Do Phospherous Bronze washers ever wear out?

[Jec]

I'm on my 2nd Delica in about 25 years! The first one was in great shape, and my only carried knife during that time, but the plastic clip eventually gave away on a canoe trip and it was lost. But anyway, I just used the original without thought. I wished I would have thought about an identical backup back then, for nostalgia. But I realize what a great knife the Delica 4 is so this time, I bought an extra knife and I bought a repair kit, but it only has 1 Bronze washer in the kit? My question is do the washers ever really wear out, or are they just for the guy that looses the washer after taking one apart?
My original was never taken apart so I don't envision ever taking this one apart either, I just thought the kit could come in handy down the road so I guess the one washer will be all I'll ever need.

[paladin]

First off, I respect your dedication to the 2 Delica's over 25 yrs! Do you own any other Spydercos?

Secondly, it would be a another great testament to the Delica if anyone ever was able to wear out a bronze washer from normal use. I'd say the ONE replacement was provided so if you misplaced or lost one during cleaning/inspection...just as you suspected. Kinda like when they give you an extra button with a coat / shirt purchase. The bronze can get a little cruddy & gunked up especially if one has a penchant to oil the pivot, but I've always been able to bring mine back with mineral spirits.

And I've never personally wore one out, but with hard use in a gritty environment I could see extreme wear/grooving that could occur. It is, after all, a very malleable & soft metal primarily used to sacrifice itself to guard against galling of the steel parts. So, in theory, they COULD wear out.

This post reminded me of 1992 Corolla that I owned...besides tires, belts, plugs, brakes & a radiator hose-- the first part that wore out & had to be replaced was the ignition switch @ 223k miles.

[Jec]

I didn't own any other Spydercos until I lost the first. Now, I have 2 Delicas. One I use and one for backup. I picked up a Manix 2 Lightweight in Ruby Blue, but my teenage daughter has claimed that as her knife when she goes running so it's hers now. I also picked up a Stretch in Super Blue on a whim because it was the last one the guy at the knife shop had and I just kind of bought it on a whim and have it put up to collect.

[paladin]

Very good choices, IMHO, Jec...your daughter shows fine taste also :)

Check in regularly on your Super Blue Stretch if you're gonna keep her as a safe queen and keep her lubed up...that Super Blue is great for use & it's fun to sharpen BUT it will patina & rust relatively easy compared to, say, VG-10 or ATS-55.

Thanks for joining the forum...lots of good knifefolk here! :)

[Jec]

Thanks, I read on here but hardly ever post. Looks like a better forum than some of the others I read.
My daughter is 14, a real girly girl that plays basketball, but likes to sit in my recliner flicking her Manix 2 while she watches tv.

By the way, I don't know if it is true or not, but when I looked into getting my Delica repair kit, some sites have them listed as discontinued and one site(don't know if I'm allowed to name names?) has the kit starting at $54! I picked mine up for $8.99 and the shipping was almost that, but $54??
So that's why I went ahead and picked up a kit. I figured it might be a good idea to have extra screws and such, so if anyone has been planning on picking one of these kits up, you might want to grab one now while they can still be found cheaper.

[brick]

I can't see phosphor bronze washers ever wearing out as long as one keeps a little oil on them. I don't think most people would crank down on their pivots to the point that compressive loads would be all that high, and that plus cycles are what cause wear. OTOH I could easily see myself losing one during cleaning. Something about rugs and small parts...I hate rugs.

[Kirko]

Paladin is dead on ! 25yrs. And then you needed a new delica quite a testimony to Spyderco ..... No boast there :)

[Blerv]

If you keep your tools relatively clean I would not be concerned with the washers at all. If you don't I would be more leery of the blade steel corroding than the bronze washers or SS pivot.

In short: I wouldn't worry one bit :).

[Doc Dan]

The fact that Spyderco has discontinued the parts kit make me wonder if there is an upgrade coming to the Delica and Endura line.

As for the washers, phosphorus bronze washers are not unique to Spyderco and they work well for everybody concerned. Don't worry, be happy.

[Jec]

The first Delica did probably 95% what I needed in a knife to do. The only limitations it sometimes had were due to the fact that it was fully serrated. But I used it for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, gardening, opening stuff all the way down to be carried as a pocket knife in an office. My new one has a plain edge and my backup is a partially serrated edge. I'm going to go ahead and pick up another fully serrated just to have around.

[Doc Dan]

Pics please.

[Jec]

I might have something but I'll have to see. I lost the knife. Went canoeing and rafting for a weekend last summer and had it clipped to my swim trunks and I lost it. Man was I sick. The only thing I think of is the plastic clip broke or something getting in and out of canoes. The only pictures I probably have is with it maybe clipped outside of my pants at some time or another. I just used it and didn't really think of having any pictures of it. But I might have a couple of unintentional pictures of it.

[pcguy23]

Paladin is dead on ! 25yrs. And then you needed a new delica quite a testimony to Spyderco ..... No boast there :)

+1
Didn't care for the Delica 4 much until I started carrying it everyday for a work EDC and that changed everything.
The only thing that shows any wear is the paint on the clip which I just switched to stainless and now I have three Delicas and an Endura among my growing Spyderco collection

[Kirko]

Everyday carry that is the Delica's shining moment, so light, made from VG10 steel and now a flat grind perfect !