Title change:Not impressed with Spyderco Delica 4

[xinam]

Tip down carry would place the pivot on the top side of your pocket, keeping it out of the lint. I work in the outdoors doing many task, most of them require getting dirty. Thats why I carry my knives tip up, keeps the pivot in my pocket, which for the most part is far cleaner. Also I cant imagine carrying a knife for a couple months without using it. The lack of use probably contributed to the accumulation of lint etc. Folding knives are mechanical objects, and just like your car, require maintenance. I'd suggest using your knife more often, maintaining it when it needs some cleaing etc, then maybe you'll be IMPRESSED with Spyderco.

On a side note, I have dealings with Charlynn, I think that she handles her job extremely well. She was helpful beyond what she needed to be... as a whole I'm VERY IMPRESSED with :spyder:

[PayneTrain]

In fact when I'm pissed, I just shut my mouth until I am no longer pissed and can begin to be rational.

Unfortunately that makes for some days where I don't speak to anyone all day. Except my dog, but she understands.

Duly noted on the CS process. I've been curious about how it all adds up, and how big of a motivation it is to get it right the first time. But don't worry, if I ever have to send one in I'll be paying for it because I'll surely have messed with it extensively before resorting to having to put the poor thing in a box and send it through the slow and scary mail service. I'd be worried sick.

[SpyderNut]

...In fact when I'm pissed, I just shut my mouth until I am no longer pissed and can begin to be rational.

sal

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"Mad Is Bad"

Those are some wise words to live by. My wife often reminds of this often (especially when I'm tailgating some bozo going 28 MPH in a 50 MPH zone :o ).

[ncrockclimb]

I disagree with the title of this thread, "Not impressed with Spyderco."

When the head of an 8-figure company personally takes an interest in the customer service woes of a one-time customer who purchased an $80 knife, I am impressed. REALLY impressed. There are a lot of good knife manufacturers in the market today, and I own a few of their knives. However, the way Sal and the rest of the team at Spyderco deal with customers is truly unique for a company of this size, and makes Spyderco my first choice when looking for my next purchase.

[adancingmonkey]

What I like about the forums is that there is a lot to learn. Until now I was unaware that lock backs could suffer such catastrophic failures due to lint build up. So I will be sure to be extra careful if I carry lock back knives. Mainly my carries have been liner locks and RILs so I haven't had to deal with it. Must say I am always impressed that Sal took the time to look into this problem. But of course we all know that is what impresses us with spyderco.

[bearfacedkiller]

This thread went well. Inflammatory thread titles like this often elicit strong responses from the forumites. I commend everybody for offering helpful advise for the most part. I refrained from commenting as long as I could but here goes.

I will only add a couple of pieces of advice and they may be snide comments but so be it.

1) Buy a sharpmaker instead of that edge killer that you have been using and maybe then Spyderco will impress you.

2) Buy a small fixed blade, they require much less maintenance and lock failure is a non issue.

Seriously though, don't right Spyderco off. I hope Sal chiming in shows you that this is a company that wants your business and has a strong desire to make it right whenever they can. The owner and CEO didn't have to address your concerns. In the future if you have any problems just ask on here and we will be happy to help. :)

[remnar]

I keep hearing that lint is a possibility. How many here have bought a new knife,carried it in there pocket for a few months, took it out and operated it to make sure it's ok. When the time came to use it, it failed you? I believe this is rare.You would be pissed too.

I have had this exact thing happen with a Spyderco and I wasn't pissed. I was a little dumbfounded at first, but after careful inspection I was able to find the problem. Guess what, it was lint. I couldn't even tell that there was lint in the notch because it was compacted into the notch and it was dark gray just like the surrounding metal. I had to use a metal dental pick to scrape the lint out of the notch. This is not a problem with the knife. It is a maintenance issue that the owner should be responsible for. I have dealt with Spyderco's W&R department and felt that I was treated very well. I hope you give the knife another try, because the Delica is a great EDC.

[Evil D]

Not trying to throw dirty punches here, but am I the only one who actually cleans out their pocket lint after pants are washed? Maybe it's an OCD thing but the first thing I do with a clean pair of pants is turn the pocket inside out and lint roll it. Most of my knives stay pretty lint free because of this.

[Ankerson]

Not trying to throw dirty punches here, but am I the only one who actually cleans out their pocket lint after pants are washed? Maybe it's an OCD thing but the first thing I do with a clean pair of pants is turn the pocket inside out and lint roll it. Most of my knives stay pretty lint free because of this.

I don't worry about it all that much, but then I don't carry lock backs, but I do blow the knives out with air every once in awhile. :)

[sdedalus83]

Not trying to throw dirty punches here, but am I the only one who actually cleans out their pocket lint after pants are washed? Maybe it's an OCD thing but the first thing I do with a clean pair of pants is turn the pocket inside out and lint roll it. Most of my knives stay pretty lint free because of this.

I don't worry about it all that much, but then I don't carry lock backs, but I do blow the knives out with air every once in awhile. :)

Just think of how much dust accumulates in an unused room.

Several months in pocket without having the lock cycled could result in some really heavy accumulation, even in relatively lint free pockets. Since it had never been used, there was no break-in so it wouldn't take much to interefere with the lock. Think of it as an extreme (lack of)use scenario.

[sdedalus83]

Connection issue double post.

