My Military's blade wants to play...

Titan · May 24, 1999

While doing my nightly practice of "click-clicking" my Military with my left (dominant) and right (weak) hands, I noticed a very strange sound when opening the blade slowly with my right hand.

Upon closer examination, I found out the culprit: the right side of the blade, about an inch from the tip, is scraping at the inner G-10 handle. This happens when I exert thumb pressure on the hole prior to opening. I also noticed that, when closed, the blade is not perfectly centered anymore on the handle but leaning way too much to the right.

I checked for blade play and sure enough its there. Holding the blade tip with my one hand, and the handle with the other, the blade moves when sideway pressure is applied. This happens when the blade is locked open and when halfway closed.

Linerlock locks up solid still, though. But I think the pivot pin loosened up considerably.

Have I abused my Military? Well, apart from 30 solid spine whacks and CQBs with fish, chicken, beef and vegetables at the kitchen, I haven't used mine for anything much.

I carry my Military pivot end down inside my left rear pocket and when I sit down I exert around 150 lbs. on it's handle and pivot. Maybe this caused the uni-lined G-10 handles to flex and the pivot the loosen?

I think I have to tighten the pivot screw and see if this solves my problem.

Questions:

1/ What torx size do I need to adjust my Military's pivot screw?
2/ Do I need to loctite it after adjustment?
3/ Have any other Military men out there experienced this?

Thanks for any info!

Titan

PS Excuse my explanation; English is not my native language...

Spyderco Chief Engineer · May 24, 1999

Titan.
This should not happen in normal use, the adjusting pivot screw has a Loctite patch built into it.
You can adjust it yourself using a #15 torx or even a 3/32 allen wrench will work at a pinch. Yes you will need Loctite, on such a small fine thread any type will work.
Or if you can live without it for a while send it in and let us take care of it for you.
If I can help you at all, give me a call.
Thanks.
Vince.

Titan · May 24, 1999

Vince -- thanks for the prompt reply. I'll try to adjust it myself first and if it still needs fixin' I'll let you know...

Titan · May 24, 1999

Vince -- I think I found out the problem. I showed my knife to our in-house Service Engineer. We adjusted the pivot with his hex head wrench but still the blade touches the handle.

We found out the problem somewhere else.

We believe the right side -- on the unsupported flared butt end, near the lanyard hole -- of the G-10 scale permanently flexed inward and is now almost touching the blade. When I carried my Military on my left rear pocket, my weight was practically bearing down on the unsupported portion of the handle when I sit down.

So I don't think its any fault of the design or construction of my Military. (Whew!)

So now I carry my Military clipped to my waistband.

Thanks for the concern!

[This message has been edited by Titan (edited 24 May 1999).]

bald1 · May 25, 1999

Titan,

I must applaud your honesty and integrity with the disclosure of the root cause of your problem. It also serves as a lesson learned for the rest of us that even the best design can be abused

in ways we would not normally think of.

Now if we could get Sal or Vince to test the flex pressure limits of the handle... we already have seen numbers on defeating the linerlock. [Just kidding guys

!]

------------------
-=[Bob]=-

I did NOT escape from the institution! They gave me a day pass!

Titan · May 25, 1999

Saw this post at the BM Forum re AFCK and think Mik'e reply apply to my Military as well

This is the sore spot for the AFCK. However, it is not misalignment. The two handle slabs are only connected at the pivot and near the end. They tend to flex and bend, especially if you carry in your back pocket. This causes the blade to rub. It is a simple fix (bend them back by hand) that needs to be done every few days. Mike Bradshaw

Titan · May 25, 1999

Bob -- I'm sure the SpyderCrew would like to hear all the good and not-so-good points of their products especially from us ELUs. For we all must learn from our faults.

But in this case, the fault was not with my folder but with the way I carried it...

Corduroy · May 25, 1999

Hmmm, maybe there's some justification to my mild dislike of open-backed knives.

In working on AFCKs I'd often add a full-length spacer, sometimes with an extra screw midway between the locking pin and the first screw in the normal spacer. That seemed to decrease any tendency of the handle to flex.

I just got my replacement Militray, and I am VERY pleased. One tiny design problem I've noted, though, is that the open butt-end of the knife can catch your pocket between the scales when rapidly putting the knife away (Viele does likewise). A full spacer would make this impossible, letting the knife "torpedo" right into your pocket. Just a thought.

------------------

-Corduroy
(Why else would a bear want a pocket?)

Dannyc · May 25, 1999

Titan,

Hmmm.. either don't carry it in your backpocket, or you can always go on a diet, trim yourself down to only 100 lbs. or so, hehehehehe...

Dan

Paul Davidson · May 26, 1999

One of those nifty concealex neck sheaths from River City Sheaths would solve the problem of weight on the knife. Check out the picture that Dexter posted a few days ago.

William Johnson · May 27, 1999

Titan,
I go with DannyC, don't carry in your back pocket....too hard on it.

The sheath idea is valid too. Mike Sastre makes a cool neck sheath with Kydex or concealex.

Check it out....

------------------
God bless!

Romans 10:9-10

"Military" Fans Unite!!

Titan · May 27, 1999

My first three Spyderco's were close-backed folders (two zytel Enduras and one Endura II). The first time I saw an open-backed linerlock folder I admit to not liking such a fragile-looking design.

The Military's construction seems correct this mis-conception. Open backed folders can also be tough if the correct posts placement are made. Now I am conscious of looking at open backed folders' butt to see if they are susceptible to flexing and deformation. As a sample, the flareless butt end and post placement of the Starmate would not be subject to deformation if constant pressure is applied on its handle.

One of the things I like about the Military's handle is the added grip security provided by the flared butt. However, as this is an unsupported portion by a post of the handle (impossible to do as it is along the blade's path), sitting on it deforms the flared portion.

Its not the Military's fault, though, as Spydies are mainly designed to be clipped in the front pocket. But as I were dress pants to the ofice everyday, I cannot carry my folder in this location. I considered an IWB carry behind the pager before, but I ruled this out as drawing behind the pager is clumsy and hinders fast draw. So I carried it unclipped in my back pocket together with my wallet. Drawbacks to these were I had to constantly check if it was still there, and I had to pull it out together with my wallet when paying for something.

Now I'm forced to carry it semi-horizontally IWB and behind the pager to prevent further handle deformation.

Yep, I saw Dexter's beautiful kydex neck sheath made by Mike Sastre. I would've liked to carry my Military in one but its impractical for me as I wear office uniform daily. I also realized after wearing a Gigand Mosquito neck knife for almost a month that I feel uncomfortable wearing one the whole day. I guess I just don't like wearing anything around my neck, even fancy necklaces. (Even if I had a mini-Police necklace, I'd carry it in my pocket.) Now I carry my Mosquito inside my sock!

I think the neck sheath is great for outdoor carry for me, though.

On my Military's blade play, I'm happy to note that after adjusting it this problem disappeared.

Corduroy -- I'm glad you got yours back and is now pleased with it....

Dannyc -- it seems you finally found my wife's email address? This might explain why the two of you are telling me to go on a diet!

Dannyc · May 27, 1999

Nope, I don't think I got your wife's email address yet..

But I think it's more like 6th sense, hahahaha..

Specially after you mentioned your weight.

I'll probably be getting my Military this weekend at a local sporting goods store here. It's more expensive, but heck, all these talks about that knife is driving me knuts already!

Dan