New Caly 3.5 ZDP C144CFPE -- first impressions and a problem

[DougC-3]

EDIT: 1 JUN 2013 -- UPDATE (full details in my post of 1 Jun below) THIS TURNED OUT NOT TO BE A PROBLEM AT ALL--
I finally followed the advice given in this thread by several forum members, properly cleaned and lubed the knife, and now the Caly 3.5 is turning out to be one of my favorites :)

ORIGINAL POST:
Received my second Spyderco, a Caly 3.5 ZDP last week. My first is a Manix2 which I've had about 3 weeks. I thought the Caly might not attract as much attention around other people as the Manix2 plus it would give me a chance to try out ZDP-189 steel and also see what I think about carbon fiber.

Impressions: I like the layered steel, no problem with the layer line not being exactly the same on both sides -- it's sort of like ears and sideburns -- people can't really see both sides at once anyway :) I like the carbon fiber OK and sort of wish the 3-dimensional appearance was really 3D, for a better feel and grip; but I probably would not pay much extra for CF in the future. After 3 weeks of getting used to the Manix2, the Caly, even though the blade is a hair longer, seems sort of dainty and dressy by comparison and doesn't fit my hands as comfortably as the Manix. Also I was a little disappointed that the screws were a little knobby (spoiled by the Manix2).

The problem is that it is very stiff when opening and there is a grinding feeling and even a grinding noise. It can be opened in one step with both hands, but it's about a three step process with one hand. I thought it might help to loosen the blade screw, but I've had no experience with pivot screw adjustment, and I thought the screw might get bubbered and prevent me from sending it back if that didn't fix the problem. Also, the grinding doesn't seem to start until the blade is opened about 80 degrees and the edge of the tang contacts a certain place on the back spring or whatever.

I have arranged to send it back (and already pre-spent the money on a Manix2 XL, which was what I really wanted to start with) but I thought I would run this by you guys in case anybody has any thoughts that would make me want to keep it. I guess I've been spoiled by the Manix, which opens like lightening on teflon rollers :eek: (sorry)

Doug

[endgame]

Loosen the screws on the body not the pivot this fixes hard or stiff detention.after you get it right use blue locktight to lock screws in

[DeathBySnooSnoo]

Also...there is occasionally debris from manufacturing that can be stuck in the pivot...give it a good wash with soap and water and then relube.

[DougC-3]

Loosen the screws on the body not the pivot this fixes hard or stiff detention.after you get it right use blue locktight to lock screws in

Thanks -- I'll give this a try later this evening... unless I decide I want to send it back anyway.

[DougC-3]

Also...there is occasionally debris from manufacturing that can be stuck in the pivot...give it a good wash with soap and water and then relube.

I might try this too, but I'm sure there's a point somewhere after which I couldn't return it as "unopened."
Thanks.

[Scottie3000]

***Warning, warranty voiding advice***

My Caly 3 had some sharp edges on the liners that rubbed the blade during opening and closing. I took the blade out and used a sharpmaker rod to very slightly break the sharp corner of the liners around the pivot. I of course washed everything out well before reassembling and oiled it after. This smoothed everything out for me, muuuch better.

[Clip]

Same here, both Caly 3s and 3.5s I have owned have burrs and swarf in the handle and on the liners. After blowing out with compressed air, I rinsed thoroughly, then blew out again and reoiled. This took care of most of the gritty feeling, the rest came from breaking it in. Now I can squeeze the lock and a flick of the wrist opens them.

[DougC-3]

Thanks also, Scottie and Clip, for the extra information. I'll be weighing my choices. Given what I paid for this thing and the fact that some of this may void the warranty, I may negotiate with the seller for a discount before doing anything major. This is the same dealer I just ordered my M2 XL from.

[The Deacon]

To some extent, it's an apples and oranges comparison. When opening and closing a knife with a ball bearing lock a ball bearing is rolling along the rear surface of the blade tang, so it probably has the lowest friction of any lock. With Reeve and Walker locks you have the very small contact point of a fixed ball bearing rubbing against the side of the tang, so friction is still fairly low. With midlocks, the entire width of the lockbar contacts the entire width of the tang, so there's bound to be more friction and greater resistance.

[twinboysdad]

The C3.5 is my very favorite knife. They all come a bit gritty but wash it with hot water and dishsoap and work the mechanism and then oil it a bit. Consider this the foreplay before your Spydercorgasm.

