Ti Frame Lock: what would you do?

VermontEdge

VermontEdge

Joined
Jun 10, 2015
Messages
1,144
So I just received a titanium frame lock spydie (not my first) and love everything about it.

The oooonly thing is that if I really exert a fair amount of force checking for up and down blade play I can feel the blade moving and hear the clicking of it moving. If I use a lighter touch it feels really solid. Also, it doesn't happen every time I do this, but often.

It's not like the movement is always there. It's more like under some force it kinds of pops, and once it pops I can wiggle it. The blade is absolutely secure in the locked position and won't disengage from slipping. Lock up is around 75-80%.

I'm trying not to let it bother me.

Also, I got this off of the exchange from a second owner of the knife. The lanyard tube has been removed so I know it's been disassembled so I don't think I can send it in.

So, what would you do? Will it maybe go away with use? Should I just not check for play so compulsively? Use it and just not worry about it?

Let me know what you think.

Thanks,
VE


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I would let it wear in so the lock faces could get even more mated to one another.

I'm sure I know which knife you are talking about. Try putting a little lube on the lock face of the tang.
 
Its sketchy and you have to be careful, but you could disassemble it and then bend the lockbar in a smidge, it will cause the lock bar to be held more forcefully against the tang. This can cause the force needed to disengage the lock to go way up. Good or bad depending on your perspective. Ive done this before and its very easy to over do and then over compensate trying to undo it. I know the warranty is out, but I bet you could send it in and they would just charge to fox it.
 
Riz! said:
Its sketchy and you have to be careful, but you could disassemble it and then bend the lockbar in a smidge, it will cause the lock bar to be held more forcefully against the tang. This can cause the force needed to disengage the lock to go way up. Good or bad depending on your perspective. Ive done this before and its very easy to over do and then over compensate trying to undo it. I know the warranty is out, but I bet you could send it in and they would just charge to fox it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice Riz. Not sure I want to mess around with the lock but I'll think about it.

Does spyderco still accept knives for repair even if they are no longer under warranty for a fee? I'd gladly pay to have this sorted out!


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Wolverine666 said:
Which knife is it ?
Click to expand...

I knew not because of knowledge of an issue with this particular knife. Just saw VE's other recent posts, where he received a SpydieChef and was commenting a bit on the lock up. So I figured.

VE, I hope you get it worked out some way or another.
 
kniferbro said:
I knew not because of knowledge of an issue with this particular knife. Just saw VE's other recent posts, where he received a SpydieChef and was commenting a bit on the lock up. So I figured.

VE, I hope you get it worked out some way or another.
Click to expand...

Yeah I almost didn't want to say which model because the last thing I want is for people to take this thread to mean "such and such a model has such and such an issue". I think that this is super uncommon and just wanted some thoughts on what my best course of action would be.

The weird thing is that it's changed so much since yesterday. Currently I have the tang and lock face cleaned off with nail polish remover and things seem much better. But if things start getting worse again i guess I was just wondering what I should do.

Is paying for a repair from spyderco really an option if a warranty is voided? Again, I looooove this knife! I just want everything to be as it should be.


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I think Spyderco would take care of you with a small fee. Or they may even do it for free. My experience with Slysz designed Spydercos are that the lock up will settle in nicely. My Bowie when brand new had a little of what you're describing. Its rock solid now. Just one guy's experience though. Hopefully others will chime in.
 
Quick update! I realized last night that the play isn't resulting from the lock slipping or not sitting right. Instead, the lock bar seems to be flexing front to back, or maybe spine to edge is a better way to explain it. For some reason this makes me feel better. Thinking maybe I'll just live with it. I was going to attach a video of it back I can't figure out how.




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That sounds like it definately needs to go back! A stip pin shouldnt flex and Titanium shouldnt either. Maybe the pin isnt perfectly round or doesnt fit tight enough in the frame.
 
Riz! said:
That sounds like it definately needs to go back! A stip pin shouldnt flex and Titanium shouldnt either. Maybe the pin isnt perfectly round or doesnt fit tight enough in the frame.
Click to expand...

Yeah. You're right. I'll send it in. Hoping they'll just charge me to have it adjusted.

The real kicker is that if I slip a tiny piece of paper between the blade tang and stop pin...boom. Earlier lock up and super solid with absolutely no play or wiggle. So I'm confident that just a slightly larger stop pin or something will totally solve the problem. Feeling pretty anxious for Monday so I can call warranty and repair!


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Alright. Thanks for the advice everyone. Popped it in the mail today so I'm crossing my fingers that this will get resolved.


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VermontEdge said:
So I just received a titanium frame lock spydie (not my first) and love everything about it.

The oooonly thing is that if I really exert a fair amount of force checking for up and down blade play I can feel the blade moving and hear the clicking of it moving. If I use a lighter touch it feels really solid. Also, it doesn't happen every time I do this, but often.

It's not like the movement is always there. It's more like under some force it kinds of pops, and once it pops I can wiggle it. The blade is absolutely secure in the locked position and won't disengage from slipping. Lock up is around 75-80%.

I'm trying not to let it bother me.

Also, I got this off of the exchange from a second owner of the knife. The lanyard tube has been removed so I know it's been disassembled so I don't think I can send it in.

So, what would you do? Will it maybe go away with use? Should I just not check for play so compulsively? Use it and just not worry about it?

Let me know what you think.

Thanks,
VE


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


Loose lanyard tubes on the spydie chef is normal. It has been documented by lots of people, ddoesnt mean your knife was disassembled.

Just wanted to let you know in case you cared.
 
AwayFromMySpydieHole said:
Loose lanyard tubes on the spydie chef is normal. It has been documented by lots of people, ddoesnt mean your knife was disassembled.

Just wanted to let you know in case you cared.
Click to expand...

Is there a way to remove it without disassembly? I know the rattle is common but I assumed it needed to be taken apart in order to take it out.


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VermontEdge said:
Is there a way to remove it without disassembly? I know the rattle is common but I assumed it needed to be taken apart in order to take it out.


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Click to expand...

Apologies, guess I glossed over the fact that it had been removed. My bad.

Think you're right, someone had it apart.
 
Just wanted to post a quick update. I sent the knife to spyderco three weeks ago today and had been waiting to hear back.

Well, today I unexpectedly received the knife in the mail, good as new, free of charge! Thanks spyderco!
 
Wow. Spyderco really stands behind their product. Everyone has good experiences with them.
 
I'm going to go against the common lore on this one and say don't worry so much about it.

DON'T bend your lock bar!Frame and liner locks have specific fixes for specific issues, and that fix is not for your issue. I cringe daily when I hear people out there messing with these locks with no understanding of how they work, then using them under the assumption that they fixed their knife and saved the day, unknowing that keeping all their fingers is Darwin's crap shoot.

Your knife sounds fine to me. Personally, if it were mine, and I was really concerned with the lock failing, I would simply perform the same test that the companies do:

A few intelligent spine whacks on a mouse pad on a table top, or similar will reveal a lock defect. If a lock holds up consistently to some GENTLE impacts, it's perfectly fine for edc uses.

Remember, locks are just mechanical devices subject to the limits of their materials and tolerances. A tiny perception of movement or flex doesn't always mean something is wrong. Sometimes, it's just the parts working together.
👍

Test it. Use it if it holds. Send it in if it folds.

*ETA: Glad you got it sorted out. I'm getting bad about reading to the end before I post lol.
 
Last edited:
Sounds like they just peened the stop pin a bit to tweak the lock face fit.
Is the lockup position any different?
 
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