Phosphor bronze washer stuck to liner on a Spyderco PM2

ibo

ibo

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Jul 26, 2023
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Question for all the experienced folks out there. I was taking apart a 1 month old PM2 for cleaning and lubing and encountered this issue that I don't know how to resolve. Everything started off ok on disassembly, despite the screws being very stubborn with Spydie's factory white loctite. But when I got to the last component, the PB washer on the clip side liner locked in with the pivot screw, I couldn't remove it. With all the white loctite I encountered during disassembly, I'm guessing some of it got between the washer and the liner and cemented it in there.

Do any of you have any advice on how to safely remove this washer without causing damage to it or the liner? I've read miscellaneous posts about putting the stuck combo in hot water, or even in boiling water for a few minutes. However, I'd like to get some accumulated advice going in this thread for me to try. At the moment, knife is back together in perfect working order, but my OCD won't let this go hah. MUST. FIX. WASHER!

Any help is welcome!
 
Pry them apart with a razor blade? But I like the idea of soaking them in warm soapy water first.
 
Leave it there. Why would you want to remove it? It's going right back there anyway.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
Leave it there. Why would you want to remove it? It's going right back there anyway.
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Mainly OCD...

And a small unreasonable part of me worries the loctite under the washer would prevent it from laying perfectly flat on the liner, causing uneven wear on the tang in the long run, negatively affecting its action.
 
Have you unscrewed both pivot screws and taken the pivot barrel completely off? I believe the washer is captured between the stepped pivot barrel and the liner.
 
WValtakis said:
Have you unscrewed both pivot screws and taken the pivot barrel completely off? I believe the washer is captured between the stepped pivot barrel and the liner.
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Yeah, everything is off. In my OP I wrote "the PB washer on the clip side liner locked in with the pivot screw" but perhaps I should have used the phrase "locked in by the pivot barrel/pivot screw sandwich". So basically I don't think there is any physical obstruction left, just 2 components - washer on liner.
 
ibo said:
Yeah, everything is off. In my OP I wrote "the PB washer on the clip side liner locked in with the pivot screw" but perhaps I should have used the phrase "locked in by the pivot barrel/pivot screw sandwich". So basically I don't think there is any physical obstruction left, just 2 components - washer on liner.
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Heat or soaking in a solvent like acetone should free it up.
 
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ibo said:
I do have a heat gun and a soldering iron on hand. Would you prefer any of those over hot water?
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I'd go with the heat gun, start low and work up until the threadlocker melts.
 
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Why would you need to remove it? It will still serve its purpose. The point is to reduce friction between the blade and steel liners. No problems there. Leave it alone.
 
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