Spyderco Southard blade failure with pics

Atakdog

Atakdog

Joined
Sep 3, 2012
Messages
195
I was using my Southard today to carve on a block of wood I had lying around (some pine, if it matters) when all of the sudden during one of my cuts I felt a sudden lack of resistnce and watched as the blade fell out of the handle and onto the floor. I was only using a moderate amount of force and was being careful not to twist the blade; additionally, I am not a particularly big guy. While there isn't as much metal where it broke as most blades due to the internal stop pin it still is much more than I would expect to break, especially since it is 4mm thick. That in addition to CTS-204p being a very strong steel suggests to me that the only way it could have broken is if it developed a crack right there. I have never hard used this knife or flipped it open very hard in addition to only having it for 2 weeks, so the crack must have been there when it came out of the factory (which is where I am now sending it for warranty service. I know the Southard has a practically perfect track record but has anybody out there had their blade break or have gotten a crack in the blade.




I made this post because I thought I should inform people that this happened to me, and to find out if anything similar has happened to others. I am not trying to hurt the reputation of Spyderco or the Southard. The Southard is an amazing knife in design and build, and is probably the only blade in my collection of about a dozen high-end knives that could put all the rest out of use.

Update: I sent this knife to Spyderco on January 13th and today (January 22nd) got a package back from Spyderco. Inside was an apology letter from Eric Glesser and a new knife that is just as perfect as my first. A+ for Spyderco on customer service!
 
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You have to upload your pics to a picture server like photo bucket before you will be able to post them.
 
Without seeing pictures it sounds like the pivot pin broke. Factory defect. I'd contact the dealer for a replacement. If that doesn't get you anywhere just contact Spyderco direct. They'll make it right.
 
This is from FAQ. You can use ImageShack, as noted below, or perhaps Photobucket, which is also a popular and free software you can download.
How do I post a picture?

There are two ways to go about this:
•Get a paying membership, so you can attach images through the forums software (found under Advanced Posting)
•Host the image remotely on your own website, or with a service like ImageShack

If you choose the former method, all you will have to do is upload an image using the "attach" button when posting.

If you choose the latter, you'll need to make an image link by clicking on the button when posting. When the dialog box appears, replace the "http://" with the URL to your image. Be advised, you'll want the DIRECT URL, such as http://www.imagesite.com/files/myimage.jpg instead of a dynamic generated path.
 
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For pictures online, create an account with a photo hosting site like photobucket.com and upload to the site, then share the uploads WITH the IMG tag.

You can't link directly from your files like you tried to.
 
Sounds like there may have been a bad batch of steel. Never heard of this happening in a Southard Folder before. Spyderco will take care of you, I'm sure.

The photos need to be uploaded to a hosting service first, then linked. There are free services like others have mentioned that can help you there.
 
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Hopefully this was purchased new and through a reputable dealer?
 
I had a small Schrade USA blade break in half once, without much use. On inspection, the broken surfaces had 2 colours: one was shiny steel, where it had just broken, & the second was dull grey. I decided the dull grey area must have been a defect since before heat treat, causing a weakness that failed when I used it.
 
  1. Need pictures.
  2. How long have you had this Southard?
  3. Where did you buy it from?
  4. Not a fake Southard?
  5. Your experience after you send it to Spyderco and what they say and do about it.
 
Thanks for the replies about how to actually post a picture, I'm sorry for my lack of knowledge in this area. Until I do that I will tell you that the blade snapped just behind where the edge where over 1/4" of the break was through the full 4mm stock. I am very confident this isn't a fake and based on the lock wear when I got it it was brand new
 
alright thanks again for the tech advice, i just went and made a photobucket account, put the pictures on there, and updated my original post with the links.
 
Wow! I was always suspicious of these internal stop pins. Yes, I know that in this particular case it was a HT problem or a crack (or a HT problem after all, considering how it seemed to crack in both points without any sign of plastic deformation in either place), not the design as such, but this case still reinforces my distrust all the same! What use to make the blade to appear strong and sturdy while having it weakened so significantly in the place the user can not see!
I know that Endura has got somehow similar issue with hardly any steel in the blade around pivot and lock area, and still performs admirably with hardly any failures ever reported over the years. And there is Spyderco warranty that no doubt covers cases like that. That's just something that my mind keeps going back to: no matter how irrational it may be! So it works, but I am still suspicious, and this case does not help it a little bit!
 
If you put the links in image tags it will show up as the picture and not a link.

Image tags


Photo bucket will provide you a link already in image tags to simply paste into a forum.
 
I don't own a Southard... What is the blade supposed to look like when it's in one piece? Seems like it's missing a lot of necessary material :confused:
 
I have never ever heard of a Spyderco knife breaking like this before.

I know for a fact that Spyderco would be pretty darn interested in helping you out if you sent them an e-mail and some pictures to follow.
 
Cypress said:
I don't own a Southard... What is the blade supposed to look like when it's in one piece? Seems like it's missing a lot of necessary material :confused:
Click to expand...

It is all there, believe it or not! That's what internal stop pin does to the blade!
 
Poez said:
It is all there, believe it or not! That's what internal stop pin does to the blade!
Click to expand...

Ohhhh! I didn't know it had an ISP. I know they can, and are, successfully implemented, but if anything is going to break...
 
Here ya go guys. :). Sorry to see this happen to your southard OP!


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Wow... I've never seen an internal stop pin design that leaves so little material towards the tang. Crazy.
 
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