dcmartin
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2010
- Messages
- 1,232
Ever have a Stainless model that develops side to side blade play?? What to do? The SS models are press fitted....
The very first Spyderco I bought was a Lava. With all of the above qualities (SS and press fitted) it soon also succumbed to side / side blade play. I though, why not press out the original and fit it with a torx pivot.
I took a chance using and old Police model I had pressed out the pivot pin to get the actual numbers and measurements. (what the hell, they looked close enough) First i had to measure diameter of the pivot pin .0121" at the center. The outside edges of the pivot pin were slightly bigger
Now to fit the torx pivot. At .137" it is a bit too big to fit into the pivot hole.
With the help of my trusty Leatherman mut and my Dremel, time to shave off a bit of steel.
Once i got the diameter of the Torx pivot down to .0119" it was time to get the height right. Turns out it was dead nuts even without any grinding. The Police and the Lava have an almost exact thickness at the pivot.
On to zip tie the lock so it won't push on the blade when there is no pivot holding it.
Time make my press. Just a "C" clamp with a 13mm stubby socket at the wobble end and a T5 torx to press the pivot out.
My "C" clamp press at work.
Starting and pressing the new pivot in (it went in with just a bit of resistance)
THE FINISHED PRODUCT.
It did get a couple of marks but nothing i can't polish out and re scuff to look brushed.
Perfectly centered and smooth as butter...
Now my Lava is blade play free! It's a simple mod, but I'M SURE IT'LL VOID YOUR WARRANTY SO PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK
The very first Spyderco I bought was a Lava. With all of the above qualities (SS and press fitted) it soon also succumbed to side / side blade play. I though, why not press out the original and fit it with a torx pivot.
I took a chance using and old Police model I had pressed out the pivot pin to get the actual numbers and measurements. (what the hell, they looked close enough) First i had to measure diameter of the pivot pin .0121" at the center. The outside edges of the pivot pin were slightly bigger
Now to fit the torx pivot. At .137" it is a bit too big to fit into the pivot hole.
With the help of my trusty Leatherman mut and my Dremel, time to shave off a bit of steel.
Once i got the diameter of the Torx pivot down to .0119" it was time to get the height right. Turns out it was dead nuts even without any grinding. The Police and the Lava have an almost exact thickness at the pivot.
On to zip tie the lock so it won't push on the blade when there is no pivot holding it.
Time make my press. Just a "C" clamp with a 13mm stubby socket at the wobble end and a T5 torx to press the pivot out.
My "C" clamp press at work.
Starting and pressing the new pivot in (it went in with just a bit of resistance)
THE FINISHED PRODUCT.
It did get a couple of marks but nothing i can't polish out and re scuff to look brushed.
Perfectly centered and smooth as butter...
Now my Lava is blade play free! It's a simple mod, but I'M SURE IT'LL VOID YOUR WARRANTY SO PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK