Blade-Play Issues: I want your knowledge, please.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

I know the idea of blade-play has been discussed on and off before but I would like to devote this thread to this very issue. Please give as much feedback and your personal experiences as you can on this. I ask because I have had some Spyderco knives with a bit of blade play that had absolutely no problems whatsoever, and, I have had knives from other brands with blade play, both side to side and vertical up and down.

This may sound odd but with certain folders, the vertical blade-play is actually somewhat attractive to me. I don't know how to fully explain it but it seems a bit "cool" for it to have that motion.

Do any of you have a situation like that, where your knife has vertical blade play and you like it that way? Are there any functional advantages to blade-play that you know of?

What types of blade play would you tolerate and what types would you not tolerate? I do not like side-to-side horizontal blade-play because, and I may be wrong about this, it seems to me that that may cause the knife to not function properly.

Finally, what are some methods that a knife user can solve blade-play with basic home tools or perhaps shop tools, short of sending the knife back to the company for repair? It seems to me that if the knife is held together with screws instead of pins, it may be easier to adjust.

[brainfriction]

I don't want any blade play on my folders, imo a folder should function like a fixed blade when locked in place. I've got a well worn PM2 that I picked up used, even with the wear and tear it has zero blade play. The only blade play I don't mind is in an OTF, even the best ones have a little side to side play.

[zhyla]

If you want advice on fixing blade play you need to be more specific about what knife or type of construction you’re talking about.

[anycal]

Vertical blade play is bit of a pet peeve of mine. I never had one bad enough to be concerned about safety or to warrant a return. I guess I tolerate it. And I have only experienced it with back locks.

Generally, having play in moving parts leads to premature wear. That said, I don't think this is anything to be concerned about with knives. But I do appreciate tight tolerances, and from my experience with several Golden made back locks, up-and-down blade play doesn't have to be.

[Jazz]

The little vertical on back locks doesn’t bug me. If it’s a lot, then yes.

If it’s pinned, with side to side, you can tap the rivet carefully until it’s tight enough. I’ve done this and it works fine. Vertical, I don’t know of a fix.

[The Meat man]

I dislike all types of blade play, though I've learned to live with a certain amount of vertical play on backlocks.

[Pelagic]

Blade play is the devil.

[Wartstein]

Beeing a backlock-guy, I am used to a little amount of vertical play. Does'nt bother me at all. That said, since I got my Native 5 I am fascinated how solid and absolutely without bladeplay even a backlock can be.

[Bloke]

your knife has vertical blade play and you like it

[Tims]

Blade play rustles my OCD, especially the vertical variety but like The Meat Man, I’ve learned to deal.

Also like mentioned above, my Native 5 LW has the least amount of vertical play of all my Spydercos. On the other hand, I have a Native 5 g10 which I bought new that verically plays so badly it sits in a drawer. It’s so bad I couldn’t in good faith even sell it.

I would gladly pay extra for a redesign that eliminates blade play.

[anycal]

Hmm. I haven't seen much mention of vertical blade play with Golden, CO back locks.

I owned four Native 5s, and still have two. I handled two Manix 2 back locks, in SFO and local shop. Zero vertical blade play on any of them.

So all of these were pretty new. My oldest Native LW was purchased new 3 years ago; both G10 versions were linerless.

Has anyone had vertical blade play with new Natives, or the discontinued Manix BLs? Or am I just that lucky?

[SpyderEdgeForever]

your knife has vertical blade play and you like it

Bloke, I am amazed at how you were able to get that pic of me! :)

[Tims]

Hmm. I haven't seen much mention of vertical blade play with Golden, CO back locks.

I owned four Native 5s, and still have two. I handled two Manix 2 back locks, in SFO and local shop. Zero vertical blade play on any of them.

So all of these were pretty new. My oldest Native LW was purchased new 3 years ago; both G10 versions were linerless.

Has anyone had vertical blade play with new Natives, or the discontinued Manix BLs? Or am I just that lucky?

I have a feeling the g10 Native 5 I have with lots of play was an early production model. I can’t remember how long ago it was but it was over 5 years ago. At the time the import laws here in Australia were very strict so I was surprised and excited to see it for sale by an Australian online knife store. I remember paying too much for it which made the whole thing even worse.

[Pelagic]

My stainless cara cara 2 has zero blade play.

