Some Para-military2 issues, help appreciated.

[czechinthepipes]

Hey all, I have had my para-military2 for a little more than 3 months now and still love it. But I have noticed a few things happening with it so I thought I would ask my fellow Spyderco people.


Firstly, About 3 or 4 weeks ago I had noticed that when opening and closing the blade there is a grinding/rubbing noise in the pivot area. I only notice it if I open the blade slowly; if I open it fast or if I engage the lock and open it, it sounds fine. So when this noise first started I was like okay I went to long, the pivot needs some lube. After I lubed it it was perfect, but a week or so later after some decent use the noise came back so I lubed it again. I have gone through this for the last few weeks and am wondering if what I am hearing is fine.
Let me mention that since I have had this knife I have only been using Tuf-glide lube with great results. I can't keep lubing the pivot every week, that is too big of a nuisance and I will run out of the lube too quickly, yet I don't want to hurt my knife. Does anyone have an idea what could be wrong? I thought maybe it had to do with the compression lock rubbing against the back of the blade.


Also, a week ago the stop pin screw started to unscrew. I tightened it up and a few days later it was loose again. I don't want to tighten it too much because if I keep tightening it the stop pin starts to spin; I am worried that I may hurt the stop pin or strip the screw/threads. Is it normal that the pivot turns or am I over tightening (or already messed something up?). I have since put lock-tite on the screw and it seems okay now but still am worried that I hurt something.


Lastly, I know the para-military has a special or unusual pivot; can someone explain that to me? (always like to learn to be more informed).


Thanks a lot, I appreciate it.

 

[socalkid]

Hello,

The sound in your pivot is probably some grit or dirt in the pivot. I work in a machine shop and get junk in my pivot all the time. I just blow it out with compressed air and relube. If that doesn't fix it I take it apart and clean it. The stop pin needs to be tightened from both side. Dont tighten it to much, just snug with some blue lock-tite.

Have a good one,

Chris

P.S. Disassembling your Spyderco voids the warranty

 

[kreole]

Hello,

The sound in your pivot is probably some grit or dirt in your pivot. I work in a machine shop and get junk in my pivot all the time. I just blow it out with compressed air and relube. If that doesn't fix it I take it apart and clean it. The stop pin needs to be tightened from both side. Dont tighten it to much, just snug with some blue lock-tite.

Have a good one,

Chris

This is what I'd try first, too. Loosen the pivot, drop some dish soap in the area, and open and close it under water for awhile. After that lube it. (It is safer and easier and you'll clean it better by taking the blade out fully, but be aware this voids your warranty. That is straight from Spyderco CS, despite their written warranty saying only damage from disassembly voids it.)

 

[CrimsonTideShooter]

Hey all, I have had my para-military2 for a little more than 3 months now and still love it. But I have noticed a few things happening with it so I thought I would ask my fellow Spyderco people.


Firstly, About 3 or 4 weeks ago I had noticed that when opening and closing the blade there is a grinding/rubbing noise in the pivot area. I only notice it if I open the blade slowly; if I open it fast or if I engage the lock and open it, it sounds fine. So when this noise first started I was like okay I went to long, the pivot needs some lube. After I lubed it it was perfect, but a week or so later after some decent use the noise came back so I lubed it again. I have gone through this for the last few weeks and am wondering if what I am hearing is fine.
Let me mention that since I have had this knife I have only been using Tuf-glide lube with great results. I can't keep lubing the pivot every week, that is too big of a nuisance and I will run out of the lube too quickly, yet I don't want to hurt my knife. Does anyone have an idea what could be wrong? I thought maybe it had to do with the compression lock rubbing against the back of the blade.


Also, a week ago the stop pin screw started to unscrew. I tightened it up and a few days later it was loose again. I don't want to tighten it too much because if I keep tightening it the stop pin starts to spin; I am worried that I may hurt the stop pin or strip the screw/threads. Is it normal that the pivot turns or am I over tightening (or already messed something up?). I have since put lock-tite on the screw and it seems okay now but still am worried that I hurt something.


Lastly, I know the para-military has a special or unusual pivot; can someone explain that to me? (always like to learn to be more informed).


Thanks a lot, I appreciate it.

