Paramilitary 2 disappointment...Suggestions?

It's a good knife, though I'm just not warming up to the lock and the size.
Ended up trading the boi
 
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wivo9 said:
It's a good knife, though I'm just not warming up to the lock and the size.
Ended up trading the boi
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i feel the same way about the mini grip. not into the lock. moderns seem alot more complicated than the traditionals.
i might just skip the pm2 and go delica.
 
I love Spyderco, but have to admit that all of my Golden purchases have had obvious F & F flaws. My Taichung Spydies have been perfect so far, though.
 
"The washers are actually bent intentionally prior to assembly. If you disassemble the knife it can cause blade play and off centeredness. As far as the liner is concerned it’s hard to make any determinations for the photo."

-Charlynn
Spyderco Customer Service /Warranty/Repair
 
jjoanty01 said:
Um.. I thought that was the point? :D Sharp edges... ahhh... ok.. not funny.
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Ha, not the actual knife edge. Those are as they should be.

I've heard that taichung models tend to have sharp corners, opening holes, blade spines, ect

bushati said:
"The washers are actually bent intentionally prior to assembly. If you disassemble the knife it can cause blade play and off centeredness. As far as the liner is concerned it’s hard to make any determinations for the photo."

-Charlynn
Spyderco Customer Service /Warranty/Repair
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:confused:
 
There's a really good write-up on how to center a folding knife over on the Spyderco forums. I can't be bothered to find it just now (at work) but it works great for every folder I've ever had that was off-center.
 
Bugout Bill said:
I've heard that taichung models tend to have sharp corners, opening holes, blade spines, ect
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I've owned several Taichung models and have never had this issue.
I've owned:
Sage 2
Sage 3
Chaparral
Chokwe
Gayle Bradley
Gayle Bradley Air
Techno
Domino

Never had any unwanted sharp edges on them.

Taichung in my opinion has put out some of the best Spyderco knives in the best steels with great prices and flawless fit and finish and quality.
Don't get me wrong, I love the USA made Spydies too, the Para 2 being a favorite, but Taichung has always went above and beyond.

On subject,
I would try to return it and get it replaced by where you bought it from. Also, shoot Spyderco an email and send it in to them, I'm sure there's something they can do to help you out.
Knives when you first buy them require a break in period. The Para 2 is not ridiculously smooth out of the box. You have to play with it, opening and closing it, adjusting the pivot, etc. Over time it loosens up and isn't as stiff and becomes one of the smoothest knives that are out on the market. Even Sebenzas need a break in period and after some opening/closing and use, they are very smooth. It just takes time, no knife is likely to be exactly as smooth as you've seen in videos out of the box.
 
bushati said:
Pretty much the same problem. How is side to side blade play on yours?
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No play when it is locked open, and very slight play when the blade swings free. The key is to play around with not only the pivot screws, but the blade-stop screws as well. Use Loctite so when you get it perfect, you never need to fuss with it again.
 
is this normal today with the moderns or pm2, where you have to play around with the pivot screws to get it right? those knives aren't cheap and they should come already set up.
 
I have yet to buy a production knife that came out of the box with a perfect pivot. All of my knives eventually end up getting taken apart, smoothed out, and loctited to my own specifications. Truth be told, my PM2 is one of the least expensive knives in my collection, so I wasn't expecting the "hydraulic" feel that most of my other folders possess. Luckily after much use, the PM2 has smoothed out quite a lot.
 
Bugout Bill said:
Ha, not the actual knife edge. Those are as they should be.

I've heard that taichung models tend to have sharp corners, opening holes, blade spines, ect
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The liners on the Gayle Bradly can be a bit sharp, but it's a small price to pay for nearly perfect F&F :cool:
 
I had the same issues with mine. Really wanted to love it based on all the hype but I'm trying to sell it. It just doesn't do it for me.
 
SPXTrader said:
You're kidding us, right? Spyderco's CS told you to do this? To a brand new knife?

Send it in and politely ask for a replacement.
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She's actually right although there is a more effective way to center a blade. What you do is this:

A: slightly loosen all screws, don't remove them completely, just loosen them.
B: center the blade
C: now gently from the bottom up (!) start tightening them while keeping the blade centered.
D: tighten the pivot screw last and just enough to eliminate bladeplay.

This works for pretty much all folders with a blade/washers/liners/scales build. Effectively what you are doing is you're ever so slightly shifting the layers keeping the blade centered.

When I got my Endura ZDP189 the blade was completely offset to the right. I found the above on some youtube vid and it worked like charm. The tip is dead center now.
 
SPXTrader said:
You're kidding us, right? Spyderco's CS told you to do this? To a brand new knife?

Send it in and politely ask for a replacement.
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Actually a few more knife companies have suggested doing this, but also said do it at your own discretion because if you damage the knife then your on your own....I just got a new PM2 and while not as smooth as others it has no side to side play like they usually come with, I'm sure a little bit of use will break the knife in nicely though, for the time being I smothered that bad boy in nano oil and let it be, If there is any burrs in the pivot area I'm sure they will eventually be worn off, If it's gets any worse then I will send it back to spyderco , I didn't disassemble the knife because if it doesn't work itelf out I will just send it in and let Spyderco fix it, I'm wiling to deal with a little bit of stiffness though, its blade play I can't stand...FWIW moving the pocket clip to tip up carry and moving the blade so that it is covering the top 3 pocket clip screws , then applying oil to those screws is a good way to get oil deep down in the pivot, and nano oil is the shiznit, It will turn a rough knife smooth, no disassembly and voiding your warranty required.
 
jjoanty01 said:
So the knives made in Taiwan are better than the models made in the US?
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I have a small pile of both and in my experience, the answer to that question is an unreserved yes.

The Golden knives are fine knives that are entirely lovable if you dig the Spyderco sense of style, but the Taichung knives appear to have superior fit and finish.
 
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