Para military 2 stays open after swinging closed- Anyone else have this problem???

colubrid

colubrid

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Nov 26, 2005
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I got my first para military 2 and I was wondering if anyone else has a problem with the blade staying put when you close it? I think i am using the depression lock correctly ..(?), I dunno?

I feel the detent when it is in the closed position. But it is to llight? I can't tell cause i don't have another to compare it to. So hence my question to see if this is a common occurance with this model..



What i do is pinch the lock with my index finger and thumb and swing the blade closed;

Problem is,, it snips back up a half inch and i jabbed myself with it a couple times. Now I am not wanting to reach for the para 2 from my EDC user arsenal anymore just because I am afraid that one time it will cut me bad.

So my question is.... is it because of the lock system and how we "I" use it? Cause to close it, I use a swing action after the compression lock is depressed. It swings in and you have to let it up at just the right, split second moment to make it stay in the closed position.


Anyone else have this problem. or is it just me?
How else do i know if the balde retention is to loose? It has a tiny bit of snap when closed. but right at the closed position. Not to far before..if ya know what i mean.
 
The blade should not be so loose that you can swing the blade closed and it bounces back off the stop pin. This is what your blade is doing...bouncing off the stop pin. A blade that loose will have significant side-to-side play and that is not good either. Tighten up your pivot screw and stop snap closing your blade. I'm a lefty and I use my thumb to disengage the lock. I then close it with my right hand. If I have to close it one-handed I slightly jar the blade loose out of the detent and use my forefinger to close it.
 
If I'm understanding correctly, I think the issue is, when closing it by the method described, the ball detente has no friction with which to act on the blade tang because the lock bar is still being held in the "open" position causing the blade to bounce back a little after forcefully closing it with one hand. If I'm understanding correctly.
 
Ken C. said:
The blade should not be so loose that you can swing the blade closed and it bounces back off the stop pin. This is what your blade is doing...bouncing off the stop pin. A blade that loose will have significant side-to-side play and that is not good either. Tighten up your pivot screw and stop snap closing your blade. I'm a lefty and I use my thumb to disengage the lock. I then close it with my right hand. If I have to close it one-handed I slightly jar the blade loose out of the detent and use my forefinger to close it.
Click to expand...

I have a Para 1 (just got it back :D) and I do like Ken says, I just kind of shift it out of battery, then finish the close with my forefinger, or my leg (old slipjoint style).

I do believe that the knife is too loose as well and is slamming off the stop pin, and bouncing back open. I will also say, snapping folders open and closed with great authority is quite detrimental on the knife as a whole.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Moose
 
I agree with everything said above. Two hands or one hand and a leg will save you frustration. Be gentle and tighten her up.
 
It may be a different issue but I had a Para 2 that had a really light detent. I removed the liner and bent the lock bar over a bit more very carefully w/o deforming the lock bar to add additional detent force. Yes, it involves taking it apart but I wanted the added security and it worked perfectly. The lockup did not change and I doubt they could have done it any differently at the factory.
 
dsmegst said:
It may be a different issue but I had a Para 2 that had a really light detent. I removed the liner and bent the lock bar over a bit more very carefully w/o deforming the lock bar to add additional detent force. Yes, it involves taking it apart but I wanted the added security and it worked perfectly. The lockup did not change and I doubt they could have done it any differently at the factory.
Click to expand...

There could also be a detent tension issue as well, I just wanted to say that also.

dsmegst, said it best, me thinks.

Moose
 
I just checked mine, and I think your just flicking it to hard. If I flick mine just a tad to hard mine will bounce back a bit to, but if I flick it just right it will close and stay closed. If its closing to fast tighten the pivot a little.

Like Ken C, I never flick mine all the way closed though. I flick it almost closed, and then use my thumb(on same hand) to close it. Its not good on any knife to slam the blade into the stop pin.
 
EZ Bake said:
My Para-2's blade swings very freely and has no side-to-side play.
Click to expand...

Mine too, I like it buttery fast:D

Ken44 said:
I just checked mine, and I think your just flicking it to hard. If I flick mine just a tad to hard mine will bounce back a bit to, but if I flick it just right it will close and stay closed. If its closing to fast tighten the pivot a little.

Like Ken C, I never flick mine all the way closed though. I flick it almost closed, and then use my thumb(on same hand) to close it. Its not good on any knife to slam the blade into the stop pin.
Click to expand...

This^^^^^^^
 
Ken44 said:
Like Ken C, I never flick mine all the way closed though. I flick it almost closed, and then use my thumb(on same hand) to close it. Its not good on any knife to slam the blade into the stop pin.
Click to expand...

I swing mine all the way closed, but I release the pressure from the compression lock about half-way through the swing - which slows it down and stops it perfectly in the closed position (Every Para-2 I've seen has a seriously strong detent though). I open mine the same way - it never (or hardly ever) slams either direction with this method.
 
EZ Bake said:
I swing mine all the way closed, but I release the pressure from the compression lock about half-way through the swing - which slows it down and stops it perfectly in the closed position (Every Para-2 I've seen has a seriously strong detent though). I open mine the same way - it never (or hardly ever) slams either direction with this method.
Click to expand...

