New Dragonfly 2 is very oily

A place to list and reference all Spyderco counterfeits, clones, and replicas that are found. Anything that isn't a legitimate Spyderco fits in this area.
cec2
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New Dragonfly 2 is very oily

#1

Post by cec2 »

Hi,

I'm new; retired female (mom/grandmom), own several firearms but new to knives/Spyderco.

I recently ordered some Para 3 LW's for sons for Christmas gifts. I liked them so well I ordered myself a pink Dragonfly 2 in the S30V steel. I feel rather silly asking about this, but please bear with me and advise. I understand if you roll your eyes!

It came today and there is light oil leaking from the hinge, enough that when I wiped it off there was more visible a few minutes later. I'm wondering if Spyderco ever ships their knives this oily? (It says it was made in Seki-City.) None of the three Para 3's I recently bought have any visible oil on them at all so I guess that's my concern.

There is no Spyderco dealer near me. I had enough amazon credits (cash back) to pay for this knife so I ordered through amazon; the knife was sold by Onkata. Seller has a good rating there. Also, I know nothing about any other on line sellers, either.

I know a little oil is probably good for the hinge (that's not the concern), but do they come from Spyderco that oily? Should I be concerned that this might be used, a fake, or whatever? It seems fine to me, looks like the photos on websites, and the price was the going rate I found on several websites, about $87, so nothing suspicious about the price.

If this is normal, should I dab a tiny bit (maybe with the end of a toothpick) of light oil in the hinges of the three Para 3 knives I bought for gifts? I live in a humid area and they will sit for almost six months.

I guess this is a paranoid post, but please advise. (I love the little pink knife, btw.)
Many thanks!
Michael Janich
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Re: New Dragonfly 2 is very oily

#2

Post by Michael Janich »

Dear cec2:

Welcome to the Spyderco Forum.

If your Dragonfly has excessive oil, one of the best ways of removing it is to get a cotton swab, flatten the ends with pliers or a hammer, and swab the inside of the handle slot near the pivot pin. Any oil visible on the blade when it is open can be wiped away with a paper towel.

There is no need for excessive oiling. Apparently our Japanese factory got a bit carried away with the lubrication of your Dragonfly. As long as the Para 3 knives you bought open and close smoothly, they are properly lubricated and will be fine.

Stay safe,

Mike
cec2
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Re: New Dragonfly 2 is very oily

#3

Post by cec2 »

Thanks, Mike. It's no problem to wipe the excess oil; I was wondering if it would have come from the factory that oily, as the other three Spydercos (the Para 3's) I bought had absolutely no visible oil and operate so easily.

After working with the knives more last night, I still have concerns about the Dragonfly 2. All three of the Para 3's open and close extremely smoothly, and it's very easy for me to unlock the blades to close them, first try every time. (I'm aware they have a different locking mechanism than the Dragonfly.)

The Dragonfly 2, however, is difficult to unlock and also doesn't seem to rotate quite as smoothly. It takes a lot of pressure to depress the lock. And when I depress the lock, often it does not unlock on the first or second try. It seems I have to press it very hard and "just right," or at a very particular angle or something, to get it to unlock.

Therefore, I'm wondering if someone else also noticed this and then bathed it in oil trying (unsuccessfully) to get it to work better. ???

I'm debating whether I should return the Dragonfly 2 and order another one just like it. I won't be using it constantly, but it's definitely not even in the league with the Para 3's as far as ease of unlocking.

Are knives with this type of locking mechanism normally this finicky about unlocking?

I appreciate your input; many thanks.
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TazKristi
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Re: New Dragonfly 2 is very oily

#4

Post by TazKristi »

Hi, cec2:
Onkata is an authorized Dealer for Spyderco, so I wouldn't be concerned about a counterfeit. I'm sorry for the disappointment and inconvenience, but I would suggest sending your Dragonfly to our Warranty & Repair Department for evaluation. Different locking mechanisms do feel different in use, but what your describing doesn't sound that simple. I think it's best that we take a look at it. You'll find all of the information you need here, https://www.spyderco.com/service-suppor ... ty-repair/. Please be sure to include the Warranty & Repair form with your knife. You'll be in good hands with our crew.

And welcome to our forum. We hope you enjoy your time with us!

Kristi
There is nothing more important than this one day.
cec2
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Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2021 6:41 pm

Re: New Dragonfly 2 is very oily

#5

Post by cec2 »

Thanks so much, Kristi.

