PM2 Bladeplay

Stark Knives

Stark Knives

Joined
Mar 19, 2010
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My PM2 has developed a bit of bladeplay. I tried to tighten the pivot, but it won't move. How can I get it to turn? And when I turn it would I do both sides of the pivot or just one?
 
You should be able to adjust that out. I would get a second torx driver and use it to hold the opposite side of the pivot while you adjust it. If you haven't gotten the pivot to move before you may need to work it loose first.
 
Try tightening the stop-pin screws. If it's the pivot, both sides turn. 4 screws determine the pivot tightness on the PM2, so be patient, and Loctite the bejesus out of them (if they need it).
 
I agree with Cypress. If the pivot is tight, try the screws closest to the pivot because they have a pretty substantial effect on the swing of the blade and blade play.
 
Yup what they said.

I've had a few with play, but they all got adjusted out. So actually I have non with play :thumbup:
 
Lateral play should be adjusted with the pivot screws, not the stop pin screws. Use a pair of *properly fitting* Torx drivers, one on each side. Be careful - if you strip the screws you may wind up sending the knife in to Spyderco for non-warranty repair. If they really won't move, try warming them (very carefully, just warm NOT hot) with the tip of a soldering iron to soften the thread locker.
 
Make sure all the handle screws are tight too. If they get loose the blade can develop play as well.
 
That's why the tool kits always have 2 torx bits of the same size. Best to hand tighten first on all the screws, then use two sets, one on each side with the blade sitting on its back. Turn it tight + 15 mins....then adjust as needed. But as the previous members said in the PM2, the stop pin has an signifantly affect on the blade play Verse some others blade only te pivot.
 
JNewell said:
Lateral play should be adjusted with the pivot screws, not the stop pin screws. Use a pair of *properly fitting* Torx drivers, one on each side. Be careful - if you strip the screws you may wind up sending the knife in to Spyderco for non-warranty repair. If they really won't move, try warming them (very carefully, just warm NOT hot) with the tip of a soldering iron to soften the thread locker.
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I developed blade play in my favorite knife, a pm2 with cts 20 cp steel. After carefully tightening the pivot screws as much as I could, the lateral play remained and I could not get the screws to loosen , even with heat. I returned the knife to Spyderco for correction. I received a call from the lady doing the repair telling me that she had replaced the screws and was able to tighten the blade by tightening the pivot screws and the stop pin screws. Even with these meaqsures, she said the blade wasn t completely tight, but that was the best that could be done. On receiving the knife it was tight by my standards,but it loosened again fairly quickly. I loosened the two pivot screws and the stop pin screws and retightened all 4 screws after applying loctite to the pivot screws. My blade now locks up completely tight and is smooth. It has remained that way. I have other pm2 s that have been successfully adjusted with loosening and tightening all four screws. I believe all 4 screws must be used in adjusting this particular model.
 
whp said:
I developed blade play in my favorite knife, a pm2 with cts 20 cp steel. After carefully tightening the pivot screws as much as I could, the lateral play remained and I could not get the screws to loosen , even with heat. I returned the knife to Spyderco for correction. I received a call from the lady doing the repair telling me that she had replaced the screws and was able to tighten the blade by tightening the pivot screws and the stop pin screws. Even with these meaqsures, she said the blade wasn t completely tight, but that was the best that could be done. On receiving the knife it was tight by my standards,but it loosened again fairly quickly. I loosened the two pivot screws and the stop pin screws and retightened all 4 screws after applying loctite to the pivot screws. My blade now locks up completely tight and is smooth. It has remained that way. I have other pm2 s that have been successfully adjusted with loosening and tightening all four screws. I believe all 4 screws must be used in adjusting this particular model.
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Some PM2s will not respond to pivot screw tightening due to manufacturing tolerances and the design of the step pivot in the PM2. There are a small number of these knives that have oversized (too wide) dimensions that prevent tightening the pivot screws enough to eliminate lateral play.