The part in red makes it quite clear that you are hearing the detent ball ride along the blade until it is locked open. You won't hear it when the blade is opened quickly, because the sound of the opening motion itself drowns out the sound. Also, you don't hear it when you are engaging the lock because the detent ball is no longer touching the blade.

It will go away, there is probably just a little piece of grime stuck around the detent ball. It is no problem, and trust me it will go away.

 

[Mud Shrimp Moe]

The part in red makes it quite clear that you are hearing the detent ball ride along the blade until it is locked open. You won't hear it when the blade is opened quickly, because the sound of the opening motion itself drowns out the sound. Also, you don't hear it when you are engaging the lock because the detent ball is no longer touching the blade.

It will go away, there is probably just a little piece of grime stuck around the detent ball. It is no problem, and trust me it will go away.

My Para 2 did the exact same thing. I diagnosed it as the lock rather than the pivot because when I pushed in the lock and opened the blade I heard nothing. When I didn't, I got a nasty metal-on-metal grinding noise. I lubed up the lock with mineral oil and worked it out and it's been ok since. I figure there was some grind in there. The problem came on suddenly too. It was opening fine and then suddenly the deployment would grind and if I opened it slowly I got a nasty sound indeed. But, like I said, easily fixed.

 

[CrimsonTideShooter]

My Para 2 did the exact same thing. I diagnosed it as the lock rather than the pivot because when I pushed in the lock and opened the blade I heard nothing. When I didn't, I got a nasty metal-on-metal grinding noise. I lubed up the lock with mineral oil and worked it out and it's been ok since. I figure there was some grind in there. The problem came on suddenly too. It was opening fine and then suddenly the deployment would grind and if I opened it slowly I got a nasty sound indeed. But, like I said, easily fixed.

Exactly, the problem is centered around the lock, but it's actually the detent ball. Unless the blade is locked open, the detent ball is the only thing contacting the blade. It is the only thing (other than the washers) that can possibly make a sound. Since he says he can't hear it when he engages the lock, then through process of elimination we know it's the detent ball.

The sound will go away on it's own. The ball probably shifted somehow, and now it will make a scraping sound until that part of the ball has worn a little. Pretty common.

 

[dsmegst]

Completely disengage the lock, as far as it will go and actuate the pivot. If you don't hear the grinding, it's the detent ball. If you still hear it, it's the pivot.

 

[czechinthepipes]

Well thanks everyone, lots of great info and so quickly.

I loosened the pivot, took my CLP break free and cleaned it out; let it sit and then blew it out with my air-compressor. Let it dry some more and lubed it up nice with the Tuf-glide. It is a lot better, barely hear it now and it feels so much smoother.

Hello,

The sound in your pivot is probably some grit or dirt in the pivot. I work in a machine shop and get junk in my pivot all the time. I just blow it out with compressed air and relube. If that doesn't fix it I take it apart and clean it. The stop pin needs to be tightened from both side. Dont tighten it to much, just snug with some blue lock-tite.

P.S. Disassembling your Spyderco voids the warranty

Thanks for the advice, used my air-compressor. I dropped some blue loc tite in there and it is good now. And thanks for reminding me it would void warranty, that is very frustrating.

This is what I'd try first, too. Loosen the pivot, drop some dish soap in the area, and open and close it under water for awhile. After that lube it. (It is safer and easier and you'll clean it better by taking the blade out fully, but be aware this voids your warranty. That is straight from Spyderco CS, despite their written warranty saying only damage from disassembly voids it.)

That is a good idea, I will try that next time and with my other knives.

The part in red makes it quite clear that you are hearing the detent ball ride along the blade until it is locked open. You won't hear it when the blade is opened quickly, because the sound of the opening motion itself drowns out the sound. Also, you don't hear it when you are engaging the lock because the detent ball is no longer touching the blade.

It will go away, there is probably just a little piece of grime stuck around the detent ball. It is no problem, and trust me it will go away.

After some fiddling around, cleaning it out and relubing I am certain you are right. I should have thought about it being the ball detent. Thank you very much.

Completely disengage the lock, as far as it will go and actuate the pivot. If you don't hear the grinding, it's the detent ball. If you still hear it, it's the pivot.

Yep, when completely disengaging the lock, and I actuate the pivot I don't hear it at all.