It's good to know Spyderco so willingly stands behind their products, especially if I decide to keep it awhile and then it gets worse later instead of better. Thanks also for the info on Onkata, which is reassuring. I think I'll enjoy the forum, too. I've become a Spyderco fan already.

I've only had it a couple of days so I could also return it to amazon and just reorder another one. I may keep working with it for a few more days before I decide what to do. I know I don't have the strongest hands.

A little more info, FWIW: I have noticed today it will never unlock if I press down on the center of the curved release, although it does depress somewhat but apparently not enough that way. To get it to unlock I have to press very hard a certain way (backward and downward?) at the very back (at the pointy top part) of the curve, but even then it's still hit or miss. Maybe I'll get the hang of it or it will loosen up soon.

I do like the knife a lot otherwise so I'm really trying hard to avoid sending it back even though you said I could. It fits my hand so well and is very sharp. Also, thanks for supporting cancer patients with your lovely pink knives.

On another note, I can't wait for my boys to get their excellent Para 3's!
yablanowitz
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Re: New Dragonfly 2 is very oily

#6

Post by yablanowitz »

Just my two cents, so feel free to ignore it. Sending it back to Amazon makes it someone else's problem, sending it to Spyderco W&R solves the problem. There could be a manufacturing problem that needs to be addressed, but if everyone sends their knives back to the seller instead of sending them to the maker for evaluation, that problem will not be identified and corrected.
cec2
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Re: New Dragonfly 2 is very oily

#7

Post by cec2 »

Update on my Dragonfly:
Just got my new one today, which unlocks very easily and smoothly every time. I love it!

There is a big difference from the first one I received. Kristi, thanks again so much for your advice, as I wasn't 100% sure my expectations weren't too high. (They weren't!)

Thanks for your reply, yablanowitz. I did go the other route, for a few reasons. But presumably the info and knife will still get passed back to Spyderco by their customer, the seller (Onkata in this case, through amazon). I attached a note to the knife box describing the problem, in addition to describing it when I requested the return. Sellers have an obligation to not sell defective products, even inadvertently, so it was already their problem. That's why sellers have a return policy. I expect they'll do the right thing.

Going through the warranty would have required me to find and print the warranty/repair form (I'm retired and have no need for a printer), package the knife, and pay to have it returned, insured, to Spyderco. Then there would have been at least a slight chance an employee would have said, "Meh, it's stiff and a little finicky but it will unlock; no repair needed." Best case, unless they decided it was beyond repair, I would have had to wait for it to be repaired (I'm not so special that I expect to be bumped to first in line) and then shipped back to me. Absolutely zero chance I'd have a properly working knife in my hands right now.

I worked with the first knife on Wednesday and Thursday until my thumb was sore. Decided I did need to return it (choosing the Kohl's route) for a refund, and got the return authorization/QR code on line. I then placed a new order through amazon; this time the seller/shipper was Deadwood Knives. Waited til Friday to take the knife to my local Kohl's; didn't even have to package it or stand in line. Kohl's scanned the QR code on my phone, gave me a receipt, and I was done. By the time I ran my other errands and got home, the refund had already been completed. Expected delivery date for the knife was next Tuesday, but it was in my mailbox today (Saturday)! I like to keep things simple and sure when I can. This way was easier, the outcome more certain, return shipping was safe and free, and it was much faster.

FWIW, if I buy a vacuum cleaner or TV that's defective right out of the box, back to the seller it goes via their return policy. If it waits longer to have problems, then I go through the more lengthy manufacturer's warranty service process.

As for the knife, I couldn't be more pleased this time. While I think my guys will like their Para 3, I think they would have liked a Dragonfly, too, in a different color, although I had thought it would have been too small for them. This is a handy-dandy little knife for almost anyone!

Deadwood sent me a 10% discount code for a future purchase this time. I wish they'd sent it earlier with the Para 3's, LOL. (They were the seller/shipper for those). Have to say, they have super-fast shipping.

I also have no complaints about Onkata, amazon, or Spyderco. I think the defective knife was probably a freak thing, and it was very easy to resolve once I decided to do it.
cec2
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Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2021 6:41 pm

Re: New Dragonfly 2 is very oily

#8

Post by cec2 »

@yablanowitz

I got to thinking more about your concerns, and just to cover all bases, I have emailed Spyderco, explaining in detail the problem with the first knife. I also explained I had returned the knife to the seller Onkata through amazon, and was emailing only to make them aware of the quality problem with the knife.
:)
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