Endura lockback failure?

[KnifeTurtle]

I own an endura 4 that is about a year or so old, I have had it for about 6 months since trading for it from another forum member. Over the last few weeks the lockback has gotten progressively looser and more prone to failure. It has become so bad that I can tap the spine on my hand and the blade will unlock. I can hold the blade and close it without derpressing the lock at all. I dissasembled the knife and everything looks like it is working fine. Is this just from normal wear and tear? I haven't done anything too abusive to the knife, nithing that I havent done with any of my gerber or buck lockbacks which still work perfectly. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[TaTaToothy]

I would think Spyderco would make it right, even if it involved replacing the knife. Unless the knife has undergone a remarkably hard life (which it may have before your buying it), I wouldn't expect the lockback to fail like this for a LONG time.

 

[KnifeTurtle]

Also, do you think one of those "Endure lightweight internal parts kits" would fix the problem? I've seen those for sale for 10-15 dollars, and I would rather pay that than send it back to spyderco.

 

[spoonrobot]

Probably not. Your problem sounds like a serious issue with either the lockbar, lockbar cutout or lockspring.

There isn't anything to "loosen" on a mid-lock unless material starts abrading away, which should be obvious to the eye. If what you say is possible then the lock interface has worn down to an unsafe level and certain parts need to be replaced.

What was the cause? Impossible for us to say.

Send it in.

 

[1066vik]

by any chance do you use a wrist flick to open it frequently?
this can cause early wear on the lock.
I highly recommend emailing spyderco about it - they will likely advise you to mail it to them so they can decide if it's worth fixing or just replacing it.

 

[cgmblade]

If you are able to post pictures it might help someone identify the problem.

I've never had the lock fail on any of my Spyderco knives. It's very unusual and not the result of normal use. Like someone else said, it may have been abused before you got it. I would definitely contact Spyderco about it.

 

[KnifeTurtle]

Thanks everybody, I'll probably send spyderco an email about it.

 

[THG]

MY OLD ENDURA! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HER??

Aww man, I hope the factory will make it right. The lockback is like a hook, so unless the corner of the "hook" is rounded or broken off, there should be no way for a lockback to collapse without unlocking. Can you tell where the problem is?

Unless the knife has undergone a remarkably hard life (which it may have before your buying it), I wouldn't expect the lockback to fail like this for a LONG time.

No! It was only used to cut one box that Christmas

Also, do you think one of those "Endure lightweight internal parts kits" would fix the problem? I've seen those for sale for 10-15 dollars, and I would rather pay that than send it back to spyderco.

The parts kit contains liners, a (black) backspacer, D-bolts, and torx screws (including one each for the pivot). Unless the problem is related to one of those parts, I don't think the kit is going to be able to remedy the problem.

 

[3Guardsmen]

I own an endura 4 that is about a year or so old, I have had it for about 6 months since trading for it from another forum member. Over the last few weeks the lockback has gotten progressively looser and more prone to failure. It has become so bad that I can tap the spine on my hand and the blade will unlock. I can hold the blade and close it without derpressing the lock at all. I dissasembled the knife and everything looks like it is working fine. Is this just from normal wear and tear? I haven't done anything too abusive to the knife, nithing that I havent done with any of my gerber or buck lockbacks which still work perfectly. Any help would be appreciated.

My first thought after reading this is that you might have lint or other debris trapped in the tang's lock notch. Do you carry the knife in your pocket unclipped? You may want to look into the lock notch and take a toothpick to it to clean it out.

I also wonder if any of the screws, most specifically the pivot pin and the screw that goes through the lock bar, have become loose. You may want to check their tension.

Good luck!

 

[KnifeTurtle]

Yeah, I carry it in my back pocket unclipped, ill try taking it apart and cleaning it. The screws are all as tight as I can make them without stripping them.

 

[A.P.F.]

Yeah, I carry it in my back pocket unclipped, ill try taking it apart and cleaning it. The screws are all as tight as I can make them without stripping them.

I wonder if that isn't your problem right there. Try easing off the screws and pivot, lock the blade and then snug the screws up while the blade is locked.

 

[THG]

Yeah, I carry it in my back pocket unclipped, ill try taking it apart and cleaning it. The screws are all as tight as I can make them without stripping them.

That's okay for the 3 body screws, but don't do that for the one for the lockbar nor for the pivot (for obvious reasons). If you overtighten the one for the lockbar, it affects the way the knife opens and closes.

 

[shangchi108]

Over the last few weeks the lockback has gotten progressively looser and more prone to failure.

I've been using Spydercos for about 25 years, and I've been carrying versions of the Endura since they came out. They are my favorite and most carried Spyderco design. I'm so convinced that the Endura is so well designed and built, that, frankly, I find your story very difficult to believe. It will be interesting to find out what the warranty and repair division of Spyderco says to you regarding your knife, if you even send it in to them.

 

[3Guardsmen]

.....frankly, I find your story very difficult to believe.

Didn't you read this:

My first thought after reading this is that you might have lint or other debris trapped in the tang's lock notch. Do you carry the knife in your pocket unclipped?

Yeah, I carry it in my back pocket unclipped

It's crud (lint/debris) in the lock well plain and simple!



To the OP, KnifeTurtle, you DON'T need to take your knife apart to clean the lock well out, and may very well mess it up trying to put it back together. Just do what I suggested in my first post:

You may want to look into the lock notch and take a toothpick to it to clean it out.

:thumbup:

 

[forcedestrike]

Perhaps faulty heat treatment on the lockbar?

(I assume you have checked for lint in the lock recess before posting on the forums!).

Who knows, I am sure Sal would like to see it in person so I would send it in!

 

[The Mastiff]

Yep, clean it out good. If that doesn't work send it in. I too have years of experience with Enduras and have carried one since 92. A lock failure is so rare I'm not sure I've ever heard of one on an Endura before. Good luck.

 

[shunsui]

I had a problem with an old Endura 1. It eventually turned into a slipjoint. Sent it in to Spyderco and they sent me another. Never heard what was wrong with it except they were forwarding it to the Engineering Dept. I bought an Endura3 while it was in the mail and liked the metal clip better. Been carrying the 3 ever since.

 

[shangchi108]

Didn't you read this:

Didn't you read this???

I dissasembled the knife and everything looks like it is working fine.

Do you really think someone could disassemble an Endura and there would still be crud in the lock when it was reassembled?

 

[3Guardsmen]

Didn't you read this???

I dissasembled the knife and everything looks like it is working fine.

Do you really think someone could disassemble an Endura and there would still be crud in the lock when it was reassembled?

Absolutely! In fact, if it were legal, I'd bet you money that crud in the lock bar is the sole source of the OP's problems. Lint and crud tend to stay put pretty well, and the OP wasn't specifically looking for it when he first broke the knife down.

 

[shangchi108]

Absolutely! In fact, if it were legal, I'd bet you money that crud in the lock bar is the sole source of the OP's problems. Lint and crud tend to stay put pretty well, and the OP wasn't specifically looking for it when he first broke the knife down.

Well, I have disassembled and reassembled mine and there's no way lint or crud would remain, unless you carefully chose to put the lint and crud back in when you reassembled the knife.