Para 3 DLC doesnt tighten

M

MUAlum2013

Joined
Jan 9, 2022
Messages
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I asked this in another thread but I decided to just create a new one since the one I posted in was a few years old, but this is what I had asked:

I'm having the same issue. My dlc Para 3 is tightened all the way. It drop shuts and tiny bit of blade play. All my other Para 3s you tightened it the blade gets stiff doesnt open or close without using your other hand or really flicking your wrist or if you loosen the pivot a bit. So like normal. But this Para 3 idk what's happening. It doesn't get tighter. All the way tightened it still drop shuts without any movement and there is some play when blade is open. Knife is brand new and stamp on the blade says 23 and washers all are still in new condition. I looked at the pivot set up and its the same as my other Para 3s that do tightened. Looks like a barrel pivot. I think barrel pivot is the correct term. My Sage 5 doesn't really get AS tight but I know that's due to having an actual bushing system but why does this happen with my Para 3? As far as I know, this Para 3 is the same as my other Para 3s yet my others ones do tighten like normal. Any help would be appreciated. I'm not really bothered by this but I'm just confused as to why its happening.

Edit: I do think something is going on bc no matter what I do blade doesn't center. I've taken it apart and put it back so maybe it's related?
 
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MUAlum2013 said:
Edit: I do think something is going on bc no matter what I do blade doesn't center. I've taken it apart and put it back so maybe it's related?
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How was it BEFORE you took it apart? Was the blade centered? Was the pivot functioning the way you expected?
 
hhmoore said:
How was it BEFORE you took it apart? Was the blade centered? Was the pivot functioning the way you expected?
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Blade arrived very off centered. If a 5 is dead centered and 1 is touching left scale and 10 is touching the right scale, it was like a 8. I was able to get it to maybe like a 7 after messing with it, but that's it. So still off centered. Other than it being off centered and not getting tightened, the knife works perfect. It doesn't impact usage or safety in anyway, it's just interesting why it doesn't get tighter. When it's open, the blade play is noticeable but not major enough where it would impact cutting which is good. I took apart my other Para 3s, most recently my camo and the pivot & everything was exactly the same. I was thinking maybe Spyderco made some changes to the pivot of current production Para 3s and that's why it doesn't get tighter but I was told nothing has changed & once again, everything is the same as my other Para 3s like the camo which is stamped 2022. So, now I'm thinking something just isn't right with this specific Para 3. Something isn't sitting properly or isn't flush in the pivot or the washers are causing issues...I don't know but something like that.
 
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MUAlum2013 said:
Blade arrived very off centered. If a 5 is dead centered and 1 is touching left scale and 10 is touching the right scale, it was like a 8. I was able to get it to maybe like a 7 after messing with it, but that's it. So still off centered. Other than it being off centered and not getting tightened, the knife works perfect. It doesn't impact usage or safety in anyway, it's just interesting why it doesn't get tighter. When it's open, the blade play is noticeable but not major enough where it would impact cutting which is good. I took apart my other Para 3s, most recently my camo and the pivot & everything was exactly the same. I was thinking maybe Spyderco made some changes to the pivot of current production Para 3s and that's why it doesn't get tighter but I was told nothing has changed & once again, everything is the same as my other Para 3s like the camo which is stamped 2022. So, now I'm thinking something just isn't right with this specific Para 3. Something isn't sitting properly or isn't flush in the pivot or the washers are causing issues...I don't know but something like that.
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Maybe try an experiment that’s pretty simple to do.

Take one of your good Para 3s pivot, washers, screws, etc and swap it into your bad Para 3 DLC.

If it cures the problem, problem is solved with new pivot set and screws.


If it doesn’t solve the problem, send it back to Spyderco, as it’s most likely the blade or liner or handle or??
 
Retired UPS Driver said:
Maybe try an experiment that’s pretty simple to do.

Take one of your good Para 3s pivot, washers, screws, etc and swap it into your bad Para 3 DLC.

If it cures the problem, problem is solved with new pivot set and screws.


If it doesn’t solve the problem, send it back to Spyderco, as it’s most likely the blade or liner or handle or??
Click to expand...
I'll absolutely do that when I'm home tonight. Thanks for the suggestion! Didn't even think of that.
 
I fixed it. So I looking at my other Para 3s pivot and I noticed I could see through the pivot. The pivot for Para 3 that wasn't tigenting wasn't like that. I couldn't see through the pivot. So I think something got clogged in the pivot preventing the screws from screwing in as far as it should thus not tightening. Idk what it is but I tried removing it and I couldn't. Best I could do was scrape some of whatever it is out to make room for the screws on both sides. It ended up being enough bc now when I tighten it all the way (I can feel the screw going in further now) the blade gets very stiff like any other Para 3 I own. It also helped with centering the blade too. It isn't dead centered but pretty close.
 
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