Spyderco Kapara to Redback Mod

[Gsg9]

https://youtu.be/X8lGDXPvDEI

[ZrowsN1s]

Neat

[Larry_Mott]

Really nice! Ordered mine turn-key off of Alistair :)

[Cubane]

Thanks for posting that. Sometimes it seems a bit silly to do a video on undoing 3 screws :D but if it gives some the confidence to do a little maintenance or modifications etc on their knives then it was well worth it.

[Larry_Mott]

Thanks for posting that. Sometimes it seems a bit silly to do a video on undoing 3 screws :D but if it gives some the confidence to do a little maintenance or modifications etc on their knives then it was well worth it.

It is refreshing to see *someone* realizing you dont have to strip a knife down on a molecular level just because. Thumbs up!

[Zatx]

Thanks for posting that. Sometimes it seems a bit silly to do a video on undoing 3 screws :D but if it gives some the confidence to do a little maintenance or modifications etc on their knives then it was well worth it.

It is refreshing to see *someone* realizing you dont have to strip a knife down on a molecular level just because. Thumbs up!

True, but you could switch out that back spacer quicker by disassembling the entire knife than the fidly way he did it. And, if you're disassembling half of your knife, why not just go all the way and clean it in the process?

[Larry_Mott]

Because it is not needed on a out of the box knife and i don't want to jack up the action and fiddle with the pivot screw?
I treat knives as i do my motorcycle. I don't tear off the valve cover and clean it when i do an oil change :)
I unscrew the relevant screws/bolts to get the job done and leave the rest.

[Liquid Cobra]

It was interesting to see how he switched out the backspacer. Nice to have options, but I’m with Zatx, I’d rather just open it up and switch it out. Much quicker that way.

Larry, I understand and see your point. But (most) pocket knives aren’t overly complex devices, unlike for example, a motorcycle. For many, myself included, disassembly isn’t a problem and in fact find it enjoyable. I don’t know why but I’ve found over the years that I feel like a knife isn’t really mine until I’ve taken it apart and cleaned it up. Even fresh out of the box I can usually make the action on a knife smoother than from factory. If a person likes to do it and actually sees an increase in the knifes performance I don’t see the harm.

[wrdwrght]

I can’t help but wonder why the Redback’s color did not carry forward to the Kapara.

While I like the deeper red (but especially on the 20CV Manix2), I think Alistair’s orangish red (against the black CF) is visually stunning, as intended.

I don’t mod on principle, but I just might did order his insert.

Come to think on it, getting the original color isn’t really a mod since it brings the Kapara closer to what the designer had in mind.

[Larry_Mott]

It was interesting to see how he switched out the backspacer. Nice to have options, but I’m with Zatx, I’d rather just open it up and switch it out. Much quicker that way.

Larry, I understand and see your point. But (most) pocket knives aren’t overly complex devices, unlike for example, a motorcycle. For many, myself included, disassembly isn’t a problem and in fact find it enjoyable. I don’t know why but I’ve found over the years that I feel like a knife isn’t really mine until I’ve taken it apart and cleaned it up. Even fresh out of the box I can usually make the action on a knife smoother than from factory. If a person likes to do it and actually sees an increase in the knifes performance I don’t see the harm.

Of course it's up to each and everyone how and why to do things. I just can't understand the "trend" for lack of better words that you _have to_ disassemble knives for maintenance.
When i started using and collecting knives, the question "Have you disassembled it?" didn't exist. Personally i see it unnecessary but of course to ech their own.
I strongly suspect that the improved action you experienced would have come by itself after a break-in period. Again, i don't have a problem with other peoples stuff, but i dislike "YouTube gurus" claiming it is necessary to disassemble knives for maintenance like guns.

[Liquid Cobra]

It was interesting to see how he switched out the backspacer. Nice to have options, but I’m with Zatx, I’d rather just open it up and switch it out. Much quicker that way.

Larry, I understand and see your point. But (most) pocket knives aren’t overly complex devices, unlike for example, a motorcycle. For many, myself included, disassembly isn’t a problem and in fact find it enjoyable. I don’t know why but I’ve found over the years that I feel like a knife isn’t really mine until I’ve taken it apart and cleaned it up. Even fresh out of the box I can usually make the action on a knife smoother than from factory. If a person likes to do it and actually sees an increase in the knifes performance I don’t see the harm.

Of course it's up to each and everyone how and why to do things. I just can't understand the "trend" for lack of better words that you _have to_ disassemble knives for maintenance.
When i started using and collecting knives, the question "Have you disassembled it?" didn't exist. Personally i see it unnecessary but of course to ech their own.
I strongly suspect that the improved action you experienced would have come by itself after a break-in period. Again, i don't have a problem with other peoples stuff, but i dislike "YouTube gurus" claiming it is necessary to disassemble knives for maintenance like guns.

When did you start collecting? Modern knives are a different animal than knives of the past.

If I had to guess I would say the reason people didn’t disassemble their knives back in the day was because many of them were traditional knives made with pinned construction. Even knives back then that were made for one handed opening were slower and less smooth. So why take them apart? Look at the original Paramilitary for example. It’s action while constructed similarly to the PM2 it is very different from the knife Spyderco makes now. Over the years Spyderco has made small changes to increase the speed and operation of the compression lock because that’s what the (majority) market wants right now.

Like it or not, modern knives with their ball bearing pivots, flipper tabs, etc are typically made with quick actions and smooth operations in mind. It’s only natural that users would tinker in an attempt to make it even better. That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with the knife as is, but if I can make a brand new knife work perfectly by taking it apart why wouldn’t I? I have the time to tweak it that the assembly guy who has to make hundreds of knives doesn’t. I could leave it and hope it breaks in, but will it? And honestly, many of us buy and carry so many knives that waiting for something to break in may take years because we don’t carry the knife enough.

