Backspring in Mini-Manix

[yoda4561]

The only thing I've noticed about my 80mm manix that I don't like is the ability of the spring to "suck" the blade closed. It doesn't seem weak when opening, and if the handle slot is facing up it seems fine, but if it's facing the floor the spring can't seem to close it all the way, even when the pivot is loosened all the way. The pivot is definately not too tight as the blade swings freely even when I have it adjusted to minimize play. I was just wondering if this was typical or if I might want to send it to spyderco to have a looksee. If it's typical is there a source for slightly stiffer springs?

 

[STR]

Mine closes upside down and strongly so I'd say yours is not sprung enough or has another issue keeping it from working properly. Idealy the spring should hold the blade closed and keep it that way defeating gravity otherwise it could be very unsafe in certain positions or if say you fell and momentum caused the blade to move while on the pocket. Before you mail it in though check it all over for signs of pocket lint or debris interfering with the action and you may even want to lube it just to see if it improves.

STR

 

[yoda4561]

That was my worry too. I'm not sure if it's the spring or if maybe the geometry of the tang isn't quite right, I would imagine it wouldn't take much more than a slight misgrind to keep it from sucking the blade in firmly. *edit* I've also been rather meticulous about checking it for debris and lubing it properly, it's been like this since it came out of the box a few weeks ago. I guess I'll give spyderco a call later and see about getting it fixed. How wide should the spring be? Mine looks to be the same width as the one in my endura, which is to say it looks rather undersized for a knife this big.

 

[STR]

Well if the spring wasn't bent as it needs to be or screws get loose on it to where the spring holder in the rear that the spring rests in can move it can also change the relationship of things. It can also change the strength of the spring if it moves forward in the holder toward the tip with the blade in the opened position and for that matter just a kinked washer or improperly installed one can mess with the action too.

You can look in my forum http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=810 and see pictures of one taken apart showing the insides and where everything should be and probably on several other forums here too of ones I've rebuilt scales on but if you see nothing obvious on yours that is standing out to you it probably needs sent in.

STR

 

[yoda4561]

Everything looks to be in perfect shape, probably just a bad spring.

 

[STR]

Yeah probably. It could have a hair line crack in it on the underside or something.

Depending on how comfortable you are with it you could rebend the spring down a tiny bit more to see if it corrects the problem. I would not get carried away, and don't kink it, just using a pair of toothless jewelers pliers or duck bill vice grips or a vice with no teeth can be all you need to bend it a bit more the same way its already started in the same place.

STR

 

[yoda4561]

Nah, I think I'll be sending this one back to golden, unless they want to send me a new spring, not sure they'll cover it if I manage to break the spring or if there's something else wrong that I'm unaware of.