Has your spyderco lockback folder ever failed to lockup due to lint?

A

AfterDark

Joined
Apr 9, 2007
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I recommended the endura to my friend. He's only had it for a few weeks and his endura failed to lockup due to a piece of lint preventing the lock to engage. Have you ever experienced something similar? Any ways around it short of using a fixed blade?
 
I have had a few do that. I have had it happen pretty much every folder with a back lock. Check it every so often and keep it clean. It is more common when the knife is carried in the pocket instead of clipped to it.

edited to add: I've had seaweed, mud, sand and rust do the same thing. It is an inherent risk when using a lockback knife in a dirty environment. It is also a very easy fix. You can use a toothpick, pencil, anything thin and pointy, to clean it and it is good to go again.
 
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I have several spyderco's (currently: a Native S35v, a Dragonfly, a Chinook 3, and a Para Millie 2). I've heard of others having this problem, but I never have. I usually carry them clipped to my left pocket, which avoids lint mostly because it keeps them off the bottom of the pocket. Plus, I inspect whatever knife I'm carrying weekly, and if needed, blast it out with a shot of compressed air. Takes like 10 seconds, but well worth it.
 
Never had it happen before. I admittedly haven't carried a lot of lockbacks since my Endura, but I've never had any lock fail on me since the Nak-Lok on my Shoki.
 
Not the answer to your question...pull the both front pockets of your pants out when you wash them. Check for lint before you wash them too.
 
AfterDark said:
I recommended the endura to my friend. He's only had it for a few weeks and his endura failed to lockup due to a piece of lint preventing the lock to engage. Have you ever experienced something similar? Any ways around it short of using a fixed blade?
Click to expand...

I've seen it. And there is a very simple way "around it."

Pick out the lint and blow on the knife occasionally. Not that complicated. :D
 
I've had a Delica do that but the instant that I felt it NOT lockup I knew it would be lint and I blew it out with my mouth and then opened and closed it again. Just fine after that. :)
 
Nope, never happened. I also don't have much lint in my pockets but I carry them clipped so the knife doesn't touch the bottom of my pocket where lint would be. As mentioned, turn out your pockets if there is an issue. I occasionally do it when I have gotten sand or mud in them. Takes an extra 30 seconds when doing a load of clothes. Probably less since I go through all my pockets to check for things I don't want to go in the washing machine.
 
AfterDark said:
I recommended the endura to my friend. He's only had it for a few weeks and his endura failed to lockup due to a piece of lint preventing the lock to engage. Have you ever experienced something similar? Any ways around it short of using a fixed blade?
Click to expand...

Yes. Use the knife regularly and the lint can't build up. And, don't take the pocket clip off so it rolls around in the bottom of the pocket, with the lint.

Andy
 
I've carried lockbacks from various companies, including Spyderco, for decades. I've never had a lock fail for any reason, including lint.
 
Hello,

Ive carried my ffg Endura 4 almost every day at work for the last 4 months. The only time the lock has had problems engaging is when I dont clip to my pocket and it goes into the bottom of my pocket. I work in a machine shop as a painter so I get a lot of debris and metal fillings on my clothing and in my pocket from cleaning the surface of parts that Im prepping for paint. I just blow it out with compressed air and it takes care of it. Out of all my knives I carry the Endura the most because of how well it slices, how sharp Spydercos VG-10 gets and easily sharpens, and if I break it I'm only out $65. If its a serious problem for your friend have him look at the Spyderco Resilience.

Have a good one,

Chris
 
Yes, on a Delica, but only when carried unclipped deep in the pocket with all the lint. Not a huge deal. After all, the toothpick on my SAK's is ideal for removing impacted lint from my lockbacks.
 
20 years of Endura carrying here. I've not had a problem of any kind. I do clean the locks out without disassembling them. I've even had them go through the washing machine and found them in the dryer from the racket they were making. I typically use a dry teflon/pfte lube which doesn't hold grit and fibers and makes cleaning easier.
 
I have carried a Spyderco lockback for a solid year, never had any problems.
I do carry clipped. I periodically check and clean out the lock areas thanks to posts like these too.
 
Yes it has happened to me. Also had coins from my pocket prevent a liner lock from locking open.
 
get a job that uses compressed air dusters. them u never have a reason not to blow out your knife every few weeks.
 
AfterDark said:
I recommended the endura to my friend. He's only had it for a few weeks and his endura failed to lockup due to a piece of lint preventing the lock to engage. Have you ever experienced something similar? Any ways around it short of using a fixed blade?
Click to expand...

Not w/ a spyderco, but it happened to me with a CS triad folder. It did lock, but I noticed the rocker was sticking out a bit, and realized what was going on. I disengaged the lock and blew on it and it hasn't happened again. Happened once with an axis lock too... I guess I recommend keeping his pocket cleaner
 
Has never happened to me, but I usually check my pockets for lint, hate going to store and pulling change out of pocket and standing there with change and lint balls looking like an idiot to the clerk.
 
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