[Wartstein]

This may sound odd but with certain folders, the vertical blade-play is actually somewhat attractive to me. I don't know how to fully explain it but it seems a bit "cool" for it to have that motion.

Do any of you have a situation like that, where your knife has vertical blade play and you like it that way? Are there any functional advantages to blade-play that you know of?

I think I know what you mean, I´ll try to explain how I feel about it:
The (very minor) vertical play in my backlocks feels in no way "loose" or "rattling", but more like kind of a "suspension". You can only provoke the play by applying quite an amount of pressure. So in a way that kind of play gives you feedback about if you`re cutting harder or lighter, but does not impair the cut itself in any way, since it is VERTICAL, like a cut itself obviously always is in relation to the blade. HORIZONTAL bladeplay while cutting would be much worse imho, because it could ruin the precision of the cut.
Hard for me to explain in english... What I mean: If a blade has only vertical play, it still will always exactly follow the direction of the cut. If it has horizontal play, it could move to the left or the right..
That does not mean, that I LOOK FOR vertical play exactly, but as stated in a previous post, the very small amount in my backlocks does not bother me at all.. Somehow I like it, it´s just a good, old Endura-characteristic...
( I guess that´s one of the posts non-knife-people would find a little weird maybe... :)

[Brock O Lee]

Blade play = uncool.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

This may sound odd but with certain folders, the vertical blade-play is actually somewhat attractive to me. I don't know how to fully explain it but it seems a bit "cool" for it to have that motion.

Do any of you have a situation like that, where your knife has vertical blade play and you like it that way? Are there any functional advantages to blade-play that you know of?

I think I know what you mean, I´ll try to explain how I feel about it:
The (very minor) vertical play in my backlocks feels in no way "loose" or "rattling", but more like kind of a "suspension". You can only provoke the play by applying quite an amount of pressure. So in a way that kind of play gives you feedback about if you`re cutting harder or lighter, but does not impair the cut itself in any way, since it is VERTICAL, like a cut itself obviously always is in relation to the blade. HORIZONTAL bladeplay while cutting would be much worse imho, because it could ruin the precision of the cut.
Hard for me to explain in english... What I mean: If a blade has only vertical play, it still will always exactly follow the direction of the cut. If it has horizontal play, it could move to the left or the right..
That does not mean, that I LOOK FOR vertical play exactly, but as stated in a previous post, the very small amount in my backlocks does not bother me at all.. Somehow I like it, it´s just a good, old Endura-characteristic...
( I guess that´s one of the posts non-knife-people would find a little weird maybe... :)

Friend, I am truly amazed, and I am not just saying that. You explained the blade-play issue EXACTLY and I do mean absolutely exactly word for word how I wanted to get it across. That is PRECISELY how I feel about it. THANK YOU!

As an example of this, I will say this: I have a Myerchin Marine Folder, and it has exactly that kind of "Comfortable Vertical Blade Play". I do not know if that is standard with those or an anomaly. Thank you!

[RobDigi]

Interesting take on positive blade play..
hmmmm I don't Know,
I want to get with it..but for now I will just be a little more open minded on slight blade play.
I usually only encounter any blade play when I mess with the pivot screw,
because I want drop close as much as possible without a wobbly blade.

[Killswitch]

Hmm. I haven't seen much mention of vertical blade play with Golden, CO back locks.

I owned four Native 5s, and still have two. I handled two Manix 2 back locks, in SFO and local shop. Zero vertical blade play on any of them.

So all of these were pretty new. My oldest Native LW was purchased new 3 years ago; both G10 versions were linerless.

Has anyone had vertical blade play with new Natives, or the discontinued Manix BLs? Or am I just that lucky?

I have a feeling the g10 Native 5 I have with lots of play was an early production model. I can’t remember how long ago it was but it was over 5 years ago. At the time the import laws here in Australia were very strict so I was surprised and excited to see it for sale by an Australian online knife store. I remember paying too much for it which made the whole thing even worse.

I have 3 native 5's all 3 with the liners. when the blades are closed i can get some left to right blade play however when they are open they dont move a bit.

[DBCOOPER]

My eenduras and delicas have had blade play and so does my police 4, but it's more so lock rock? It's never bothered me and have no chance of closing, and I've also been told it's part of their design to move a bit