Para 3 Lightweight - Rattle Noise? ***RESOLVED BY SPYDERCO CUSTOMER SERVICE***

[Traditional.Sharpening]

I'm trying to troubleshoot what may be causing this light metallic jingling/rattling sound when the knife is lightly jostled and can't seem to figure it out. I don't believe it's the pocket clip but it seems to be something internal. Anybody have any idea what my best course of action would be here? Not trying to complain but I'd like to fix it myself if possible, like the knife overall (new to me and owner didn't say the rattle was there prior to shipping to me, maybe it got dropped along the way?). If it makes any difference this model is BD1N w/ Black FRP w/ Stonewashed plain blade and full screw construction.

[Frankie2blue]

Lanyard tube maybe?

[Traditional.Sharpening]

Actually I just discovered where it is coming from. If I turn the knife slowly in hand like turning a screwdriver I can see the phosphor bronze washer shift a good 5mm on the the pivot pin. Not sure what this may mean but somebody should have an idea why and how to fix. The washer is on the side of the blade where the compression lock is positioned.

[cabfrank]

Does it happen both open and closed?

[Traditional.Sharpening]

Does it happen both open and closed?

Yes, both open and close but possibly a bit more obvious closed.

[Traditional.Sharpening]

Double tap, sorry.

[cabfrank]

Interesting. I would have thought it might have something to do with a loose detent, but obviously not. Someone will know.

[araneae]

Do you actually know what 5mm looks like, because if the washer is moving that much the whole knife should be rattling. 5mm of movement would indicate someone put a giant washer in there by mistake and it is free floating around the pivot. If this is the case, you should probably have wild blade play and very poor centering. Is the knife new? Where did you buy it?

[VooDooChild]

Stonewashed? I thought those were satin finished.

[Foehammer]

Stonewashed? I thought those were satin finished.

Unless he modded it? Which if so, perhaps he took it apart and didn’t quite assemble it properly?

[cabfrank]

The finish has sort of a cloudy look to it compared to other satin blades. I can see how it could be mistaken for stonewashed.

[Traditional.Sharpening]

Do you actually know what 5mm looks like, because if the washer is moving that much the whole knife should be rattling. 5mm of movement would indicate someone put a giant washer in there by mistake and it is free floating around the pivot. If this is the case, you should probably have wild blade play and very poor centering. Is the knife new? Where did you buy it?

I mispoke, it's probably no more than a couple mm's. It is easily noticed movement so it's not exactly a tiny distance.

I bought this secondhand of Bladeforums. The knife has good centering and perhaps a bit of side to side play.

[Traditional.Sharpening]

Stonewashed? I thought those were satin finished.

Mine actually (upon looking again) displays more along the lines of a fine cut bead blasted finish. It's not stonewash but rather a very uniform matte color that is free of either satin's parallel scratches or stonewash's random pattern.

[Traditional.Sharpening]

I did speak with Warranty person at Spyderco and they said it may just be a loose pivot (definitely could have been loosened by the owner before me) but they had no way of knowing what it truly is without sending it in for a look.

[araneae]

I did speak with Warranty person at Spyderco and they said it may just be a loose pivot (definitely could have been loosened by the owner before me) but they had no way of knowing what it truly is without sending it in for a look.

You shouldn't need warranty to tell you if your pivot is loose. Does it wobble side to side when open? If yes, it's loose. Get you some proper tools.

Mine actually (upon looking again) displays more along the lines of a fine cut bead blasted finish. It's not stonewash but rather a very uniform matte color that is free of either satin's parallel scratches or stonewash's random pattern.

I am wondering if you bought a fake. That doesn't sound factory.

[Traditional.Sharpening]

I did speak with Warranty person at Spyderco and they said it may just be a loose pivot (definitely could have been loosened by the owner before me) but they had no way of knowing what it truly is without sending it in for a look.

You shouldn't need warranty to tell you if your pivot is loose. Does it wobble side to side when open? If yes, it's loose. Get you some proper tools.

Mine actually (upon looking again) displays more along the lines of a fine cut bead blasted finish. It's not stonewash but rather a very uniform matte color that is free of either satin's parallel scratches or stonewash's random pattern.

I am wondering if you bought a fake. That doesn't sound factory.

Yes, I am new to folders almost entirely after a decade of fixed blade only obsession. Tools are the next order of business, picked out some Wiha's just for this type stuff.

I don't believe the knife is a fake but maybe if I post a pic or two here someone may know for sure. I've seen other Spyderco's with this sort of cloudy finish and it rather looks like this Nick Shabazz video example. Not bright and polished for certain.

https://youtu.be/NKYZ1xx2fqg

[olditguy]

Mine looks like the video. Came from SFO.

[cabfrank]

That is for sure how they look. It's a cloudy/matte finish, with no grain/scratch pattern.

[Traditional.Sharpening]

Just wanted to give an update and a note of appreciation as I've had this issue resolved under warranty. I sent this in a few weeks ago along with my BD1N Manix 2 LW that I noticed somehow suffered a cracked scale right at the pivot. I received a couple boxes from Spyderco today and one was the warranty return package, the other was the 15V Mule's (giggity giggity). I did actually receive two shipping notice emails from UPS/Spyderco and didn't realize it wasn't just a duplicate for 15V order. All said and done I cannot complain at all about the turnaround time and communication giving notice of shipping.

The Para 3 was deemed to be defective in some non-disclosed way and was stated to be kept for research purposes and replaced with a brand new Para 3 LW in BD1N and this one is an excellent example from what I can tell. The Manix LW seems to have had the handle scale replaced on one side and returned as-is otherwise. I requested that the edges not be sharpened as I do my own edge work and they respected my wishes here despite the tip having been dinged a bit when I sent it as there was no grinding done to the edge upon receipt. Thank you very much Sal and the entire Spyderco family, keep on rockin'!

[RustyIron]

Glad it worked out.
I'm impressed that the Spyder Elves respected your request regarding the edge. Once I sent a knife back to another manufacturer with the same request, and it didn't turn out as well.