[xceptnl]

Loosen the screws on the body not the pivot this fixes hard or stiff detention.after you get it right use blue locktight to lock screws in

The Calys are pinned and the pivot is the only fastener besides the clip screw.

Regarding the OP all my Calys came slightly tight to open and the locks all felt gritty. The magic came out when I rinsed the pivot, washed it with dish detergent, blew it out with air compressor, oiled with remoil. This without any adjustment to the pivot screw made them smooth as glass. Like Paul said, the midlock is always going to feel different that the CBBL or RIL or linerlock.

[DougC-3]

To some extent, it's an apples and oranges comparison. When opening and closing a knife with a ball bearing lock a ball bearing is rolling along the rear surface of the blade tang, so it probably has the lowest friction of any lock. With Reeve and Walker locks you have the very small contact point of a fixed ball bearing rubbing against the side of the tang, so friction is still fairly low. With midlocks, the entire width of the lockbar contacts the entire width of the tang, so there's bound to be more friction and greater resistance.

I still don't have a very good grasp of the way the ball bearing lock works, but I could see that there was far less resistance to blade movement with the Manix lock than that caused by the "camming" effect of the Caly tang rotating against the stiff lockbar and bending it out, so I thought I probably shouldn't expect the Caly backlock to work as free and easy as the Manix. By the way, I carried a small Gerber E-Z-Out with a lock sort of like the Caly's for a long time, and the Manix is much E-Z-er out than it is :)

[JudasD]

My Dad's Caly 3 had a bit of a grinding noise when opening and closing. When i held the lock in i noticed that the opening and closing was much smoother and made no grinding noises. I put a ton of lube on the lock faces and actuated the blade a gazillion times. Then used compressed air to blow out all of the extra lube. The knife is very smooth and sound free now.

JD

[Scottie3000]

My Dad's Caly 3 had a bit of a grinding noise when opening and closing. When i held the lock in i noticed that the opening and closing was much smoother and made no grinding noises. I put a ton of lube on the lock faces and actuated the blade a gazillion times. Then used compressed air to blow out all of the extra lube. The knife is very smooth and sound free now.

JD

Success! Glad you got it sorted.

[Fred Sanford]

Hey Doug,

I'd say, remove the pivot screw, put some loctite on it, and then put it back in. Tighten it all the way down so it's almost impossible to open. After that just losen it little by little until you get it how you like it. Once that makes you happy, open it and close it about 150 times.

The Caly series are great knives. I've found that because there are no washers between the liner and the blade they need to be opened and closed a hundred times or so to get smooth. It's just the nature of the beast. After you have this knife for a few months in your pocket you won't want to use anything else. It is that good.

Anything with the Ball Bearing lock will be smooth as butter. Not really fair to compair it to anything else. Nothing else like it.

[razorsharp]

my caly was gritty as **** ootb, I cleaned it out with water, then lubed it and its glassy

[FCM415]

Out of all the Caly's I have owned, a 3.5 vg10 came in gritty and weird out the box. I washed and scrubbed the pivot area lightly with a toothbrush and dishsoap, lubed it and it was all gravy after that.

[BAL]

What they said.

Many new knives are tight to open, but with the advice given above, they will loosen
up and be perfect. A new pair of shoes doesn;t feel as nice as the old ones that you
have been wearing for years....until you break them in. Then THEY are the best that
you have ever had.

[The Mastiff]

I think that just cleaning it out, and re lubing it with a good teflon lube is all you need. They are designed to break in smoother and smoother as time goes by. This is not a fault or problem. It's a benefit as time goes by.

Just keep it cleaned, dry lubes with Teflon are my choice as they don't attract or hold dirt or fibers. Don't bother with any adjustments on the pivot. It causes more problems with people doing it incorrectly than you might believe.

Remember that lock backs are what they are. They feel different and it isn't a problem. If you prefer another style than go with what you like but don't think there is fault with it for not feeling like another style of lock. If it truly scrapes than clean it out. Other than that, just enjoy the knife and the way it cuts.

Joe

By the way it's pinned and there are no screws aside from the pivot IIRC.

[FCM415]

Just to add, the Caly, mainly the 3.5 vg10 but other Calys also have been reported to be gritty/dirty out the box. Sal has said that they are aware of this now and have made the maker aware of it. This was a good while ago.

With that being said, dont be afraid to clean the dust off with hot soapy water or even a light brush. It'll be alright