Police SPY27 QC issue?

[toml4185]

I picked up my first Police 4 LW in SPY27 from a well known authorized dealer and it arrived yesterday.

Very happy with the model (it's a beast) and I now have around 30 Spyderco's in total but can't help but be a little disappointed with what looks to be some damage by the jimping on the thumb ramp (see pic) - looks like it took a bit of damage.

Also when the blade is out and locked in place there is some blade play. Basically I can move the blade slightly backwards (and ever so slightly forward too) and the lock bar moves. There is some slight side to side play and an audible sound as two metal parts contact one another.

I don't think any of this will affect the knife functionally but I wanted to check if this kind of things is normal with the police models since it's the first one I've picked up.

I'll prob hang on to if it just comes down to tightening the pivot screw or something but it is a bit surprising given I've picked up seconds in much better shape (notably a Maxamet Native 5 LW and I still can't figure out what is wrong with it to make it a "second").

[vivi]

I picked up my first Police 4 LW in SPY27 from a well known authorized dealer and it arrived yesterday.

Very happy with the model (it's a beast) and I now have around 30 Spyderco's in total but can't help but be a little disappointed with what looks to be some damage by the jimping on the thumb ramp (see pic) - looks like it took a bit of damage.

Also when the blade is out and locked in place there is some blade play. Basically I can move the blade slightly backwards (and ever so slightly forward too) and the lock bar moves. There is some slight side to side play and an audible sound as two metal parts contact one another.

I don't think any of this will affect the knife functionally but I wanted to check if this kind of things is normal with the police models since it's the first one I've picked up.

I'll prob hang on to if it just comes down to tightening the pivot screw or something but it is a bit surprising given I've picked up seconds in much better shape (notably a Maxamet Native 5 LW and I still can't figure out what is wrong with it to make it a "second").

police4.PNG

This is normal for every spyderco lockback I've handled over the past 20 years except for the chaparral.

I haven’t noticed this yet in any spyder backlocks

most likely you aren't looking closely enough.

there's a simple lock rock test all my spydie lockbacks fail.

open the knife. grip it so your palm is not touching the lockbar. press the cutting edge,near the tip, down on a cutting board with 10-15lbs of force.

in my experience the lock will rock every time on every spyderco lockback I've ever tried this with.

in fact I just did it with my green g10 police 4 and not only can I see and feel the lock rock, I can even hear it.

I can also get it to happen by pinching the blade between my index finger and thumb with my left hand, gripping the handle so I don't cover the lockbar, and moving the handle as if I were cutting something.

You can hear it too in this video:



It's more obvious with some than others, but they all have it to some degree besides the chap.

[Red Leader]

I picked up my first Police 4 LW in SPY27 from a well known authorized dealer and it arrived yesterday.

Very happy with the model (it's a beast) and I now have around 30 Spyderco's in total but can't help but be a little disappointed with what looks to be some damage by the jimping on the thumb ramp (see pic) - looks like it took a bit of damage.

Also when the blade is out and locked in place there is some blade play. Basically I can move the blade slightly backwards (and ever so slightly forward too) and the lock bar moves. There is some slight side to side play and an audible sound as two metal parts contact one another.

I don't think any of this will affect the knife functionally but I wanted to check if this kind of things is normal with the police models since it's the first one I've picked up.

I'll prob hang on to if it just comes down to tightening the pivot screw or something but it is a bit surprising given I've picked up seconds in much better shape (notably a Maxamet Native 5 LW and I still can't figure out what is wrong with it to make it a "second").

police4.PNG

This is normal for every spyderco lockback I've handled over the past 20 years except for the chaparral.

I haven’t noticed this yet in any spyder backlocks

most likely you aren't looking closely enough.

there's a simple lock rock test all my spydie lockbacks fail.

open the knife. grip it so your palm is not touching the lockbar. press the cutting edge,near the tip, down on a cutting board with 10-15lbs of force.

in my experience the lock will rock every time on every spyderco lockback I've ever tried this with.

in fact I just did it with my green g10 police 4 and not only can I see and feel the lock rock, I can even hear it.

I can also get it to happen by pinching the blade between my index finger and thumb with my left hand, gripping the handle so I don't cover the lockbar, and moving the handle as if I were cutting something.

