Pivot adjustment: Discoveries

[HoB]

Wanted to write this for a while now. Recently, I disassembled a Yo and a Manix, the Yo, because the blade was riding on the G-10 scales, the Manix, because it had some lateral blade play. First of, I found new respect for Spyderco in this process. Dis- and reassembly is dead simple. all you need is:

- Two torx drivers (preferably one with exchangable bits that cover T-4 to T-15, $7 each at Homedepot)
- Your favorite Loctite (I use blue)
- Your favorite oil, grease what ever

I can't believe that I ever removed the pivot and blade and struggled to get the blade back in together with the washers. Its much easier to disassemble the entire knife, use new loctite on all screws and put it back together.

I found it best to put in place the handle screws, without tightening them and just the lockbolt (anvil pin in case of the compression lock). This way you can easily push the two sides of the handle appart (without prying) and just as easily slide the blade in, together with the washers (which stick to the blade by virtue of a bit of oil or grease). When the pivot bolt is in place, but not tightened, fully tighten the handle screws.

And here comes the trick. I found if you tighten the lock bolt too much, and you try to adjust the pivot the blade has either play or doesn't move at all. So I first tighten the pivot screw really tight, then I tighten the lock bolt also really tight (really tight does not mean that you have to crank on the screws till they strip! The loctite will prevent the screws from getting loose). The blade does not move. Now I back out the lock bolt by fractions of a turn (it doesn't take much) which frees up the blade alot, now I back out the pivot screw a bit till the blade is nice and smooth. If it gets blade play at the same time, the lock bolt need to be loosened a bit more. Tighten up the pivot and try over again after backing out the lock bolt a few more fractions of a turn. You should have at least 15 min. to fiddle around before the loctite starts setting.

This pretty much avoids having to sent the knife to Spyderco ever, because of blade play.

Yes, it probably voids the warranty in principle, but really, it is so easy, that unless you either strip the screw heads or the threads, nobody will ever know.

The whole ordeal takes no more than an hour and that included in my case polishing sharp corners on the liners and sanding down the G-10 for the Yo a bit.

Makes thorough cleaning really easy!

Hope this is of help to someone. I attached a word file/sketch to illustrate, why I think the lock bolt is so important.

[vampyrewolf]

I'm just getting a blank page looking at the attachment... might want to look into that, might just be my computer.

[John F Jensen]

HoB,

Nice description and drawing.

With your permission I would like to save it for future reference and sharing.

Thanks

[Jeff/1911]

HoB,

Thank you very much for writing this! What a great description, and a real eye opener for me. From your picture it appears that you mean the frontmost bolt or screw when you refer to the "lock bolt".

Best wishes, Jeff/1911.

[chinook]

I'm just getting a blank page looking at the attachment... might want to look into that, might just be my computer.

Here it is in a lil less clarity

[HoB]

Thanks for the nice comments!
John, yes of course.
Jeff, yes I mean which ever screw is closed to the pivot screw. In the lock back of the Manix, it is the one that holds the lock bar. In the compression lock, it is the anvil pin. Not sure what it would be on the a liner lock.
Thanks, Chinook, didn't know how to do that.

[Jeff/1911]

HoB,

Just clarifying, thanks again for the great tips!

Jeff/1911.

[Mr Blonde]

Neat tip, I will add it to my dbase. Your explanation is also very clear, are you by any chance a (shop) teacher?

Thanks,

Wouter