Hi all! I recently made my first (and likely last) modern knife purchase in over a year and bought a Police 4. Upon receipt I loved it. The less defined handle shape made for great ergonomics even with my sausage fingers and bear paws, just like I thought it would. The blade is great, just a perfect shape for utility. I'm excited to test out the steel also. It did come slightly, maybe 1.5mm, off center toward the clip or non Spyder logo side. There also was a noticeable gap, enough that light could filter through, between the lock bar and the liner on the same (clip/non spyder logo) side.
However, after less than a day of carry and use I noticed that the lock bar screw had backed out so much that it was almost half its length above the scale. It was close to falling out. I then checked the pivot and it also was loose, and has a little washer on the male side which I have not seen before. (Problems like this are one of the reasons I like peened knives, like the Caly 3.5. Not to mention traditionals.)
I have readjusted the lock bar screw and tightened the pivot. I did add Blue 242 Removable Threadlocker Loctite to the pivot, and after about 20 hours of curing it seems to be holding and not backing out. I didn't cause any damage to the screws or knife in general when doing this, as I've adjusted and worked on many knives and have a quality torx set. It doesn't have any noticeable blade play and drops closed, but that space I mentioned earlier has not gone away.
Does this all sound normal? I have used it and therefore don't want to try to exchange it with the dealer, but would you suggest contacting the dealer, Spyderco, or just letting it go?
This is definitely an expensive knife for me and I am not pumped about being unsure about the build quality like I am. Spyderco is hands down my favorite modern knife company and has lots of other knives that I'd like to buy, but I don't like having to deal with these issues.
Finally, I've always wondered something about the Endura. Which of your fingers, the middle or the ring, fits into the smallest handle scallop when you use yours? This honestly has kept me from keeping any Endura I've had because when I put my ring finger in that area my index and middle finger are cramped to fit in the next are up closest to the blade, but if I put my middle finger in that smallest area it feels like I'm holding the blade too far away from my hand. I'd really like to have an Endura, and have even considered getting custom scales without the handle scallop areas, but at that point it'd cost as much as getting a Police 4 but with worse steel. Hence the Police 4.
However, after less than a day of carry and use I noticed that the lock bar screw had backed out so much that it was almost half its length above the scale. It was close to falling out. I then checked the pivot and it also was loose, and has a little washer on the male side which I have not seen before. (Problems like this are one of the reasons I like peened knives, like the Caly 3.5. Not to mention traditionals.)
I have readjusted the lock bar screw and tightened the pivot. I did add Blue 242 Removable Threadlocker Loctite to the pivot, and after about 20 hours of curing it seems to be holding and not backing out. I didn't cause any damage to the screws or knife in general when doing this, as I've adjusted and worked on many knives and have a quality torx set. It doesn't have any noticeable blade play and drops closed, but that space I mentioned earlier has not gone away.
Does this all sound normal? I have used it and therefore don't want to try to exchange it with the dealer, but would you suggest contacting the dealer, Spyderco, or just letting it go?
This is definitely an expensive knife for me and I am not pumped about being unsure about the build quality like I am. Spyderco is hands down my favorite modern knife company and has lots of other knives that I'd like to buy, but I don't like having to deal with these issues.
Finally, I've always wondered something about the Endura. Which of your fingers, the middle or the ring, fits into the smallest handle scallop when you use yours? This honestly has kept me from keeping any Endura I've had because when I put my ring finger in that area my index and middle finger are cramped to fit in the next are up closest to the blade, but if I put my middle finger in that smallest area it feels like I'm holding the blade too far away from my hand. I'd really like to have an Endura, and have even considered getting custom scales without the handle scallop areas, but at that point it'd cost as much as getting a Police 4 but with worse steel. Hence the Police 4.