You can hear it too in this video:



It's more obvious with some than others, but they all have it to some degree besides the chap.

Vivi,

You’ve had much more time under your belt with these knives than many of us here.


Do you think the status quo is gtg, or do you think it is time for a rolling CQI around the lockback design geometry to rid it of this issue?

I understand when people say that this has never caused a failure in use, but it is also hard to contend with the fact that there are cheaper knives out there that do not exhibit this issue.

Should Spyderco take the time and energy to remedy this?

[toml4185]

FWIW I have a bunch of Seki backlocks (which I love) and I never really experienced this issue but picking them up again now, I can see that they all do to in varying degrees. Perhaps it is just a bit more noticeable on the huge Police model.

None of them have this mashed up bit of steel at the back of the thumb ramp though. Not sure what could have caused that.

[Danke]

Oh if only someone would invent some kind of other lock to use. Or a bunch of different locks.

[Jeb]

This really sounds to me a couple issues combined. The side to side play is loose Axle screw, snug it up, but if you get it to much, the knife will get hard to open and close...

Then you should check all your screws to be snug. The click you hear should be there. With the bigger blade, that lock bar engaging the blade tang to lockup, is going to be very audible, bigger the blade the more audible it should be, it resonates through the blade.

Now, for this play you mentioned in the blade while it's locked, that depends on just how much play. I have more than two handfuls of the Police4 here and in my different trucks, golf cart and tractor.

I love the Police4 knife you might as well say lol. I don't have a single one that after I get mine and clean, tighten up and hone to 15 dps and polish the bevels; have excessive play, as you mentioned.

Now I am not saying that those don't exist, I am sure that some knives get through QC and end up in a box to be sold. If your knife does have this issue you may not be the person to re-hone the lock bar and blade tang lock latch, to get the proper setup. Spyderco can and will repair that for you.

Now, for the concerning issue here to me... the pic you tacked up on your thread here concerning the jacked up jimping.

I don't know how to address this but to just rip the bandaid off... so first off is it perfect? No it ain't. But it is such a small freckle that is actually not in the jimping it is actually behind the jimping leading into the blade tang. I was expecting something way worse...

I guess my question is are you going to use this knife, or are you planning to put this like in a display case and do more like show it and others off?

I ask this, cause I have some of both here. Those I hand pick to just literally do nothing but show off and crow about. Then I have mine that I can edc and use. Two very distinct groups here.

So let's figure this out and see if this is something you can address with your torx drivers and hone, or if your going to send it in for a quick warranty and turn around...

[toml4185]

Thanks for all the comments. This will be a user - I'll hang on to it.

It's a great knife regardless of the minor scuff by the thumb ramp which really doesn't affect functionality whatsoever - already fallen in love with it :-)

[Jeb]

Now you need a T8 for the pivot screw and a T6 for the others. This will allow you to setup the blade tension like you like.

I like to snug the pivot screw down pretty tight, then make sure all the others are snug. Then with the pivot screw really tight, open and close the blade all the way, both open and closed; about 10 times.

Then just start to back that T8 pivot screw off a little at a time and check the blade tension to your taste. The Police4 is a killer knife and why I have so many of them lol. What's not to love about them is my single biggest question lol.

For me, the only thing is the very limitations of the available steel choices we have to choose from on them lol.

Once you have done the above mentioned in setup, see if you still have this blade lock up play. If you do, I would loosen up all the screws with the exception of the 3 clip screws. Those can remain snug.

Then with all the screws loosened open the knife and safely hold the knife and pop the blade open hard against the stop. Do that 3 or 4 times, then close the knife and tighten everything up, starting with the pivot screw.

Then setup the blade tension to your taste and re check the lockup blade play. Keep us posted on how you fair with your new knife please...

[ABX2011]

I just picked up a native 5 crucarta with slanted jimping on the lockbar. It's cosmetic but an eye sore and the knife should have been sold as a second.

[RustyIron]

It's a great knife regardless of the minor scuff by the thumb ramp which really doesn't affect functionality whatsoever - already fallen in love with it :-)

Good on ya for making a sound decision. Recently I got a Sprint and the liners had wavy grinding at the front. I tried to imagine the process that would result in such a pattern. If I was making the part and it came out that way, I'd be unhappy and want to start over. If I had finished before discovering the slight defect, I'd let it go. If it would have been perfectly fine for my own work, it seemed unreasonable to complain about it for an off-the-shelf knife. I put the knife in my pocket and have been using it every day since. It's fine.

