Kiwi Owners - Blade Play When Closed?

[loodieboy]

Got a Spyderco Kiwi today - great little knife. Just one concern. When opened, blade lock-up is tight. Closed, and there is lateral blade play. Is this typical of the Kiwis, and is this bad?

 

[TheBadGuy]

Mine has no play opened or closed. I would drop Spyderco a line. If there is no play open, I don't think its a major concern, but it would bug me too much and I would send it in for repair.

 

[made2cut]

Mine had fairly sharp edges on the bottom of the blade near the finger groove and it would catch the liner just barely when I closed it. I smoothed the edge just slightly in that area which pretty much fixed the problem. To answer your question my blade has a little play when closed (or closing), just enough that the force of my thumb closing it would make it touch the liner. I still like the knife and it's not enough play to bother me.

 

[loodieboy]

Thanks, BadGuy, I sent Spyderco an email. I'll see what they say.

 

[yog]

Mines nice and solid open and closed.

 

[loodieboy]

Thanks for the replies. Here's my follow-up. First, I returned to the point of purchase. They examined the knife and opined that the blade play was okay, even necessary for easy opening. They offered to exchange, grabbed another Kiwi off the shelf, and yep, it had the same blade play. (No, I didn't ask to see them all, I appreciated the gesture). I also emailed Spyderco and received a quick reply: " . . .Blade play in the closed position is not a problem, I just checked another Kiwi and I too can move the blade side to side, I am actually moving it. It is nothing to be concerned about blade [play] is only a concern when the knife is open . . . ".

Well, okay, none of my other knives exhibit similar play, and yes, it bugs my obsessive side, but on the other hand, I'm told it's okay by a vendor I trust and a Company I'm told I can trust. So I'm gonna live with it and see what happens. I do want to add that aside from this issue, the Kiwi is one sweet knife.