Millie backspacer change

B

brj

Joined
May 18, 2005
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while trying to remove the backspacer from the last Military models (black digi camo & orange), I've noticed that Spyderco has totally changed it

while on the early models the delrin piece was housing 2 metal standoffs (quite similar to those on the T-Mag)
DSCF0048-2.jpg


...on recent models the backspacer is 100% plastic
DSCF0045.jpg


I'm wondering if it could suffer some damages in time (screws coming out maybe) and also what reasons could have been behind this
 
They better keep extra spacers in stock is my hunch. So are those holes threaded in that spacer??
 
Looks like when ever I go millie searching when I get some dough Ill be keepin it old school. I wanted a BG-42 or a S90V anyways.
-Barry-
 
Doesn't look like a big deal to me.
The spacer is more aesthetic than anything anyway. Take the Kerhsaw ZT0500 for example, it has no backspacer, just the pivot and a single post at the end of the handle. That knife is pretty thick, but my point is the backspacer is more to keep things from sliding in the handle than actually taking pressure.
You could look at it as making the knife lighter, while maintaining the same strength.
 
After hearing all the comments on screws stripping out, I'm inclined to leave the screws alone. If it works, don't fix it.
 
Reeek said:
They better keep extra spacers in stock is my hunch. So are those holes threaded in that spacer??
Click to expand...

yup

Joshua J. said:
The spacer is more aesthetic than anything anyway.
Click to expand...

I agree, that's why I would have preferred a totally open back, ie the backspacer removed
 
I wonder when that started? I wonder if the CPM-D2 Mili's have it, or even the standard S30V models built recently?

Hmm...I hope it doesn't have to do with how it seems that everyone is "cheaping out" in this economy.......and I don't mean just in the knife industry.
 
Just in case anyone doesn't know this trick, when you replace a screw into plastic or wood threads (or even metal), rotate the screw backwards. Every rotation you should feel a little bump as the screw falls into the start of the thread groove. When you feel that bump, rotate the screw forward and run it into the hole. It should run into the original threads, rather than gouging out a new path effectively stripping out the hole.
 
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David Lowry said:
I wonder if the CPM-D2 Mili's have it, or even the standard S30V models built recently?
Click to expand...

my D2 Mili has the old backspacer style
dunno about recent S30V, but I guess the digi camo model was the first to use the new backspacer
 
Joshua J. said:
Doesn't look like a big deal to me.
The spacer is more aesthetic than anything anyway. Take the Kerhsaw ZT0500 for example, it has no backspacer, just the pivot and a single post at the end of the handle. That knife is pretty thick, but my point is the backspacer is more to keep things from sliding in the handle than actually taking pressure.
You could look at it as making the knife lighter, while maintaining the same strength.
Click to expand...

Doesn't the spacer add some stiffness?
G10/CF composites are pretty stiff already, and I'm sure it would take some real creativity to actually break anything, but I would imagine you could feel the difference.
Add the importance of rigidity to the liner lock design, and it's a pretty compelling reason to leave it in--tho going with anything heavier/more expensive than Delrin would certainly be silly/strictly aesthetic. (The after-market Ti spacers look nice, but they wouldn't add anything beyond that.)
 
I always felt like I could crush a military in my grip.. perhaps.. The new spacer makes it a bit more rigid..?
 
I just scratched the back of mine while it was in the knife (on purpose) and it shows silver now. I seems to be some type of metal as a magnet wants to stick to it just a little bit. I even tried the magnet on the screws and they give a bit more pull than the back spacer.

Looks like another improvement. :)

MillieBackspacer.jpg


MillieBackspacer1.jpg
 
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David Lowry said:
I just scratched the back of mine while it was in the knife (on purpose) and it shows silver now. I seems to be some type of metal as a magnet wants to stick to it just a little bit. I even tried the magnet on the screws and they give a bit more pull than the back spacer.

Looks like another improvement. :)

MillieBackspacer.jpg


MillieBackspacer1.jpg
Click to expand...

Could the magnet be pulling towards the nested liners?
 
Just checked my digi camo and the backspacer is metal,much better than the plastic.
 
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I thought it was plastic since all the other hardware was silver.
 
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