Will Factory Switch Blades/Scales Between Knives? (Same Model)

[zhyla]

What we are talking about is the complex between individual parts

These are factory knives made on CNC machines. They are not hand fitted.

We’re talking about a back lock knife. It’s not even as hard to assemble as a Manix 2 and people blade swap those all the time.

It’s not a light saber.

[Mushroom]

I do not feel qualified to disassemble and reassemble them myself in a way that I believe would guarantee safe function of the knives.

Are you saying you aren’t qualified to use a screw driver?

This isn’t a car. Anyone can take them apart and put them back together.

What we are talking about is the complex relationship between individual parts and that is what I am saying I don't believe I qualify for not knowing the differences they may have made over the years. Sharpening a knife is easy too but I don't expect just anybody will be able to identify the subtle differences that make all the difference between an edge that will check all the right boxes to perform well and not chip.... cough... cough... Ramonade... cough.

That’s way overstated. Your OP is talking about swapping scales. This is a simple process.

Exactly which complex relationships between individual parts involved in that process do you not feel qualified to know the differences between? That is not clear at the moment. There is a number of people with experience doing this, who are telling you there is nothing complex about any of the relationships between any of the parts involved in the scale swap process.

You do not need to fully disassemble the knife to swap the scales. If the Native Chief is actually the knife in question, you only need to remove three torx screws and the scale. Swap one side of each knife at a time and you will laugh at the fact that you were ever worried about it in the first place.

The customization market wouldn’t be as prolific as it is if these knives were overly difficult to disassemble and reassemble. Remember, these are pocket knives not flux capacitors.

[Traditional.Sharpening]

I do not feel qualified to disassemble and reassemble them myself in a way that I believe would guarantee safe function of the knives.

Are you saying you aren’t qualified to use a screw driver?

This isn’t a car. Anyone can take them apart and put them back together.

What we are talking about is the complex relationship between individual parts and that is what I am saying I don't believe I qualify for not knowing the differences they may have made over the years. Sharpening a knife is easy too but I don't expect just anybody will be able to identify the subtle differences that make all the difference between an edge that will check all the right boxes to perform well and not chip.... cough... cough... Ramonade... cough.

That’s way overstated. Your OP is talking about swapping scales. This is a simple process.

Exactly which complex relationships between individual parts involved in that process do you not feel qualified to know the differences between? That is not clear at the moment. There is a number of people with experience doing this, who are telling you there is nothing complex about any of the relationships between any of the parts involved in the scale swap process.

You do not need to fully disassemble the knife to swap the scales. If the Native Chief is actually the knife in question, you only need to remove three torx screws and the scale. Swap one side of each knife at a time and you will laugh at the fact that you were ever worried about it in the first place.

The customization market wouldn’t be as prolific as it is if these knives were overly difficult to disassemble and reassemble. Remember, these are pocket knives not flux capacitors.

Perhaps overstated but it seems there are critical dimensions on certain part interfaces that may prevent blade swaps at the very least. I just don't tend to jump to thinking I know something without requesting further opinions on the matter.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/par ... 3.1789930/

[vivi]

you trolling dude? it's a handful of small torx screws. that's it. you can't possibly be serious. what do you need to do to feel qualified to use a hand powered screw driver? be 7 years old?

[Mushroom]

Perhaps overstated but it seems there are critical dimensions on certain part interfaces that may prevent blade swaps at the very least. I just don't tend to jump to thinking I know something without requesting further opinions on the matter.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/par ... 3.1789930/

Overstated and overcomplicated.

I’m starting to believe you when you say you’re not qualified to handle removing a few screws from some scales. Are you able to expand on what exactly your concerns are? It is still not clear. You’re just being way too vague. You still haven’t even said which knives you’re looking to swap.

Are you able to identify exactly which parts interfaces have critical dimensions that would have you concerned about not allowing a blade swap?

