Why you shouldn't take a FRN Endura apart

A

Amaranth

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Jul 19, 2009
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Has anyone ever take an Endura apart, only to find themselves struggling to get it all back together correctly?

I took my E4 apart with the intent of polishing the pivot area of the blade as well as the liners, just because I like a slick-opening knife.

The difficulty in putting it back together is: Centering the bushings on the pivot hole and fighting the detent on the back spring while trying to place the backlock pivot pin.

After probably 45 minutes of trying, I got it right. Anyone else take one apart and regret it?

Is there a "best" technique to getting it right? I felt that I was lucky to finally get it right after around 30 attempts having the backspring pop ou!:mad:
 
He didn't ask if it voided the warranty. Its his knife now, and he can do whatever he wants to it. :)
 
Dr Heelhook said:
You forfeit the warranty if you take it apart, don't you?
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The warranty was already voided: It's a Krein flat-ground ZDP-189 blade. To be honest, I never worry about Spydercos breaking, but if it does happen, I resign myself to eat the small loss!:eek:
 
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...and by the way, you've got to read it correctly:

Spyderco's warranty does not cover damage caused by abuse, misuse, loss, improper handling, alterations, accident, neglect, disassembly, or improper sharpening, or normal wear.

If you take it apart and put it back together correctly, you still can send it in if i.e. the blade breaks some time later. This is correct for the D and E 4's that were meant to be dismountable i.e. for cleaning. If you screw up dis-or (more likely) re-assembling it though, it's your own fault & problem and not covered by warranty. That's why they sell the spare parts kit for the Delica and Endura 4 . In lots of cases, I bet the backspacer alone would do, because that's what is the first thing to break if you screw up ;)

That said, I know at least 2 ways to reassemble an Endura and used them both; although it is not as easy as i.e. a liner lock (or even a lockback Manix) because of the plastic backspacer, it is possible and not a big problem once you got the hang of it. BUT as long as it it not really necessary (DIRTY), I would think twice about breaking it down if you are not confident to get it back together.

Dennis
 
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Once you get the hang of pulling apart (and reassembling) spydie lockbacks it's not so hard. It'll just be REALLY frustrating until you figure out that the first three of four ways you tried doing it were all wrong. :p
 
I've taken apart a few Spyderco lockbacks and it's definitely not easy putting it back. I've found the stainless back spacers that hold the back spring to be much more difficult than the FRN version, probably due to less flexing. I think the Police in G-10 was the worst one I tried and I definitely regretted taking it apart during the process of putting it back, lol.

I believe I always end up putting it back together when the blade tang is pushing in the lock.
 
I was thinking after about the 20th attempt, man this is hilarious. You almost need a third hand to get that sucker together.

First time I THOUGHT I had it together, then noticed that the little FRN raised dot that was supposed to fit in a hole in the liner did not line up---the pressure on the back spring moved the FRN "dot" about 1 MM. If the handle material was less flexible, it would have been so much easier.

Will I take it apart again? Not bloody likely!

BTW, the "Guide to putting lockback knives together" is exactly how I accomplished the task. That must be the best way, or the only way.
 
Sweet someone referenced my thread, glad you liked it. Sounds like that's the technique you used too, Amaranth. I really went 'oh crap' after I took my Stretch apart-I'd taken tons of knives apart before but never a lockback. I feel pretty confident about putting them back together again now but I won't be doing it unless I have to. I think that it is pretty much the only way to do it, somebody posted a link further down in the thread on the Spyderco forum to a picture guide, but it is basically the same method as well.
 
Well, one of the most common ways is to put the knife completely together without the blade which is mounted in the very end of the assembling process: the handle screws towards the pivot have still to be very loose which should lead to a BIG gap in the pivot aera; the pivot pin & the lower washer should be installed (the pivot pin sticks in the lower scale just enough to keep the washer in its place). Then, the blade (with the top washer sticked to it with some oil) is put in with the strong hand, while the weak hand (which holds the handle) is pressing down the lock bar. A 3rd hand :D pushes the pivot up through the blade: done!

Alternatively, the knife is completed leaving out the lockbar and its pivot. With some force and luck, you can press the lockbar into place and push its pivot through: done again.

I prefer the first method. After you figured out how to simulate the 3rd hand with the table surface or whatever, it is really not that difficult any more. The biggest PITA is pressing down the lockbar far enough.

Dennis
 
Thanks guys! There is some really good info here. I can't say I'm chomping at the bit to try it but I'll sure remeber this for the next cleaning job they get.
 
Yeah I think the main thing to remember is that you have to find a method where the scales are put together before you put any tension on the lockbar, so either leave the blade out or put the blade in and leave the lockbar out. Then you can depress the lockbar/push it into place to insert the last screw. If you try it any other way the backspacers tend to just twist around where they are attached to the scale and it'll eventually just fly apart because everything is under pressure. Having both scales in ensures even distribution of forces.
 
npueppke said:
If you try it any other way the backspacers tend to just twist around where they are attached to the scale and it'll eventually just fly apart because everything is under pressure.
Click to expand...

I can vouch for that, the backspring came flying out countless times. Lucky I didn't lose an eye!
 
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I found that that the only way I could put it back together (I took apart the trainer since I didnt want to mess up my E4), was to put the backspacer and spring in one of the scales, followed by the lockbar.

Next step would be to put the other scale on minus the pivot screw/d-bolt and the top screw. The butt of the lockbar should be jutting out of the knife.

I then inserted pivot D-bolt just a bit so that it was sticking through only the bottom scale. Next step was to push down on the lock bar with one hand (now the head of the lockbar should be sticking out) and with the other hand, insert the blade into the scales (you should be able to tell when you get it right because you should now be able to push the D-bolt all the way up). Now just insert the pivot screw and the remaining scale screw/d-bolt.

It sure as hell took a while untill I stumbled upon this method...I also lost count of how many times the backspring shot out :D

EDIT: Murdoc and npueppke beat me to it.
 
There´s one thing about this thread I cannot understand: I´ve been EDCing Spydercos for the last 15 years and I´ve never found any REASON to dissassemble any of them. I´ve followed the old rule "if it ain´t broken, don´t fix it" beacuse unnecessary dissassempbly with improper tools and/or little experience (OK, I´m a trained gunsmith, I should know) will only cause trouble. However, I always do clean my knives after use, in bad cases with solvent and soapy water, followed by drying and lubrication with CLP.
 
Reason #1: just flushing it out won't clean it as thorough as breaking it down and cleaning i.e. between liners and FRN scales; I am currently searching in the forums for a recent pic I remember of a Stretch (I think) where some corrosion was visible on the liners, most likely because of water or sweat trapped between liners and scales.

This is a good reason and lots of people are anal enough with their knives to want them clean and shiny where nobody is able to even see it.

The real reason is though

reason #2: The same that makes kids break out a screwdriver or a pocket knife and tear down anything from a wristwatch or the toaster to (in extreme cases) dead animals: play instinct and curiosity :D

I am one of these people: I want to know and look at my knives from every possible angle and even the guts :rolleyes: Besides, reason #1 is good for me anytime, too.

Dennis
 
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