[Jeb]

I just picked up a native 5 crucarta with slanted jimping on the lockbar. It's cosmetic but an eye sore and the knife should have been sold as a second.

ABX,

If it's something that bothers you that much why not simply return it to Spyderco... I would reach out and contact them about it and get the ball started.

[Wowbagger]

it is time for a rolling CQI around the lockback design geometry to rid it of this issue?

Sure a quarter turn or even a degree or two tighter on the blade pivot screw does help my other Spyderco lock backs (granted the Chaparrals are in a high class) . I don't go for drop shut in these though I enjoy and use drop shut when I can.

Another area that benifits is snug up the lock bar pivot screw . Lube the sides of the lock bar ; without taking it apart then do some trial and error with screw tension . My test , for lock bar screw as well as blade pivot , is to have the blade folded almost all the way into the handle then let go of it . With too much tension on the screws the blade will stall there . As I back off the blade and or lock bar pivot screw the blade will then snap all the way closed into the handle.

(((((( my personal opinion and prayer , if you will, is that Spyderco makes the pivot spindle larger diameter , closer tolerance fit up in the blade hole and where there are no washers in the FRN on the ends of the spindle , like the ManBug has washers , add washers to future knives )))))
I spent a considerable amount of time futzing with my Burgundy PD#1 Delica (upsetting and filing and tuning the lock bar) (which had very little positive result) trying to fix all this slop and that is what I came up with.

PS: there is the slightest chance , slightest mind you , that the mark you see on your knife is an attempt to "upset" the metal there (a black smith's term) to take some of the slop out of the the lock bar fit up. I did that on mine as well .
In the end the slop was the blade spindle , at the blade pivot , moving back and forth in the over size hole in the FRN.

I love you Spyderco ! ! ! !
but take a serious look at the ManBugs and their build . Which works .

[Wowbagger]

nah strike that about upsetting the blade . . .
I tried that on mine and found the blade too hard to upset.
The lock bar on the other hand responded as expected.

[Wowbagger]

Now, for this play you mentioned in the blade while it's locked, that depends on just how much play. I have more than two handfuls of the Police4 here and in my different trucks, golf cart and tractor.

I have almost no Police but I busssedout my G-10 K390 . . . it is nearly new , little use (bit big for a city slicker like me), . . . I did get a nice patina on there though . . .

I pushed the edge down hard on a cutting board and found an ever slight sensation of movement in the blade / lock bar.
No where even close to the slop in my PD#1 .

That G-10 K390 Police is one cool dambed knife though ! ! !
Full steel liners and full steel back spacer ! ! ! !
How can I not love it ! ! !

[Michal O]

I've bought Police 4 spy27 too. And sent it back. It had significant blade play (movement of the blade with lockbar) compared to my other back locks and was badly fit with huge gaps between scale and lockbar, near pivot area. When I've pushed blade against table, I could heard that blade play. It was bad, like models from ~2010 era I had. In comparison my used Police 4 K390 SE has almost zero blade play. Same with other piece and Endura 4 K390, also used.

Scuffed jimping was also on mine, but for me it wasn't that important. I get that every backlock has some lock rock but it was too big for my comfort. I've noticed that lockbar wasn't flush with the frn backspacer, it was sticking out above handle spine ~0,25 mm, maybe there is issue.

[Flash]

Knife came to you damaged and with blade play - send it back for a replacement or refund. Job done.

[Scandi Grind]

Just thought I'd chime in with my Endura as another example to compare to. It does have some lock rock, but that settled a little after a full disassambly and I am not bothered by it on my example. As I understand these are going to have some lock movement, so if it isn't extreme I am perfectly fine with it. Curiously I do have some mottling in the same location on the spine. It doesn't look as deep as the marks on yours, but you can see it is clearly a different texture than spine ahead of it and the lockbar behind. It's easier to see in person and I noticed it right away. Again it didn't bug me at all for a factory knife that will just be put to work, but I am slightly curious at this point what causes it seeing another example of something similar.