byrd lock failure?

[Pete1977]

Twice in the last two days the lock on my byrd rescue has disengaged while i was using the knife. Both times I was wearing gloves when it happened. Yesterday I was cutting rope and felt some blade play and i tossed the knife onto the helm. When I looked up it was half closed. My guess is that I disengaged the lock bar while cutting and when the knife hit the helm it half-closed the blade.

Today I was cutting rope again and actually felt the lockbar release and the blade begin to fold. I swung it open with the flick of my wrist, finished cutting and tossed it on the helm again.

I don't normally toss knives around that i am using but both situations were life or limb so to speak.

I don't know whether it is the way I am using the knife, whether i am wearing stiff rubber gloves, or if the lock itself is faulty.

I have felt it give a couple of times but not completely disengage. This is the only time I have had a lock on any knife fail during use. There is no vertical or horizontal blade play at all and it still locks up solidly. It opens smoothly and when I intentionally depress the lock bar the blade closes to 90 degrees.

Could the lock bar not be seating fully in the blade tang enough that even with slight pressure on the lock it releases?

[Pete1977]

i've tried to disengage the lock accidentally in several different grips and can't do it. I have a feeling it is the thick rubber gloves I wear at work. they are stiff when it is cold. a crease in them might be pushing on the lock.

[araneae]

Nothing in the lock well of the blade? A bit of pocket lint can cause this type of issue.

[Pete1977]

there wasn't any lint or seaweed or dirt in the lock well of the blade. I usually open the knife and leave it on the helm between the hauler valve and the throttles so I know exactly where it is. It stays open all day and I make sure it is locked open. Whatever is defeating the lock is occuring while I am cutting. My guess is it is the gloves and the way I am holding the knife. The first time it happened I wasn't aware of it until after I had tossed the knife onto the helm and saw that it was partially closed. The second time (today) I actually felt the blade release and wrist flicked it open and locked again. Most of the use of the knife is done under pressure and I can't really pay attention to how I am holding it at the time.

I am going to clean the knife up and use it for a couple more days lobstering and if it happens again I will send it back to Spyderco so they can take a look at it.

[chuck_roxas45]

Maybe the glove material bunches up near where the lock release is, so when you grip hard the bunched material pushes down.

[jzmtl]

i've tried to disengage the lock accidentally in several different grips and can't do it. I have a feeling it is the thick rubber gloves I wear at work. they are stiff when it is cold. a crease in them might be pushing on the lock.

That's what I was thinking when I read your post.

[The Mastiff]

I have a Cara Cara that I had to give up carrying after about 5 or 6 months of daily carry and use. It locks up fine. It's problem is when I drop it in the closed position onto a hard floor it will spring open hard enough to lock open. I had it partially open in my pocket one time, and that's when I stopped carrying it. I had a bad experience in the early 90's with another brands liner lock knife cutting me pretty badly in my pocket so if I get any sign of pocket opening it's parked for toolbox or kitchen use.

[araneae]

I have a Cara Cara that I had to give up carrying after about 5 or 6 months of daily carry and use. It locks up fine. It's problem is when I drop it in the closed position onto a hard floor it will spring open hard enough to lock open. I had it partially open in my pocket one time, and that's when I stopped carrying it. I had a bad experience in the early 90's with another brands liner lock knife cutting me pretty badly in my pocket so if I get any sign of pocket opening it's parked for toolbox or kitchen use.

Joe, maybe give the pivot a snugging down. I really like the Cara Cara. I secretly preferred it over the Endura until the FFG E4 came out.

[The Mastiff]

Thanks. I'll take it out and try it later tonight. To be honest I didn't give it much thought at the time as I needed to try out the VG10 FFG endura that had been sitting around for a month or two waiting it's fair turn. :)

Would it be something I would locktite down when adjusted properly?

Thanks, Joe/raleigh

[sal]

Hi Pete,

please call it to my attention.

thanx.

sal

[Jack142]

Hi Pete.

What kind of lock is on the knife ? is it a frame lock or a liner lock or a lockback ?

[Pete1977]

thanks sal. i cleaned it up, it still locks up pretty solidly. I can't get it to accidentally disengage. I won't get out tomorrow. it's blowing 55 knots here. friday will be the earliest i will get fishing. if it fails again i will send it to you.

jack- it's a lockback. the lock release is in the middle of the handle. it has a boye dent.

[Pete1977]

the exact model of the knife is a byrd rescue 2. it appears to be the updated version of the byrd cara cara rescue. the only differences i can see are the clip shape and the texturing on the FRN. This one was much smoother to open than the cara cara rescue. I prefer the old style clip (aesthetics mostly). I prefer this knife's texturing pattern on the FRN. I can open this knife with inertia alone. I don't remember if i could with the cara cara rescue. I am still pretty sure it is a combination of the stiffness of my gloves, the creases in them and the style of grip i was using on the knife. I will report back in a couple more days.

sal-

if you still want the knife to check out after the weekend whether the lock disengages or not i will be glad to send it in. let me know. you probably won't be happy with the condition it's in :o

pete

[araneae]

Thanks. I'll take it out and try it later tonight. To be honest I didn't give it much thought at the time as I needed to try out the VG10 FFG endura that had been sitting around for a month or two waiting it's fair turn. :)

Would it be something I would locktite down when adjusted properly?

Thanks, Joe/raleigh

I use blue locktite only if I have a pivot that habitually works its way loose on me. Usually a slight adjustment doesn't need it, but it couldn't hurt.

[RJNC]

Mine have never failed on me.

[Pete1977]

Mine have never failed on me.

i've never had any lock from spyderco fail on me before this one. the whole reason that i have the knife is to report back on real world usage. the lock could be faulty on this particular knife. perhaps the design itself is not suited to be used with heavy gloves on. i don't know. what i do know is that the lock disengaged twice, it was a "life or limb" situation both times and i didn't really get a chance to assess why it happened. the first time i did not notice it disengaged until i had tossed the knife onto the helm and the second time i just wrist flicked it locked again and continued cutting. I am going to give it a few more days to see if it happens again and then if sal wants the knife back, failure or not, i'll send it back to them so they can look it over.

[yowzer]

you probably won't be happy with the condition it's in :o

A statement like that just cries out for pictures.

[Pete1977]

i'll try to take some :)

[The Mastiff]

Araneae, It's the spring that gives it that closing bias when held open slightly and released.

I believe the spring is sprung, or something technical like that. It's intact as best I can see, the spring is held in place correctly. It just doesn't have that spring any more.

I did tighten down the pivot to keep the blade in the handle until needed. Once open it locks up fine though.

I guess I just wore it out. Thanks. Joe

[sal]

Hi Pete,

If it's working ok, you keep it. I have plenty to do.

sal