How can spyderco tell if you disassembled one of their knives?

[The Deacon]

It won't matter that you've loosened the screws. If the lock is faulty they'll fix it.

Sometimes true, but not always.

Loosening the screws on models like the FRN Endura 4 that have steel liners and an FRN backspacer/spring carrier with two studs molded into it that fit into holes in the liners, can most definitely matter. If the owner loosens the screws holding the backspacer in place enough to allow those studs to pop out of the holes, the studs can become deformed and no longer support the backspring properly. The spring's action is then compromised, and with it the lock's reliability. If that's not the case, then Spyderco will fix it under warranty, but if it is, they'll probably not.

 

[Nader E]

Send it in! Hell, I sent them 2 knives once (a spyerderco dodo and a paramilitary 2) that were fully disassembled. I had taken them on a trip to Africa and disasembled the knives to store them in separate bags (to prevent theft). On the flight back, security went through them at one of the airports and the baggie full of the screws/washers ended up being lost. I sent the knives in, had new hardware...at 0 charge (even though I offered to pay).

They are a stand up company. For real. Don't be afraid to send it in. I wrote them a friendly note along with the knives as well.

 

[spketch]

That's a good point Deacon. An unknowledgable person can certainly damage a knife by removing the screws incorrectly. If that's the case, no warranty should cover the resultant issue.

In my experience though, those studs are pretty snug in the frn spydercos and you really have to make an effort to move them at all, even when the screws are completely removed. This is especially true the first time a given knife is disassembled.

My point is that the warranty won't be void just because the screws have been loosened.

 

[Wanimator]

I usually tell them if I've locktited the screws or anything. They understand.