You stole the words right out of my mouth. It just takes so practice to get the timing right.
 
i have noticed with mine that the front of the choil is accessible in the slot milled out of the handle so if you stick your nail or finger in deeply it will prevent it from getting to your detent

also i have had it "bounce" back out of the handle
 
Okay you guys aren't helping me. LOL!

I want to know if mine is doing what it is supposed to or not. I close all my blades with one hand. This is the first design i have come accross that does not allow safe closing (ie.blade popping back and possibly getting cut with it).


My para 2 does not have a loose blade. no side to side play..zero!

I was checking my other knifes and the ones i use in similar fashion are my Benchmades griptilians. They have a detent snap at about one inch (1") before the blade goes into the grip handle. Making it real easy to time the release of the lock. The para 2 does not snap until it is almost in the fully closed position. this is after it passes the grip border/threshold...

Man it is hard to explain. but it has been an issue with me. i am not slamming the blade down. Just pushing the compression lock and letting the blade fall on its own. It bounces back.

I think this is the way it is supposed to be designed. If it is. it is not for me (can't make everyone happy) and I have tried closing it with different methods. But really the most common usage is to pinch the compression lock with index finger and thumpb and let the blade drop. Sometimes add a little jiggle to help it get moving. I tried it without any jiggle and the blade still pops back.

the reason this is happeneing is the finger cannot release from the compression lok fast enough to keep it from bouncing- In other words, as long as your finger is still pressing the compression lock, the blade will bounce off of it.

Unless someones para 2 works differently. Please help me out and try this experiment with your Para 2:

Close the blade real slow and tell me when the balde snaps in. Is it after the tip of the blade passes the threshold of the grip handle? [the grip handle being the end part of the handle that swerves up]

Does it snap in before reaching this point?? And if before, can you tell me approximatly how much distance before the tip reaches the grip handle (BORDER) before the snap engages?

Just push the blade real close to closing and then slowley press with your left index finger and see at what point does the blade pull itself into the closed position on its own.
 
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You need to work on your technique. If you feel there is something wong with your knife, call Spyderco and have them look at it.
 
RevDevil said:
You need to work on your technique. If you feel there is something wong with your knife, call Spyderco and have them look at it.
Click to expand...

I don't want to call and ask them because they will just ask me to send the knife in.

here is a Youtube video I just made of my "perceived" problem. Just tell me if yours snaps it at the same point and distance from the grip threshold:
[video=youtube;FLxNsypFZos]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLxNsypFZos&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 
Now I have checked this with other knives. But the Griptilian design is similar in that it it is not a liner lock and the knife has to be used in the same fashion-closing from the back of the knife like a compression lock. Look at the video and notice at what point the snap takes. It is at least an inch before the handle threshold. This keeps the blade from bouncing out when closing it one handed...similar to using your index and thumb on the para 2.


anyway, that is my question on the para 2. is it the design or is mine defective?





[video=youtube;a-qT1A_2cQc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-qT1A_2cQc&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 
colubrid said:
I don't want to call and ask them because they will just ask me to send the knife in.

here is a Youtube video I just made of my "perceived" problem. Just tell me if yours snaps it at the same point and distance from the grip threshold:
[video=youtube;FLxNsypFZos]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLxNsypFZos&feature=youtu.be[/video]
Click to expand...

Mine works just like yours does. Its a PM1, but for the most part, its the same knife.

I just took mine apart last night, down to the nuts, bolts and washers. Every piece was inspected and cleaned, then, reassmebled. Once it was back together, I had to tune the pivot screw tension. It took some time, to get the closing resistance just right, balanced with the opening pressure. Even at its loosest point, my blade had little to no play, but the tension was still too loose. I could tighten it up, a little at a time, and get it back to perfect. Which is what I did.

It might be worth your time to grab a T7 stardriver, and adjust the pivot screw until it works like you want.

Or you can work out a deal with me. :D


Moose
 
In the video, that is typical of almost every ball-bearing detente knife I have seen. It's inherent in the design. Other knives have much better self close, such as the Axis lock knives, Manix 2 and other BB lock knives and lock backs. I'd say it's normal.
 
moosez45 said:
Mine works just like yours does. Its a PM1, but for the most part, its the same knife.

I just took mine apart last night, down to the nuts, bolts and washers. Every piece was inspected and cleaned, then, reassmebled. Once it was back together, I had to tune the pivot screw tension. It took some time, to get the closing resistance just right, balanced with the opening pressure. Even at its loosest point, my blade had little to no play, but the tension was still too loose. I could tighten it up, a little at a time, and get it back to perfect. Which is what I did.

It might be worth your time to grab a T7 stardriver, and adjust the pivot screw until it works like you want.

Or you can work out a deal with me. :D


Moose
Click to expand...

So tightening te pivot screw will adjust the detent snap?

Hmm, doesn't sound right, but i will try it if you say so. I just hate to lossen the locktight that spyderco puts on their pivot. I already tried with a T7 stardriver and it is tight as a drum. Didn't want to force it so i came back here to check with you and make sure this will increase the detent snap or pressure?
 
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