Endura 4 Break-in time?

[zer0sanity]

I just received my Endura 4 Stainless PE (first spyderco). Its a thing of beauty, but I just about pulled a muscle trying to open this knife with one hand. I oiled it and it opens SLIGHTLY easier, but still cant flip it open like the CRKT I've been carrying for the past 4 years. Will it break in? Anything I can do to speed it up? Recommended lubrication? Thanks. :thumbup:

 

[phil000]

I used miltec with my first spyderco (native I), that helped a bit, but I am still trying to figure it out...(a month later), I can do a two part one hand open with my wrist in a splint...but i can do a full flick (granted I have to move my whole arm to the side) pretty consistently, but it is not an flick knife by anyone's imagination...

Good luck with that...
p

 

[J85909266]

I had a similar shock when I went from cheap liner locks to Spyderco lockbacks.

Yes, they break in over time and oil helps, but that's about all you can do. If you're like me and most of the people here, you will fondle and play with it all the time, which will make your hands stronger over time working with the more resistant action of a lock back, think of it like a Bowflex for your hand, and you will eventually be able to thumb flick (flick with just your thumb without moving any other part of your hand or arm) open the stiffest, grittiest Spyderco lock backs right out of the box.

Basicly, it just takes some getting used to, and some time for the knife to break in.

 

[Shanged]

My SS Rookie was a beast to open at first, my whole thumb was chewed up and sore. I cleaned it up w/ soap and water, sprayed some WD-40 and kept working it, now it opens like a dream (can't open with a flick of the wrist, but a flick of the thumb usually gets it there)

 

[scooby]

You might try playing with the pivot screw. Loosen it up a very slight bit and see if that helps.

 

[zenheretic]

Hot water and soap to clean it out; remove water with air compressor, hair dryer, or computer air can; lubricate with oil of choice. Then knifesturbate for a few hours while watching the game on T.V. Try to remember to put the knife down before shoveling snacks down the gullet.

Or just ignore it. After 14 or so years of pocket carry, it will snap open with just a flicker of mental effort.

 

[cerulean]

Welcome to the forum, zer0sanity!

Some SS handled Spyderco lockbacks can be super tight when they're new. It will start to break in after a couple of weeks, but it will probably never be a really flickable knife.

One thing you could try is not oiling the pivot joint for awhile. That might break it in a bit quicker because it allows the parts to wear faster.

 

[J85909266]

Welcome to the forum, zer0sanity!

but it will probably never be a really flickable knife.

:thumbdn: I just can't agree with this. It's a big knife with a lot of weight and room to work with. With a little practice and a little dexterity, it should be no problem. I can flick even smaller lockbacks.

 

[moonwilson]

A trick I've found with the stainless Spydies is to use a flathead screwdriver to loosen up the blade. Stick the flat head into the slot between the handle scales near the pivot and rotate it so that it pries the scales apart ever so slightly. Don't overdo it, or it will give you blade play, but prying the scales apart just a little bit should loosen things up a bit. Works for me.

 

[cerulean]

Welcome to the forum, zer0sanity!

but it will probably never be a really flickable knife.

:thumbdn: I just can't agree with this. It's a big knife with a lot of weight and room to work with. With a little practice and a little dexterity, it should be no problem. I can flick even smaller lockbacks.

Mmm... by "really flickable knife", I just meant something like a liner lock with an adjustable pivot. There's no spring tension keeping the blade closed and, if your able to loosen the pivot a bit, a light flick of the wrist can swing the blade open pretty easily. (Having a shallow ball detent helps as well.)

I can open most of my smaller Spydie lockbacks without too much trouble using just a thumb flick (some require a bit of wrist movement). If I try to open them with wrist action only though, I can't get the blades to budge at all.

A trick I've found with the stainless Spydies is to use a flathead screwdriver to loosen up the blade. Stick the flat head into the slot between the handle scales near the pivot and rotate it so that it pries the scales apart ever so slightly. Don't overdo it, or it will give you blade play, but prying the scales apart just a little bit should loosen things up a bit. Works for me.

Yep... I tried that on an old C03 Hunter and it worked really well. :thumbup: I bought the knife used and the blade would just hardly move for some reason. Using a screwdriver, I very gently pried the scales apart and now it opens smoothly without any side-to-side play. I would hesitate to recommend that to people though; if you're not careful you could easily earn your knife a trip to back to the Spyder Spa.

 

[zer0sanity]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try letting it break in for a few weeks see how that goes. I worked it open and closed probably 200 times last night, and while I can open it one handed pretty easily now, I can't flip it open with my thumb too fast. I don't really need to do it with just a flick of the wrist, always done with with the thumb and a flick. I guess I just needed to get used to the knife too. I've been carrying the same CRKT Pointguard for almost 5 years now.