What is your actual goal here? Just a scale swap between two knives? Which knives - Native Chief, Para 3 LW, etc. ? You keep using different examples, so it’s not clear what you’re even trying to do. You claimed you’re swapping scales between the same knife, but then use the a Para 3 LW and Para 3 as an example of your concerns. Is that what you’re trying to do? Because if that's the case, most people on this forum could’ve told you the Para 3 LW doesn’t use liners like the Para 3 does.

That link you provided is ultimately irrelevant in this case because you claimed your swapping parts between the same knife. Not two knives with completely different constructions. If that’s what you’re intention is, Spyderco definitely won’t do it for you.

[Traditional.Sharpening]

Perhaps overstated but it seems there are critical dimensions on certain part interfaces that may prevent blade swaps at the very least. I just don't tend to jump to thinking I know something without requesting further opinions on the matter.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/par ... 3.1789930/

Overstated and overcomplicated.

I’m starting to believe you when you say you’re not qualified to handle removing a few screws from some scales. Are you able to expand on what exactly your concerns are? It is still not clear. You’re just being way too vague. You still haven’t even said which knives you’re looking to swap.

Are you able to identify exactly which parts interfaces have critical dimensions that would have you concerned about not allowing a blade swap?

What is your actual goal here? Just a scale swap between two knives? Which knives - Native Chief, Para 3 LW, etc. ? You keep using different examples, so it’s not clear what you’re even trying to do. You claimed you’re swapping scales between the same knife, but then use the a Para 3 LW and Para 3 as an example of your concerns. Is that what you’re trying to do? Because if that's the case, most people on this forum could’ve told you the Para 3 LW doesn’t use liners like the Para 3 does.

That link you provided is ultimately irrelevant in this case because you claimed your swapping parts between the same knife. Not two knives with completely different constructions. If that’s what you’re intention is, Spyderco definitely won’t do it for you.

Same model, different example, taking parts between the two and mix/match. I'm not really looking to do any specific models currently but mostly a food for thought just trying to understand if and what the potential snag points would be. I can definitely handle a screwdriver but thank you for your concern. What I do not know is ultimately how much precision these parts are made with and how the process of assembly might look at the factory.

Not necessarily hand fitting but somehow parts that don't fit together just right on the first try go into some kind of reject bin and go out as factory seconds, etc. There are more questions than certainties from what I can tell as we don't know anything about specs in general and also how those may have changed from month to month, year to year, etc. There's an entire thread from Sal basically stating that the whole issue of 'parts' is in of itself a very sticky situation.

[TkoK83Spy]

I'm mostly mind blown that he's most overly technical person around, trashing everyone on their sharpening abilities, or lack there of according to him...yet he's afraid to attempt the simplest of tasks of owning a knife. This is bizarre.

[Mushroom]

Perhaps overstated but it seems there are critical dimensions on certain part interfaces that may prevent blade swaps at the very least. I just don't tend to jump to thinking I know something without requesting further opinions on the matter.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/par ... 3.1789930/

Overstated and overcomplicated.

I’m starting to believe you when you say you’re not qualified to handle removing a few screws from some scales. Are you able to expand on what exactly your concerns are? It is still not clear. You’re just being way too vague. You still haven’t even said which knives you’re looking to swap.

Are you able to identify exactly which parts interfaces have critical dimensions that would have you concerned about not allowing a blade swap?

What is your actual goal here? Just a scale swap between two knives? Which knives - Native Chief, Para 3 LW, etc. ? You keep using different examples, so it’s not clear what you’re even trying to do. You claimed you’re swapping scales between the same knife, but then use the a Para 3 LW and Para 3 as an example of your concerns. Is that what you’re trying to do? Because if that's the case, most people on this forum could’ve told you the Para 3 LW doesn’t use liners like the Para 3 does.

That link you provided is ultimately irrelevant in this case because you claimed your swapping parts between the same knife. Not two knives with completely different constructions. If that’s what you’re intention is, Spyderco definitely won’t do it for you.

Same model, different example, taking parts between the two and mix/match. I'm not really looking to do any specific models currently but mostly a food for thought just trying to understand if and what the potential snag points would be. I can definitely handle a screwdriver but thank you for your concern. What I do not know is ultimately how much precision these parts are made with and how the process of assembly might look at the factory.