[remnar]

Not trying to throw dirty punches here, but am I the only one who actually cleans out their pocket lint after pants are washed? Maybe it's an OCD thing but the first thing I do with a clean pair of pants is turn the pocket inside out and lint roll it. Most of my knives stay pretty lint free because of this.

I don't think you're OCD for cleaning the lint out of your pockets, but the lint roller is pushing it. :D

[Ankerson]

Not trying to throw dirty punches here, but am I the only one who actually cleans out their pocket lint after pants are washed? Maybe it's an OCD thing but the first thing I do with a clean pair of pants is turn the pocket inside out and lint roll it. Most of my knives stay pretty lint free because of this.

I don't worry about it all that much, but then I don't carry lock backs, but I do blow the knives out with air every once in awhile. :)

Just think of how much dust accumulates in an unused room.

Several months in pocket without having the lock cycled could result in some really heavy accumulation, even in relatively lint free pockets. Since it had never been used, there was no break-in so it wouldn't take much to interefere with the lock. Think of it as an extreme (lack of)use scenario.

I use mine so that's not much of an issue. :)

[chuck_roxas45]

In my experience, tip up in pocket also accumulates lint in a lockback's lock recess faster.

[Buendia518]

suv44, it takes a few minutes to read the warranty policy and a few seconds to identify a piece of pocket lint

[Guyon]

Hi Suv,

Spoke with Charlynn. She says the knife is still at customer service. She said the problem was just lint in the lock (a common problem until one is edge-u-cated to clean out the lock). I guess you are now Edge-u-cated. she also said you buggered up the edge with a "drag through scrape-amatic". Additional edge-u-cation.

I would guess that you are fairly new to knives, at least knives like ours. That's ok, we were all there once. I learned about lint in a lock-back in '64. (It's not a new problem).

About costs. Shop time at Spyderco is usually about $1 - $2 per minute (more for managers) To received a package, open it, log it in, inspect the knife, contact the customer, solve the problem and ship it back will run 10 - 30 minutes. Shipping usually cost more than the $5 we ask for. I can assure you that customer service is not a profit center. Also Charlynn has to deal with irate customers, that are often just plain wrong, and still keep her patience.... :o

I'll wave the $5, I think you should apologize to your fellow forumites and maybe even to Charlynn. Getting on a forum when you're pissed is never a good idea. In fact when I'm pissed, I just shut my mouth until I am no longer pissed and can begin to be rational.

sal

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"Mad Is Bad"

This is why I'll continue to buy Spydercos. Bravo.

[The Mastiff]

To the OP: Have you tried adjusting the screws that hold the handle together? If it isn't lint or crud causing the issue, the screw that the lockbar pivots on could be overtightened causing the handle to pinch in that spot which might inhibit the lockbar from dropping down fully into the notch of the blade tang.

No offense meant but if you have a guy blaming others because he didn't do regular maintenance and didn't ask for advice telling him to open the blade is asking for more trouble. If someone can't even clean a knife out, don't see the need and don't believe when told by experts they don't need to try self fixing problems. If he messes it up worse do you see him accepting responsibility?

Joe

[kennethsime]

Hi Suv,

Spoke with Charlynn. She says the knife is still at customer service. She said the problem was just lint in the lock (a common problem until one is edge-u-cated to clean out the lock). I guess you are now Edge-u-cated. she also said you buggered up the edge with a "drag through scrape-amatic". Additional edge-u-cation.

I would guess that you are fairly new to knives, at least knives like ours. That's ok, we were all there once. I learned about lint in a lock-back in '64. (It's not a new problem).

About costs. Shop time at Spyderco is usually about $1 - $2 per minute (more for managers) To received a package, open it, log it in, inspect the knife, contact the customer, solve the problem and ship it back will run 10 - 30 minutes. Shipping usually cost more than the $5 we ask for. I can assure you that customer service is not a profit center. Also Charlynn has to deal with irate customers, that are often just plain wrong, and still keep her patience.... :o

I'll wave the $5, I think you should apologize to your fellow forumites and maybe even to Charlynn. Getting on a forum when you're pissed is never a good idea. In fact when I'm pissed, I just shut my mouth until I am no longer pissed and can begin to be rational.

sal

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"Mad Is Bad"

End of discussion - Sal is the man.

[demoncase]

Just to echo other folks: This shows the superb service you can expect from Spyderco.

I've been carrying lockback knives for 25 years or so....And every single one of them has ended up with pocket drekk/lint/mank, entirely independant of the make and model of the knife- therefore, the common factor is the contents of my pockets.

A particularly common failure has been receipts, kleenex and/or old bus-tickets that got missed when I put my trousers in to wash and have now been turned into a compacted frangiable mess of white fibres which seem to specially designed to plug up important things like folding knives, pens, power-ports on pagers/cell phones etc etc.

When I pocket dump at the end of the day, my Squeek will get a quick check- and typically every 3-4 days of continuous rattling around with my loose change (unclipped) will require me to break out a toothpick and fiddle out some lint from the lock...S'normal.

Pocket clips help- as does flowthru construction on liner locks so you can just blow straight through the open back of the knife.

And no, despite regular wifely reminders, I still manage to leave stuff in my pockets to get pulverised in the washer....It's been a while since it was a £5 thankfully.

[VashHash]

My back pocket knife never has lint in it. Ever. My front pocket knives seem to accumulate it pretty regularly but i usually use them pretty often and clean the lock out often.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" or should I say a pound of lint. Air compressors are your friend along with canned air.