I've posted on this many times, but lateral play should be adjusted with the pivot screws. After those screws have been set correctly, blade play should be adjusted, if needed, with the stop pin screws. Loctite is a good idea on the pivot screws and often required on the stop pin screws - but use only blue Loctite.
 
My s35vn also developed side-to-side play.

It is important to note that the PM2 does not use the same one-sided pivot that most folders do; it is a shaft that threads from both sides. Both visible Torx screws are responsible for tightening the pivot, and the steps turned in the pivot make each adjustment unique. If one it tightened to stop, the other side may still have adjustment left in it.
 
The pivot on the para2 is a d-barrel on one side... shouldn't need two bits to tighten or loosen. Sounds like your pivot is just as tight as it can go.

My PM2 developed play, what I realized was that after really torquing down the screws over the years I had depressed the G10 around the pivot hole to the point that the screws would be as snug as they could be but they really weren't holding the handles together as tightly as when I first got the knife.
 
I think this thread is an example of why some may prefer pinned knives these days haha.
 
I tried adjusting all of the screws, but they won't turn. Is there a way to make them turn? Do I have to melt the loctite?
 
JNewell said:
Some PM2s will not respond to pivot screw tightening due to manufacturing tolerances and the design of the step pivot in the PM2. There are a small number of these knives that have oversized (too wide) dimensions that prevent tightening the pivot screws enough to eliminate lateral play.

I've posted on this many times, but lateral play should be adjusted with the pivot screws. After those screws have been set correctly, blade play should be adjusted, if needed, with the stop pin screws. Loctite is a good idea on the pivot screws and often required on the stop pin screws - but use only blue Loctite.
Click to expand...

Hey, thanks for this info. I have a new green pm2 now that is driving me nuts. It has a little side to side play ( pretty minor) that I can not eliminate! I am able to get my s30v pm set just right where the blade falls open but there is no play. This new one won't do it. Either there is play or I tighten it down so tight that the blade won't move freely...and even then there is a tiny bit of play compared to none on my old pm2. Sucks because I really love this steel but the action and lockup is smoother and tighter on my old knife! I am hoping someone has a "magic fix" for this, but I may have to practice acceptance! And that is hard!! Hehe
 
Surfingringo said:
Hey, thanks for this info. I have a new green pm2 now that is driving me nuts. It has a little side to side play ( pretty minor) that I can not eliminate! I am able to get my s30v pm set just right where the blade falls open but there is no play. This new one won't do it. Either there is play or I tighten it down so tight that the blade won't move freely...and even then there is a tiny bit of play compared to none on my old pm2. Sucks because I really love this steel but the action and lockup is smoother and tighter on my old knife! I am hoping someone has a "magic fix" for this, but I may have to practice acceptance! And that is hard!! Hehe
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I feel you
My Green Para 2 has a little side to side and has even developed slight movement up/down. I still love the knife but my Digicam Para 2 is perfect.
 
zl1 said:
I feel you
My Green Para 2 has a little side to side and has even developed slight movement up/down. I still love the knife but my Digicam Para 2 is perfect.
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I know! I would be much happier if the s30v was the one with the play. I'm actually thinking about switching the blades and having a cts204p with digi camo. :)
 
Surfingringo said:
I know! I would be much happier if the s30v was the one with the play. I'm actually thinking about switching the blades and having a cts204p with digi camo. :)
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I would call that a "sleeper". :)

I did see a YouTube video where the guy said there were burs left on the liners where the clip holes were drilled. Once these were sanded down, blade play was gone. Perhaps a good way to check is if you tighten both the pivot and stop screws as much as possible and you still have blade play, then maybe this problem is there.

When I disassemble mine, I'm going to definitely check that.
 
Seems like PM2s have a fair amount of "blade play" issues, just hanging around these forums. I've seen quite the number of threads on the subject.
 
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