SAL-Pivot pin on Military-Self adjusting? Please explain.

Bladeandbarrel · Feb 24, 1999

I have read in a recent Spyderco advert. that the Military Model's pivot pin/screw arrangement is eccentric rather than concentric. Does this mean that it is user adjustable for wear in the lock area. Is this true? Who designed this feature? Is the screw round or offset/elliptical?

Please explain.

Is this patented?

SORRY ABOUT ALL THE QUESTION, CURIOUSITY ID KILLIN ME!

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Anthony P. Lombardo
-will destroy knives for
food-

Sal Glesser · Feb 24, 1999

Anthony - The eccentric pivot on the Military, Centofante and Bob "T" starmate is an adjustment for manufacturing rather than for ELU. It takes a special tool to make the adjustment.

The linerlock is a very complicated lock to make properly. (it seems simple, but it isn't) One of the major problems is the final adjustment of the linerlock / tang-ramp interface. You want the lock to be fully on the ramp, but at the beginning of the ramp. The ramp is what permits the properly made linrterlock to be self adjusting, insuring a tight lock up for many years. The pin rotates eccentricly with keyways setting the adjustment.

It was invented by our Chief engineer, Vince Ford. It is patent pending. We are also willing to make it available to any manuifacturer making linerlock folders. It greatly simplifies the manufacturing process. It has no adjustment advantage to the ELU. The ELU knows that they are getting the most advanced refinement to ensure their long term performance of the knife. Hope that helps.
sal

Dexter Ewing · Feb 24, 1999

Hi Anthony - I'll try to kill some of your curiosity and Sal can drop in and put the final nail in the coffin

The eccentric pivot is not user-adjustable because it requires complete disassembly of the knife. Should the lockup on the Military, or any other Golden-built G-10 knife, develop some slop in it, Spyderco can disassemble the knife and rotate the pivot a bit to move the blade fore or aft to make the lockup tighter and then reassemble the knife.
As to the rest of your questions, I cannot answer them as I have not seen the eccentric pivot by itself. This is how it was explained to me by one of Spyderco's technicians. Hope this gives you something to chew on for a bit.

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Dexter Ewing
Knife Reviews Moderator

"The keystroke is mightier than the sword"

Bladeandbarrel · Feb 24, 1999

Thanks a bunch, Sal and Dex.

Sounds like an innovative solution to a very real conundrum.

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Anthony P. Lombardo
-will destroy knives for
food-

Titan · May 4, 1999

Sal -- the Military is my first linerlock. I'm curious to know if the concave tang ramp is unique to Spydercos or has any other manufacturers copied already this simple yet effective design?

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"It is better to understand a little than to misunderstand a lot." -- Anonymous

David Rock · May 4, 1999

Titan,

The tang ramp on my Benchmade Stryker appears to be ever-so-slightly concave.

David Rock

Brett · May 4, 1999

I had previously assumed that all liner locks would use an eccentric stop pin (or possibly a variety of slightly-different-diameter interchangeable stop pins) to adjust the linerlock during manufacture. If that's not the case, how are other liner locks adjusted? I'd think it would be really hard to build all the parts so they just fit together with the proper lockup, and manually grinding down the liner would be too inefficient.

How do they do it?

-Brett

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brett@rahul.net
www.rahul.net/brett

Sal Glesser · May 4, 1999

Titan - Bob Terzuola showed this method of ramp for a linerlock when he taught Les Deasis and I how to make linerlocks in 1989.

Brett - different sized stop pins were an option that we considered, but it changed the blade / handle angle. Vince's invention keeps the blade / handle angle constant.

I don't know what other manufacturers do to solve this problem. I do know that Denis LeMaire invented an adjustable liner that Cold Steel used on their linerlock about 10 years ago.. You'd have to ask Lynn about that one.
sal