I purchased a spyderco military n.i.b. uncoated blade with g-10 handles that is very stiff to open. I tried adjusting the pivot screw but now improvement. I disasembled the knife and polished the brass washers made sure everything was clean and reasembled and lubed with remington teflube. Still no improvement. The action feels smooth when opening but I have to give a flick of the wrist when opening. Could the liner lock be causing to much drag on the blade? Is this adjustable? Does anyone else have this problem.
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tight military
- Thread starter MR.GRIMM
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2005
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- 4,271
It's possible that the liner is exerting enough pressure on the blade to have a pronounced effect on the blade when you're opening it. One of the gripes about the early Millies, IIRC, was that they had a very light detent when closed. The newer models seem to have had that corrected. Mine all stay closed very securely and they do require a noticeable effort to open although they certainly aren't stiff.
Whether it's a problem or not depends on how freely you like your blades to swing open. I don't like a free-floating blade so having a strong detent is preferable to me. As long as you don't have any blade play and the blade locks up solidly, I can't see where there's any problem as far as safety or use is concerned.
Whether it's a problem or not depends on how freely you like your blades to swing open. I don't like a free-floating blade so having a strong detent is preferable to me. As long as you don't have any blade play and the blade locks up solidly, I can't see where there's any problem as far as safety or use is concerned.
Thanks for the reply. The markings on the blade say 06-10 so i am asuming it was manufactured in june of this year. It is not that I want a free swinging blade just use to my knives opening with the flick of a thunb not a flick of the thumb and wrist to lock open.
Ankerson
Knife and Computer Geek
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- Nov 2, 2002
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- 21,094
Let it break in for awhile.
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2010
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I have an older model that is fairly stiff as well. But even worse, if I adjust the pivot screw so that it isn't so tight I have vertical blade play.
I've only handled a few, but every Military I've handled has been a bit stiff. So if it's stiff but you can still flick it open, yours sounds about normal to me. I figure there's got to be something wrong with mine. I can adjust the tension so that opens with reasonable friction and has zero side to side play, but there is still vertical play in the blade. The only time there is no vertical play is if the pivot is tightened to the point that you can barely open it one-handed.
I suppose I'll have to test out Spyderco's warranty at some point and see if they have any suggestions.
I've only handled a few, but every Military I've handled has been a bit stiff. So if it's stiff but you can still flick it open, yours sounds about normal to me. I figure there's got to be something wrong with mine. I can adjust the tension so that opens with reasonable friction and has zero side to side play, but there is still vertical play in the blade. The only time there is no vertical play is if the pivot is tightened to the point that you can barely open it one-handed.
I suppose I'll have to test out Spyderco's warranty at some point and see if they have any suggestions.
I believe the newer Spyderco Militaries have a strong detent. Mine did and that's how I like it.
I bought a NIB D2 millie recently, and it was very stiff, hard to open and close. after a week of breaking in, it's improved quite a bit. so don't give up, just keep opening and closing her, and cleaning and lubing, it will get better over time.
My preferred method of opening on the Millie is the index-finger flick.
My preferred method of opening on the Millie is the index-finger flick.