Spyderco Can't flick a back lock

lieferung

lieferung

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May 24, 2016
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I first encountered this with my Native 5 G-10, and now I got my first Delica 4 and it's the same issue. I can spyder drop both if them but I can't flick them open using the hole. A lot of threads I found say that the Delica FFG being light in weight is to blame, but the Native is pretty heavy and I see people being able to flick Native FFG blades. Is there a trick to this? (adjusting the pivot didn't work, I feel like it's a backlock thing).
 
You might wade through the YouTubes. There are a couple three on flicking back locks.
Here's one. I didn't listen to the dialogue but maybe it will help.
Disclaimer : I don't have a Native but do have several Spyderco back locks.
This took a while to load. I watched a couple of others and came back to this one and then it loaded quick.

 
It gets easier after it wears in. The spring put a good amount of tension on the back lock. Which then puts tension on the tang. Just keep opening and closing. I have left my blade open at a 90 degree angle over night for a while. It helped a little but using it and enjoying it would work too.
 
Here are some thoughts:

Working the blade back and forth, back and forth, open and close, open and close for something like 100 to 300 times should wear the parts in so that they seat properly and become more like their final form.

After this is done, adding one drop of oil to the spot where the blade engages the pivot and then working that in should reduce the friction quite a bit.

I found I also had to adjust the tension on some of my Spydercos with lockbacks. You have to be careful here though, as you can easily over loosen the pivot and you don't want the pivot hardware coming loose and falling out.

One of the keys to "the flick" opening is to seat your thumb strongly against the hole so you maintain pressure throughout the "flick" motion. When you do it, you should tell yourself that you're trying to launch your thumb in a particular direction. Straight forward works for some blades. I just did it with a Delica 4 and more like 30 degrees off axis works better for me. This is kind of like following through with a baseball bat, or tennis racket or skeet shooting, or billiards. It helps you do the motion properly to have an "all the way through" stroke.

Finally, I consider this to be improper technique but... if you augment the opening motion with a flick of your arm/wrist in the direction of opening it adds some extra force to it. Some people are only able to do it with wrist motion. It might help you to try that out a bit.

Hopefully that will get you started. Good luck.

Brian.
 
Thanks for the detailed tips Brian. I will say perhaps the one thing I apparently do differently than you is use my index finger to flick, not my thumb (though I use the thumb to open it since I can't flick it). I will give your methods a shot and see if it helps.
 
I open most blades with my thumb either on the thumbstud or using the hole on a Spyderco or similar. But I started playing with the middle finger flick a while back and I really like it. Unfortunately, due to hand geometry, my middle finger can't propel the blade with nearly as much force as my thumb can. So, on lockbacks I almost never even try the middle finger flick. But on liner locks or a Spyderco compression lock, I middle finger flick a lot. I find it leaves my hand in almost a perfect grip, only requiring a little repositioning. Whereas using my thumb to flick, I have to shift the knife handle to get it into "flick position" and then shift it back to a proper grip.

Maybe that's part of the key: You might need to shift the knife so that you have a good "thumb grip", flick it, and then shift it back. Might be worth a try.

Brian.
 
I don't think I've ever flipped a knife using my index finger, lol. I've done thee ol' middle finger flick on occasion, but if I'm gonna flick a blade out I use my thumb.
 
On the spideys that I can flip, the index finger feels more natural. I can articulate better to snag the hole and direct it for the flick. I started out trying to middle finger flick because that's what everyone talks about, but index seemed the better route. Maybe it's hand size thing.
 
I'd recommend practicing with the edge taped up. Sometimes the follow through might result in the flicking finger catching the edge than the hole as the blade flew a bit further than the finger but not locking opened.

I have also tried middle finger with somewhat (not always) success.

Thumb is ok. Can do almost all of them except those I just tightened the pivot to prevent side to side play.

Never tried index finger. Perhaps worth checking.

Good luck!
 
lieferung said:
On the spideys that I can flip, the index finger feels more natural. I can articulate better to snag the hole and direct it for the flick. I started out trying to middle finger flick because that's what everyone talks about, but index seemed the better route. Maybe it's hand size thing.
Click to expand...

Yeah I can imagine it working for certain people/knives. I tried it on my Domino just for kicks, it does work haha. I got this thread wrong, you're trying to "Spydieflick" your knives? Not just normal thumb extension flick?
 
McFeeli said:
you're trying to "Spydieflick" your knives? Not just normal thumb extension flick?
Click to expand...
Yes, this is correct. To be accurate, I can't flick it open at all, be it thumb or finger, though I made the thread about the finger flick. As Chris mentioned above the pivot is tightened to prevent side to side play, but even when I loosened it the flick was not working.
 
Well after days of no flicking I absentmindedly tried it, and lo and behold it flicked. I was able to repeat it but it seems there's a sweet spot, if I don't snag the hole in just the right spot it won't fully open. Hopefully with a little more play I will be able to do it reliably!
 
You gotta do it with your nails. This will give you more force. And at a certain spot you have to let go otherwise you will retard the movement. Also, you should project your force kind of into the pivot and not away from it. There is s sweet spot and it all can be done. I can flick it with my ring finger left or right hand. Index finger you will have to add a bit of wrist and delica is too small in the hand to be doing it comfortably anyway. Pm2 np.
 
Yeah my PM2 is how I started flicking and grew to love it. I just gave a go to forcing into the pivot and it seems to work alot better.

Now I just have to try this on my Native 5!
 
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