Can a Military be dissassembled?

Aux

Aux

Joined
Jan 29, 2003
Messages
321
The pics I have seen on the Military models show what appear to be all screws on the handle scales, in contrast to the rivets found on my other Spydies. Does this mean the Military model can be taken apart for cleaning?
 
taking it apart will void the warranty. Also, linerlocks tend to be tempermental when reassembling them. I learned this from experience. If there is some major problem with it, send it to the Warranty dept. and they will take care of it. If you send them a disassembled knife, the repair will not be covered. There shouldn't be any outstanding reason to disassemble it for cleaning, the back is pretty open so no crud can really get trapped in it. Hope this helps.

Leo G.
 
I expected the warranty issue. Where the Mille's open design would allow most gunk to be easily removed, my interest here is when a knife must be cleaned of possible biohazards - would not want to send it to Spyderco for that!

The Millie appears to be one of the few models from Spyderco that I would be able to take apart and properly clean, in the unlikely event it became necessary.
 
Keep in mind that screws tapped into G-10 will not tolerate a lot of disassembly/reassembly. Better to leave well enough alone, IMHO. But, yes with the screw-together construction you could take it apart and reassemble it. I would recommend getting a Sebenza if these are your concerns. They actually recommend disassembling their knives and it won't void the warranty. Maybe Sal or Carlos will come on and answer this for you in more detail.

Leo
 
It may not be recommended, but it is very possible and I do it about twice a year if it gets used a lot. The screws on the Military go into threaded steel inserts, so you won't be stripping out G-10. But be careful, those screws lose their threads pretty easily if you're not careful. Others that can be disassembled are the Gunting, Lil' Temperance and Dyad just to name a few. Many of their linerlocks can be torn down.

However, if and when you take apart a Military, don't mess with the pivot pin. It's an eccentric pin and is set for the best lockup. I'm not saying it's impossible to fix if you take it out, it's just a little work to get it back to where it should be. This is one part that I don't mess with. Well, I've done it once, but it wasn't on purpose and I don't plan on trying it again.
 
Linerlocks can be a really big pain to put back together properly. I suppose if you must clean it, you can take it apart.
I suppose you might be police/fireman/paramedics, and concerned with contamination because you may handle patients, and other individuals with wounds when you use your knife, but I don't quite see how unless you let it sit in a pool of blood you'd need to take it apart and clean it.
 
I haven’t heard that disassembling a Spydie automatically voids the warranty. You might want to call them and check on it though. Spyderco does discourage taking their knives apart.

There aren’t many problems with disassembling a Military. You can just lift the liner out of the G-10 scale and then press it back in when you reassemble; it’s not glued in or anything.

It’s probably good advice not to fool with the eccentric pivot pin unless you need too. You have to reinsert it in the same position that it came out and it’s easy to strip the threads if you’re not careful.

The ultra-thin washers can be annoying. They might get crinkled up when you reinsert the blade.

It’s true that you probably won’t have a need to disassemble the Military for cleaning; it’s got that neat “open back” design. However, it’s fun to take apart knives and guns and stuff, even if it’s just so you can figure out how they work. :)
 
I work as a paramedic and to sanitize a spyderco is easy, dip it in a 10% Household Bleach Solution and let knife sit for 20 minutes with soloution on it. there is also germicide that is easily available at the drugstore that will disinfect a knife.

after soaking for the 20 minutes take the knife out and rinse thorougly and give a good scrubbing with an old toothbrush that you need to throw away anyway and some antibacterial dish detergent.

rinse with clean HOT water and let dry, or help dry with blowdrier (lightly).

Oil and put the knife back in service.

I have used both the bleach and the germicide and my preference is with the germicide due to the fact that bleach can harm the colour's on some objects. make sure to follow the directions with either product.

MAKE SURE TO WEAR MEDICAL GLOVES AND CHANGE THEM BETWEEN EACH STEP TO PREVENT RECONTAMINATION..... yes it is a pain to change gloves 3-4 times but otherwise you might as well have not even done it.

remember to bag the knife at the scene if you contaminate it and try to keep fluids off your clothes.
 
Looks like the easiest way to degerm one would be to put it in the dish washer.Between the soap and the heat I wouldn't figure anything could survive.
 
Do not soak your knives in bleach. It can damage the plastic parts and your steel. Bleach is a strong oxidizer and even when used for washing your white clothes it will shorten the life of fabric.

