What to do about tip sticking out of the handle when closed?

Evil D · #1

My Caly 3 has seen quite a bit of sharpening, to the point that the blade tip is just barely exposed when closed. I know on some knives you can grind down the tang kick which will allow the blade to close further, but with this knife having a choil in that area, and the choil acting as the kick, I don't wanna go grinding on that. Seems to me that the only option is to grind down the spine and bring the point down further on the blade, but that's going to reduce blade length a good amount to accomplish it. I don't see any other options, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Jazz · #2

Either grind the spine down, or grind the choil/kicker spot where it contacts. I'd do the choil I think. I'd have to look it over to decide personally.

SolidState · #3

Just remember that the radial nature of the kick is going to make a fraction of a millimeter off of the kick equal a millimeter or two at the tip.

Evil D · #4

The problem is that the choil IS the kick. I'd be grinding away the choil to alter the kick.

Jazz · #5

Looks like only the end of the choil contacts.

bdblue · #6

Carry the knife in a sheath?

DougC-3 · #7

I think you could grind or file down the point that the kick strikes, using a thin file or grinding bit, or maybe just an ordinary drill bit. I took the blade out of my 3.5 to clean it up when I first got it, and, I can't remember for sure, but I think, with the blade out, you may be able to move that part into a more reachable position. It shouldn't take but a tiny bit of grinding.

The Deacon · #8

There's very little "kick" extending below the cutting edge. Grinding it, or the corresponding spot on the lockbar, may well result in the edge "bottoming out" at some point against the lockbar, spring, and/or backspacer. Probably the only realistic solution is to shorten the blade by grinding down the spine until the tip no longer shows.

JB3 · #9

Need pics! Buy some custom scales from someone and make them longer in depth.
Or do what Deacon said?

Doc Dan · #10

I broke the tip on one of mine and ended up taking down the spine to solve the problem because otherwise the blade would bottom out. It shortened the blade only a tad. I am the only one who has noticed :)

I had a thought, though...would Spyderco replace the blade? If so, how much would it cost?

The Deacon · #11

Doc Dan wrote:I had a thought, though...would Spyderco replace the blade? If so, how much would it cost?

Spyderco does not sell replacement blades. In fact, with perhaps rare exceptions, the don't even replace defective blades under warranty. They simple send you a new knife.

RanCoWeAla · #12

At first I thought you were talking about a new knife because what you describe is the single biggest quality problem with every manufacturer of folding knives. The only UKPK I ever owned had the tip sticking so far out of the handle that you could actually catch the tip with you fingernail and open the knife. I gave it away after a few weeks just to get fid of it. This could have already been an issue when the knife was new and of course as you sharpen it becomes more pronounced. That's why tip status is the very first thing I look at when buying a new knife.

Evil D · #13

RanCoWeAla wrote:At first I thought you were talking about a new knife because what you describe is the single biggest quality problem with every manufacturer of folding knives. The only UKPK I ever owned had the tip sticking so far out of the handle that you could actually catch the tip with you fingernail and open the knife. I gave it away after a few weeks just to get fid of it. This could have already been an issue when the knife was new and of course as you sharpen it becomes more pronounced. That's why tip status is the very first thing I look at when buying a new knife.

Doubt it was like this new, I've sharpened a good 1/16 or so of blade away, but it does bring up a pretty common issue with the longevity of folders.

Joshua J. · #14

It should be standard practice to grind down the spine of your knife at the tip to keep it from being exposed.

That said, if you want to maintain the length you have, grinding down the kick doesn't sound terrible. Even if the blade hits the inside of the handle after, you could just grind off some of the belly at that spot.
One of the reasons I prefer grinding down the spine is that it really is hard to mess up, and you are guaranteed to have a nice splinter picker tip afterwards as long as you did a decent job sharpening.

Clip · #15

My vote is for a tanto Caly.

gull wing · #16

I've done this to slip joints.
Take a tiny bit of the kick/choil and look it over.**

** There is also the chance (if you take too much off) the back spring won't sit flush when you close the knife, due to the "cam" on the tang is sitting at a different position. ??????????????????

Good luck with it.

DougC-3 · #17

Clip wrote:My vote is for a tanto Caly.

haha, knowing David's preferences, I think a Yo-caly may be more likely :)