I know you know al this stuff, but I had some time so I thought I would share my perspective. I wish I had your patience to just leave it be and see what happens. Mailing the knife to Spyderco isn’t an option for me either so I’m on my own. Not all my knives have smooth drop free action and that’s fine. But the ones that are supposed to drop shut, should drop shut or be smooth. If they’re not, I’m going to try and remedy it myself.

[Larry_Mott]

It was interesting to see how he switched out the backspacer. Nice to have options, but I’m with Zatx, I’d rather just open it up and switch it out. Much quicker that way.

Larry, I understand and see your point. But (most) pocket knives aren’t overly complex devices, unlike for example, a motorcycle. For many, myself included, disassembly isn’t a problem and in fact find it enjoyable. I don’t know why but I’ve found over the years that I feel like a knife isn’t really mine until I’ve taken it apart and cleaned it up. Even fresh out of the box I can usually make the action on a knife smoother than from factory. If a person likes to do it and actually sees an increase in the knifes performance I don’t see the harm.

Of course it's up to each and everyone how and why to do things. I just can't understand the "trend" for lack of better words that you _have to_ disassemble knives for maintenance.
When i started using and collecting knives, the question "Have you disassembled it?" didn't exist. Personally i see it unnecessary but of course to ech their own.
I strongly suspect that the improved action you experienced would have come by itself after a break-in period. Again, i don't have a problem with other peoples stuff, but i dislike "YouTube gurus" claiming it is necessary to disassemble knives for maintenance like guns.

When did you start collecting? Modern knives are a different animal than knives of the past.

If I had to guess I would say the reason people didn’t disassemble their knives back in the day was because many of them were traditional knives made with pinned construction. Even knives back then that were made for one handed opening were slower and less smooth. So why take them apart? Look at the original Paramilitary for example. It’s action while constructed similarly to the PM2 it is very different from the knife Spyderco makes now. Over the years Spyderco has made small changes to increase the speed and operation of the compression lock because that’s what the (majority) market wants right now.

Like it or not, modern knives with their ball bearing pivots, flipper tabs, etc are typically made with quick actions and smooth operations in mind. It’s only natural that users would tinker in an attempt to make it even better. That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with the knife as is, but if I can make a brand new knife work perfectly by taking it apart why wouldn’t I? I have the time to tweak it that the assembly guy who has to make hundreds of knives doesn’t. I could leave it and hope it breaks in, but will it? And honestly, many of us buy and carry so many knives that waiting for something to break in may take years because we don’t carry the knife enough.

I know you know al this stuff, but I had some time so I thought I would share my perspective. I wish I had your patience to just leave it be and see what happens. Mailing the knife to Spyderco isn’t an option for me either so I’m on my own. Not all my knives have smooth drop free action and that’s fine. But the ones that are supposed to drop shut, should drop shut or be smooth. If they’re not, I’m going to try and remedy it myself.

Yes i know it all and have heard it before (i don't mind at all that you're laying it out again, it might help newcomers form their own opinion so fair play to you!)
It's true my first knives were Solingen pinned jobbies and later Buck 110 and Schrade LB7's but i have owned, and own most types of knives, ball bearing pivot flippers and what have you. I have lost interest in tinkering with stuff almost completely, hence my "patience" (it's ok if you want to label it laziness :) )
Again - my main point is that newcomers watch a lot of YouTube videos and get the impression that all new knives *must* be disassembled and cleaned, both when new and after that on a regular basis, and that is simply not so.
I wouldn't be afraid to send you a knife for improvement as i am sure you know very well what you're doing, but reading on a daily basis about ruined screws, lanyard tubes etc. and reading that Spyderco get jacked knives sent back to them daily makes me think i am not entirely wrong in assuming that knives really aren't meant to be field stripped :)
Of course "even I" have swapped scales and adjusted pivots etc, but i am very much against disassembling stuff just ..because
Fact is, two times i have adjusted the pivots on new knives, just to find that after some time they got adjusted right back to where they were in the first place..
I guess we'll never agree on this, but again i want to emphasise that my main concern is that it will become "the new black" that you MUST clean out imaginary debris from brand new knives because it is necessary, not individuals who know what they're doing ..do what they do

[stockliman]

I'm looking forward to it. One of my Kapara's is a tweaked version from Alistair. It will be nice to have it closer to the original. He also recommends the Ripp's Garage wire replacement clip to make it as close as possible.

[wrdwrght]

I'm looking forward to it. One of my Kapara's is a tweaked version from Alistair. It will be nice to have it closer to the original. He also recommends the Ripp's Garage wire replacement clip to make it as close as possible.

Having now swapped in Alistair’s insert (thanks, Alistair, for the quick service and hand-holding video), I’m pondering a sharpening choil/notch (per his other hand-holding video) in the spirit of the prototype.

However, I do think Spyderco’s wire clip is in the same spirit and won’t seek the Ripp’s Garage version.

I know some here don’t see the need for sharpening choils/notches. I’m indifferent. I don’t mind the variations I have on my Bradley Air, Calypso Jr., or Techno2, but nothing has compelled me to add one to any Glesser design.

In thinking about them, it has occurred to me ask, what is a Spyderedge if it is not a series of sharpening choils/notches?

Don’t want a choil/notch to snag on the material you’re cutting? Sharpen the forward side of the cusp.

And, as to snagging, has no one here snagged the kick of a Manix2, PM2, etc.?