Not necessarily hand fitting but somehow parts that don't fit together just right on the first try go into some kind of reject bin and go out as factory seconds, etc. There are more questions than certainties from what I can tell as we don't know anything about specs in general and also how those may have changed from month to month, year to year, etc. There's an entire thread from Sal basically stating that the whole issue of 'parts' is in of itself a very sticky situation.

Your reluctance to provide any real details and your inclination to speak in vague generalities leads me to believe that you are doing nothing more than looking for an argument here. Good luck removing a few screws from your knives and putting them back in.

I'm mostly mind blown that he's most overly technical person around, trashing everyone on their sharpening abilities, or lack there of according to him...yet he's afraid to attempt the simplest of tasks of owning a knife. This is bizarre.

Well said. The audacity really is mind-blowing!

[Traditional.Sharpening]

I'm mostly mind blown that he's most overly technical person around, trashing everyone on their sharpening abilities, or lack there of according to him...yet he's afraid to attempt the simplest of tasks of owning a knife. This is bizarre.

At no point did I express fear, I simply try to seek information the easy way (asking questions) prior to attempting something and finding out the hard way. I value my time and energy, there's no need to waste it when i can ask a few questions.

I've trashed nobody and their sharpening abilities but you certainly have done your best to judge me as a person. I simply teased Ramonade here a bit for being rude with me previously for genuinely trying to help his issues with chipping knives.

Some folks simply need to judge others to make themselves feel superior. It sounds like you may fall under that group of people and if I have helped you feel better about yourself then at least I have helped you on some level, my friend.

[Ramonade]

What we are talking about is the complex relationship between individual parts and that is what I am saying I don't believe I qualify for not knowing the differences they may have made over the years. Sharpening a knife is easy too but I don't expect just anybody will be able to identify the subtle differences that make all the difference between an edge that will check all the right boxes to perform well and not chip.... cough... cough... Ramonade... cough.

You should stop talking man.

ETA : Nvm, found an ignore button.

[Traditional.Sharpening]

What we are talking about is the complex relationship between individual parts and that is what I am saying I don't believe I qualify for not knowing the differences they may have made over the years. Sharpening a knife is easy too but I don't expect just anybody will be able to identify the subtle differences that make all the difference between an edge that will check all the right boxes to perform well and not chip.... cough... cough... Ramonade... cough.

You should stop talking man.

ETA : Nvm, found an ignore button.

Standup guy right here, this is by far the best way to handle the situation if you feel somebody's post's are not serving you in any way (it's called the friends/foes section in your control panel for anyone else that would like to never hear from me again.

The most unfortunate thing to do, IMO, would be to start putting forth personal judgements and/or suggesting that someone is a troll. Interestingly, the word 'should' in the way it is commonly used is virtually always a subtle form of judgement.

[Spicy Suplex]

for being rude with me previously

You've got that backwards. Robin was even honest and humble enough to suggest his edge damage was due to operator error, and yet you persisted. Unreal.

[legOFwhat?]

Nothing will be learned here.

[vivi]

SpyderEdgeForevers alt account?

[JSumm]

is it possible to make this type of switch in general assuming parts are the same between both knives?

Yes, it is possible. Assuming you are talking about the same model in different steels and scale colors. I do find Golden models can still have some tough to get out screws from time to time due to thread locker, but there are ways around that.

Will it work? Maybe or maybe not. Difficult to say for sure without trying. Some do and some do not. If it doesn't work, take the opportunity to clean it up and and add some lubricant and put it back together. If you find yourself having trouble re-assembling then search up a disassembly video on the specific model on YouTube for some help. Some of those videos are extremely helpful. I have used those videos heavily.

FWIW, Robin is a great guy. Extremely patient. Teaches elementary students for crying out loud. I wouldn't want to do that. If your tactics are wearing down an elementary teacher, take note. May be time to turn the critical eye to the tactics you use. In general, someone can make a great point and even be correct, but completely lose their audience just based on communication style and tactics.

