. Spyderco's customer service is excellent. I'll bet they have experience with Canadian customers as well. It might be worth contacting them. Enough said. Good luck.
 
Well, I adjusted the darn thing myself. Not a big deal. Spyderco should explain to people how they can do it themselves. That would save everybody the trouble, waiting time, and expense of sending it in for adjustment. Since it seems that a lot of people take their knives apart for cleaning, lubrication, curiousity, etc., they should also be able to successfully adjust their eccentric pivots
if the need arises, given a proper explaination. Just explain the process, Spyderco! I know the worry is that some people will screw things up, but the process is rather simple. Put up the information on the Spyderco website and let people decide whether or not they can handle it. Or better yet, a little better QC from Spyderco.:)
All in all though, Spyderco knives are among the best.
 
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