And sometimes they're perfect.

[metaphoricalsimile]

We see a lot of posts in this forum about relatively minor QC issues. Pivots that are a little stiff out of the box, grinds that aren't quite even, lock stick, minor lock rock, imperfect centering little things that don't really affect how a knife cuts, but it's still a very frequent topic.

But I'm reflecting as I fidget with my McBee, a lot of the time the knives we get are perfect. This little thing has a buttery smooth pivot with a centered blade. Zero lock stick with perfectly solid lockup and no blade play in any direction. It's just a joy to use and hold and look at, and I think a lot of our blades end up like that, and just wanted to recognize that truth as well.

[ladybug93]

it does get a little tiring when these threads start popping up like this forum is spyderco's customer service page. i'm always impressed with spyderco's patience and willingness to work with people though.

most of my spyderco's have been basically perfect, as you describe with your mcbee. i think people get too hung up on things they hear youtubers complain about.

[JSumm]

Carrying the Kapara today. It's a real beauty and perfect.

[kobold]

I buy most of my folders in person JIC, but the truth is, I never had a flaw big enough to reject something.

edit: in case of new models it helps to do research online in advance, watch disassembly videos and to sleep on it too.

[Evil D]

It's a problem with enthusiast forums, they tend to become echo chambers because nobody wants to come here just to read and participate in other people's complaints. That sounds more like a job than a hobby to me. Most of us are happy with our purchases and uses and all that fun stuff and so we focus on the good which just makes negative comments more polarizing.

The problem comes when defending the good is seen as downplaying the bad or trying to sweep it under the rug. Another problem is how many times the bad can easily outweigh the good, or "one bad apple spoils the bunch".




Anyway. I've always thought this forum needs a dedicated complaint/concern section for several reasons. For one it would help to consolidate issues so that whoever at Spyderco is monitoring this stuff can find it easier. It would also make it easier for future users to find the same concerns and see how they were solved. It would also keep the general section from being cluttered with those topics, which I guess some may see as sweeping it under the rug but I say it's the exact opposite of that, it's putting in a designated place where it can be more focused on, because after a thread is pushed down off the first page it starts to be forgotten anyway so at least if it were all in a sub forum it can be easily referenced.

[ZrowsN1s]

As you alluded to I don't really care to read complaints from people who just come here to complain. They are usually complaints about things that don't concern me.

How ever if a regular here posts an issue, I do want to see it. If someone with a dozen Spyderco's who usually has nothing but nice things to say about them says there's an issue, there usually is.

[Manixguy@1994]

I buy most of my folders in person JIC, but the truth is, I never had a flaw big enough to reject something.

edit: in case of new models it helps to do research online in advance, watch disassembly videos and to sleep on it too.

Those are very good points . I have suggested to individuals to handle before buying to save themselves some angst and investment.In the past I have asked for opinions when thinking about a purchase and Forum members have been very helpful in that regard . Dan

[kennethsime]

My Crucarta PM2 is the best I’ve ever handled, and I’ve handled PM2s since about 2010. Flawless.

[vivi]

hit and miss. my yojumbo was essentially flawless and I haven't had to adjust a single screw since I got it. other folders I've had pivot screws work themselves loose to the point they fall out.

most small issues I can look past. But the one that's been bugging me lately is how many lockbacks I've bought recently where the lockbar sticks up from the spine of the handle when the folder is opened. I feel it every time I use the knife so it bugs me a bit.

[wrdwrght]

The wonder in my experience is how Spyderco—NOT A CUSTOM KNIFE-MAKER—gets it right so many times, and invariably makes things right when it doesn’t. Consider the Siren…

Complaining newcomers pitch their ***** without this awareness and thus sway me only rarely.

[ChrisinHove]

Each case on its merits, I believe.

[spydergoat]

I think this forum seems like the natural place for people to ask about something they noticed on their knives and see if other owners had that same thing. For me, I think in-store buying is the way to go from now on. Last couple spydies I got online had a few QC issues and I would have found myself a "perfect" one if I was in the store.

[kobold]

I buy most of my folders in person JIC, but the truth is, I never had a flaw big enough to reject something.

edit: in case of new models it helps to do research online in advance, watch disassembly videos and to sleep on it too.

Those are very good points . I have suggested to individuals to handle before buying to save themselves some angst and investment.In the past I have asked for opinions when thinking about a purchase and Forum members have been very helpful in that regard . Dan

This forum is a great resource for sure.
I just want to add, that most of my folders are from Golden and Taichung, and a few from Seki.

[gspam1]

. . .
Anyway. I've always thought this forum needs a dedicated complaint/concern section for several reasons. For one it would help to consolidate issues so that whoever at Spyderco is monitoring this stuff can find it easier. It would also make it easier for future users to find the same concerns and see how they were solved. It would also keep the general section from being cluttered with those topics, which I guess some may see as sweeping it under the rug but I say it's the exact opposite of that, it's putting in a designated place where it can be more focused on, because after a thread is pushed down off the first page it starts to be forgotten anyway so at least if it were all in a sub forum it can be easily referenced.

I think a separate section is a great way to organize those issues and the folks who don't care can simply skip it.

[Bill1170]

All but two of my Spyderco knives were purchased online (2 at SFO). They’ve all been great! Just anecdata, but there it is.

[Ramonade]

It is because they are perfect 90% of the time, and with tiny issues 9,9% of the time, that we have high expectations about everything concerning Spyderco !

[Coastal]

For the price, nearly all my Spydercos have been "perfect enough," meaning they have no noticeable flaws or at least no important flaws, or that they can easily be brought up to snuff with a torx driver and loctite.

[soc_monki]

For me spyderco has consistently had the best edges out of the box. The majority of the time centering and action are perfect, and no blade play. Sometimes a turn of the screw sorts everything out. Never had one that a little tinkering didn't make perfect.

Out of all my Spydies I've only every had one or two that needed to be touched up out of the box, one for a burr (dlt zome endela), and one needed a reprofile (Magnitude).

Spyderco is the only maker who I have absolutely no anxiety about when ordering. I know it will be perfect or almost.

[SRT392HEMI]

Almost all of my 15 or so Spydercos were perfect right out of the box. Couple of my early Chinese models had crazy uneven grinds, but still came very sharp and had good actions. All my recent Golden and Taichung knives have been flawless.
There's some sunshine and rainbows.

[Manixguy@1994]

hit and miss. my yojumbo was essentially flawless and I haven't had to adjust a single screw since I got it. other folders I've had pivot screws work themselves loose to the point they fall out.

most small issues I can look past. But the one that's been bugging me lately is how many lockbacks I've bought recently where the lockbar sticks up from the spine of the handle when the folder is opened. I feel it every time I use the knife so it bugs me a bit.

My XL has that problem, it’s very slight , bugs me too but not enough to send back . Dan