[Manifestgtr]

I actually understand why Golden doesn’t do stuff like this. I’ve swapped the scales on many, many knives…back locks, comp locks, manixes…and it almost always changes the knife fundamentally. It’s not a bad thing usually and in fact, sometimes it’s a REALLY good thing (getting a pair of titanium scales on my s30v lil native sured up the tolerances and made it smoother than some of my most expensive bearing flippers)…but it opens certain doors.

For example, getting micarta on my k390 police took a ton of work. At first, it didn’t want to center and in fact, the blade wanted to touch the liner when closed…so I had to assemble, disassemble, swap parts, tighten this, loosen that, crank certain screws, etc. at least 5 times before it was even “acceptable”, let alone centered. If the factory was faced with such a scenario, it would be a waste of resources and it could even lead to customers feeling their knives were returned worse than before. It’s just not economically viable for a factory worker to spend hours fitting aftermarket (another important aspect to all of this) scales to a knife that’s already passed quality control and all of that.

Unless you’re going for something hardcore like a micarta swap on the largest back lock that seki makes, I’d say just go for it yourself. Most of my swaps were done in a half hour and my dragonfly micarta was good to go within ten minutes. It’s truly not that difficult under most circumstances.

[Manixguy@1994]

MG2

[kennbr34]

The intricate interdependence of parts and their specific orientation is much more subtle and nuanced than most people here realize. If you take one blade from a knife, and put it into another, the surfaces of the liners may be uneven, the stop-pins may be off by .0001", and the lock-faces may become fatigued with over-engagement. Further more, without a torque driver with a precision of +/- .001 inch-grains, then you'll probably strip the Torx head and cross-thread the shank.

Through a combination of all these things, your knife may end up with some side-to-side blade play, some vertical play, or even both. These may not be perceptible to the average user, but if you use a precision travel indicator you'll be able to observe the movement that will surely occur. This in conjunction with lock-face fatigue will eventually lead to a catastrophic failure of the lock, likely severing your fingers, leaving you unable to work. This sudden economic hardship will probably cause your wife to leave you, taking your dog with her, and turning your life into a country song.

It's good that you took the time to ask. I have seen swapping blades and scales on pocket knives ruin too many homes and too many lives.

[bobnikon]

The intricate interdependence of parts and their specific orientation is much more subtle and nuanced than most people here realize. If you take one blade from a knife, and put it into another, the surfaces of the liners may be uneven, the stop-pins may be off by .0001", and the lock-faces may become fatigued with over-engagement. Further more, without a torque driver with a precision of +/- .001 inch-grains, then you'll probably strip the Torx head and cross-thread the shank.

Through a combination of all these things, your knife may end up with some side-to-side blade play, some vertical play, or even both. These may not be perceptible to the average user, but if you use a precision travel indicator you'll be able to observe the movement that will surely occur. This in conjunction with lock-face fatigue will eventually lead to a catastrophic failure of the lock, likely severing your fingers, leaving you unable to work. This sudden economic hardship will probably cause your wife to leave you, taking your dog with her, and turning your life into a country song.

It's good that you took the time to ask. I have seen swapping blades and scales on pocket knives ruin too many homes and too many lives.

Well played. I thought you were serious until I got to the end.

[Wartstein]

The intricate interdependence of parts and their specific orientation is much more subtle and nuanced than most people here realize. If you take one blade from a knife, and put it into another, the surfaces of the liners may be uneven, the stop-pins may be off by .0001", and the lock-faces may become fatigued with over-engagement. Further more, without a torque driver with a precision of +/- .001 inch-grains, then you'll probably strip the Torx head and cross-thread ...

Again: With lockback Spydies , if one switches blade AND lockbar (between the exact same models of course) I think the chances of making things really worse are very slim.

And I am certain when assembling knives at their factory, Spyderco will also take mass produced parts and put them together, and not produce a specific blade for a specific liner or whatever..

People really should not be afraid of getting to know and enjoy their knives also in this capacity as long as we're talking such simple tasks. In my humble opinion of course.

EDIT: OK, you were not serious anyway
Realized that too late...