How to clean sand from a spyderco

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purplelady

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Sep 26, 2016
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Hi all, we were camping at the beach and my friend used my spyderco dragonfly to cut a rope and then dropped it in the sand. I have tried rinsing it under the faucet in water and I have also tried compressed air. I cannot get the sand out of it. I can see little bits of sand in there and I can hear the grit when I open the knife and close it. Does it void the warranty if I open it up to clean it? Because that is the only other think I can think of. Any ideas, or do I need to open it up anyways? Thanks for any help.
 
Spray it with WD-40 and take the garden hose to it. I would use some type of lube after. WD-40 isn't a lubricant.
 
Taking apart knives usually voids the warranty. That said, I personally would open it up to clean it.
 
There's a lot of places for fine sand to get trapped in a lock back. I suspect it will need to be disassembled.
 
Hot SOAPY water followed by Wd-40 then with lube of choice.

Don't sweat the sand. Steel is stronger and will eventually grind up the sand.

This said, when I go to the beach, I leave behind my lockbacks and my slipjoints and carry a friction folding Opinel for exactly this reason. It's one knife that tolerates sand and dirt very well.
 
You could loosen the pivot some, so there is room for the sand/grit to be flushed out... rinse under hot soapy water, (use the little jets on your sinks sprayer, if you have one), flush again with WD40, lube, and re-adjust pivot.

This is about as thorough as you can without disassembling.

(Lockbacks are tricky, if you've never had one apart yet...)
 
mattmanyam said:
You could loosen the pivot some, so there is room for the sand/grit to be flushed out... rinse under hot soapy water, (use the little jets on your sinks sprayer, if you have one), flush again with WD40, lube, and re-adjust pivot.
Click to expand...

That's what I would do and hope it works.
 
Thanks. I am going to try the above suggestions. But my next question is, how would they know if you disassembled it or not?
 
They won't unless something doesn't get put back right. I don't worry much about warranties to be honest. If I broke a Dragonfly and liked it a lot, I'd just buy another one.
 
Basp2005 said:
Taking apart knives usually voids the warranty. That said, I personally would open it up to clean it.
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Actually, the warranty states: Spyderco’s warranty does not cover damage caused by abuse, misuse, loss, improper handling, alterations, accident, neglect, disassembly, or improper sharpening.

But prior to that it does state: Repairs to your knife performed by any source other than Spyderco Inc. unconditionally voids the knife’s warranty.

So I guess if cleaning is considered a repair then the warranty would be voided.

That said, I agree with you regarding opening it up. If I couldn't flush out the debris then I would just take it apart and fix it. It's either that or send it in to Spyderco and pay them to clean it. I'm not going to pay someone to do something I can easily take care of myself.

http://www.spyderco.com/edge-u-cation/index.php?item=10
 
Spyderco has stated before they can tell when a knife has been disassembled. After carrying lockbacks for over 30 years, and Spyderco Enduras almost 25 of those years I don't see any real need for taking a knife apart to get rid of the grit sound you get when it's a bit dirty. The pivot is not meant to be loosened or adjusted and is usually locktit-ed so if you do decide to adjust or loosen it don't strip it. That is definitely something not warranted and happens more than one would suspect hence the reason the no disassembly clause in the warranty .

I would just wash in soap and water. Clean it out as best as possible with paper towels or whatever you use, relube and enjoy. A bit of grit will not hurt anything. This isn't a high speed bearing in a turbine or anything. Just a simple lockback knife. It will eventually self clean the grit. Grease or heavy oils might trap the gunk in which is why I only use dry lubes.
 
The Mastiff said:
Spyderco has stated before they can tell when a knife has been disassembled. After carrying lockbacks for over 30 years, and Spyderco Enduras almost 25 of those years I don't see any real need for taking a knife apart to get rid of the grit sound you get when it's a bit dirty. The pivot is not meant to be loosened or adjusted and is usually locktit-ed so if you do decide to adjust or loosen it don't strip it. That is definitely something not warranted and happens more than one would suspect hence the reason the no disassembly clause in the warranty .

I would just wash in soap and water. Clean it out as best as possible with paper towels or whatever you use, relube and enjoy. A bit of grit will not hurt anything. This isn't a high speed bearing in a turbine or anything. Just a simple lockback knife. It will eventually self clean the grit. Grease or heavy oils might trap the gunk in which is why I only use dry lubes.
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Best advice yet. Tho, if it were mine I would start with the WD-40 flush. Then continue as above.
 
Don't... loan... your... knife. Ever. Idiots (like your 'friend') who don't have knives of their own will not know how to use yours safely. Offer to cut whatever it is for them, or tell them to get their own knife.
 
Alberta Ed said:
Don't... loan... your... knife. Ever. Idiots (like your 'friend') who don't have knives of their own will not know how to use yours safely. Offer to cut whatever it is for them, or tell them to get their own knife.
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Who said his friend didn't use it safely? The OP said his friend dropped it. We all dropped knives before it happens, that doesn't mean it was used in an unsafe manner.

Take the thing apart and clean it. It'll take 5 minutes from start to finish.
 
^^Yes^^

Knives used in sandy or dirty environments get gritty. It's no big deal, unless/until the problem is so bad the lock won't engage. As users of traditional, non-screwed together knives understand, dis-assembly isn't needed.

I used my Buck 500 to open bags of top soil on Sunday. Today, it's still a bit gritty. No big deal.

Regarding WD-40, it certainly has oil based lubricants in it. The issue is that it's very low viscosity and cut heavily with volatile penetrants. It's a useful cleaner and penentrant and a great water displacer. So better to say that WD-40 isn't a durable lubricant.
 
Alberta Ed said:
Don't... loan... your... knife. Ever. Idiots (like your 'friend') who don't have knives of their own will not know how to use yours safely. Offer to cut whatever it is for them, or tell them to get their own knife.
Click to expand...

Also a very good point, whether it apply to OP or not.

I was carrying a beater Kershaw for this very reason while fishing with some buddies. One asked to use it and I obliged. The dumbass didn't even give me the courtesy of giving it back. Instead he simply dropped it, still open, right on the riverbank in the rocks and sand and continued running around like an idiot. I wouldn't have even got it back if I hadn't went to him and asked where it was.

Some people's kids. . .
 
Like already stated, try loosening the pivot so the water/wd-40 can actually get in there and flush some stuff out. That should do the trick...

FTA: I take all my knives a part :)
 
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