For virtually any application, you can clean your knives with soap and water. If for some reason you're a micro-phobe and you must de-contaminate with bleach due to your problem, a good flush with 10 % bleach followed by hot water and soap is all that you will need. But please don't soak your knives for 20 minutes in bleach. Not all medical sterilization methods need to be employed by regular folk. If you cut yourself with your knife, there is no need to sterilize your knife. Paramedics have routine procedures that are not always appropriate for everyday use.

By the way, after you decontaminate the knife, wearing gloves and a biohazard suit, I assume you put it back in your pocket, thus it is no longer sterile.
 
decontamination is for my personal protection.... I do not perform open heart surgery in the field with my spyderco.

if your going with the 10% bleach soloution you MUST soak it for 20 minutes otherwise it is a waste of time trying to rid the knife of biohazards.

10% bleach soloution is a very small amount, ou can just smell the bleach.... I have soaked everything from super scissors to arterial clamps and bandaging scissors in this soloution with no harm. Spyderco Steel being stainless is more then able to handle the caustic nature of a weak soloution like this.

If you don't like bleach go buy some germicide, make sure to follow the directions for it though for it to be effective.

We are talking about bloodborne pathogens here..... soap and water WILL NOT get rid of all the hazards of someone else's bodily fluids off your knife.

You may ask "well where am I going to get someone elses blood on my knife?".

1) defensive situation where you have slashed/stabbed someone
2) Cutting the seatbelt of injured person, blood on clothes equals blood on knife
3) Just plain using the knife at the scene of an accident, even though your wearing rubber gloves the transmission of bodily fluids to anything you handle is guarenteed and should be expected

Spyderco designs these knives for the most part as "Save and Serve" Blades with very few exceptions..... do your part and make sure not to bring home any nasty disease to your family and follow basic decontamination procedures if your in contact with another persons bodily fluids.
 
This thread started about taking apart a Military for cleaning. Normal cleaning of a knife does not need bleach, nor does it really need disassembly. However, if your really picky, disassembly and hand cleaning, polishing and lubricating can be fun and will make your blade shine. You don't need bleach.

You are correct about the Rescue line being purpose built to handle tough materials. This may not be the same with other knives in the Spyderco line, made of other steels and with micarta, G-10, jigged bone, etc. You may work in an ultra-germ concious environment, but for the everyday guy, they won't be getting any illness from a knife used by someone else (e.g. to remove a splinter). You can get a nasty life threatening infection from falling down on the ground and getting an abrasion on your elbow, just normal every day bacteria, but we don't bleach treat the world. Remember, anthrax is normal flora, that's why cows get it.
 
Originally posted by Aux
my interest here is when a knife must be cleaned of possible biohazards - would not want to send it to Spyderco for that!
Click to expand...

Brownshoe, third post from the top is when the original poster mentioned he wanted to take it apart to clean it for biohazard situation.

I am responding to that.....

who gives a hell about anthrax ???, I am talking about AIDS, HEPATITUS and other bloodborn disease. these are far more likely to be run into on a daily life then anthrax or biological weapons.
 
Originally posted by Westicle
Brownshoe, third post from the top is when the original poster mentioned he wanted to take it apart to clean it for biohazard situation.

I am responding to that.....
Click to expand...

Yep! Dirt and gunk I am not concerned with. My inquiry was driven by an interest in what to do in the event that the knife comes in contact with any body fluids.
 
Sorry I missed the change in thread direction.

But aids and hepatitus from a knife? Maybe if you stick it in your mouth right after you plunged it into their body. In your world you probably get aids and hepatitus from toilet seats too. Just wash it with soap and water. No need for a bleach soak.
 
Originally posted by u812
Looks like the easiest way to degerm one would be to put it in the dish washer.Between the soap and the heat I wouldn't figure anything could survive.
Click to expand...


Spyderco's are not classified as dishwasher safe. The heat could potentially alter the blade's temper.
 
Carlos-that's a joke, right? Sub-200 degree water affect the temper???? Even if water is boiling-212 degrees??
Brownshoe- Clearly, you do not know what you are talking about. Hepatitis virus can stay active and potentially infective on surfaces outside the body for two weeks. Having personally used my personally owned knife to cut someone free from bloody seatbelts I can tell you that decontamination and protection from bloodborne pathogens is a practical concern outside of combat situations. Folding knives have lots of hard-to-get-to areas where the virus could hide.
 
Originally posted by Carlos
Spyderco's are not classified as dishwasher safe. The heat could potentially alter the blade's temper.
Click to expand...

I thought I remembered Sal saying in an older thread that you can put them in the dishwasher.
I believe in that particular thread though the knife in question was an FRN model.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top