2008 Lum Chinese Sprint Run - Question about handle finish

[Shanklick]

I received a NIB 2008 Lum Chinese yesterday. Excitement from what at first looked and still feels like an amazing knife went to confusion as I examined the handle. :confused:

From what I can tell with the LC, after the aluminum handle gets the Almite treatment there is an attempt to precisely grind away and polish the inner most parts of the handle (closest to the blade) to create faux liners. I looked at a lot of pictures and this work was always done so well or the pictures not detailed enough that I could not tell they were not real exposed liners.

Well, it was immediately evident they were not liners as soon as I looked at it since liners are generally cut from flat sheet and are an even thickness on a knife without additional effort. That seems like a really good reason to actually use real exposed liners if you want the look of exposed liners...

There are not many spots on this handle that even have straight lines on the fake liners let alone ones that match up. The areas where it was turned around a corner of the handle is as much as 1/16th" off track and thicker than the fake liner it joins after the turn. There are several places where it is so bad it makes it look like I have a liners of variable and significant different thickness.

I'm not trying to raise a big stink and this is bound to have been an issue with other Lum Chinese models if they are all finished this way. My search was a failure so I'm describing the issue so that someone else that has received a Lum Chinese in a similar condition like I described can tell me what ended up being their eventual option(s) for this situation while I wait to hear back from Spyderco. Depending on any responses it might help me decide whether it is worth calling Monday or later if I don't hear back.

Thanks

[The Deacon]

What you describe has been noted a number of times in the past. The single "worst" spot on the Lum seems to be the butt end. As you noted, varying degrees of unevenness in width is common to all versions of the Lum and, for that matter, to other Almite coated Spyderco models which also have the almite coating ground off the non-beveled portion of the handle's perimeter.

[Shanklick]

Thanks. That was a quick response and exactly what I needed to know. It saves me bothering to contact anyone at Spyderco about it.

This one goes bye bye to someone that can accept that kind of "work". Lesson learned, at least not too expensive of one.

Now I'll raise a little stink. I am still quite disappointed in this aspect of the design. The knife would be beautiful with none of the Almite removed or the use of exposed liners. Either of those choices but not the one that was made. Doesn't matter to me who's original or ultimate design decision it was. This is so far off the mark from even a Tenacious in the area of fit and finish and beauty is pushed as being basically half of this knife. Wow.

[The Deacon]

My guess, and this is strictly a guess, is that the ground edges are a necessary artifact of the manufacturing process rather than an attempt to emulate liners. The handle slabs are coated before assembly, the knife is put together, and the edges ground to make everything (slabs and backspacer, plus the lockbar on midlocks) line up. Only other choice would be to assemble the knife prior to coating the slabs, grind the edges, disassemble, coat, and reassemble. Than might fly for a full custom, but not in a production environment.

FWIW, if you look really close at the non-beveled edge of G-10, CF and Micarta scales, and SS handle slabs you can often spot the same inconsistencies in width. It's just much less noticeable because everything's the same color.

[Shanklick]

I appreciate your input but the reasons or processes are meaningless to me now. There is no way to convince me there is any justification to assemble and finish a knife of this price or really any Spyderco in this manner. If this is seriously normal there is nothing more to say to convince me it should be this way.

Again, beauty was pushed as half of this knife and the finish is terrible. It is the opposite as advertised as far as I'm concerned. This isn't a process that should be attempted on a production knife for some of the very reasons you pointed out. It isn't just a little off. I'm not just being a little picky. If this artifact is required then that part of the design or production is trash. It is a legit source of ridicule and I feel embarrased for Spyderco for it.

I can tell you with complete confidence there is nothing close to this as far as the variation in any handle material lines that should be straight in any of the list of Spyderco's I own in my sig or ones multiple friends own that I do not or from any other production maker knives that I own or have handled for that matter. There is no way to smooth this over with that theory.

My eyes do work and I do have ways of precisely measuring these things as well. Examining knives closely is part of what I make a living at now so I really don't think I'm not noticing it on other knives. It is also probably why it popped out at me instantly when I pulled it out of the box. This is the first time I've been let down so badly by a Spyderco knife. It is by far the worst example of a finish I have seen from any knife in a long time and never from a Spyderco until now.

Sorry I'm so heated and I'll try to just leave it alone now but this is very frustrating for me for this to happen from this company.

[npueppke]

I had a Lum Sprint and it was the first/only Spydie whose build quality I have been disappointed with. I didn't notice these 'faux liners' but mine had a very uneven finish with blemishes and things, and it had a poorly adjusted liner lock. Combined with it being too small and light (this is opinion, of course), I think that the lum chinese is a cool design with very poor execution.

[Jay_Ev]

Is this similar to the issue you describe? In the picture, you can clearly see how the top (clip) side faux-liner is thicker than the other side, which gives the appearance they are uneven. It's not a Lum Chinese Folder, but it is the same handle material:

[Shanklick]

Is this similar to the issue you describe? In the picture, you can clearly see how the top (clip) side faux-liner is thicker than the other side, which gives the appearance they are uneven. It's not a Lum Chinese Folder, but it is the same handle material:

That is exactly what I'm talking about only not as bad as mine, especially around the corner there where in one spot it is really a huge change along the same buffed line. If they are not supposed to look like liners it is too bad because that is the result that has been achieved. This process makes the knife look like it has strange and impossibly uneven liners whatever anyone wants to call the odd buffing of the handles in this area. I have other knives made with coated aluminum handles from other companies. There is no requirement to buff theirs in this manner so I don't buy that it is required for the Lum. If it is somehow required to use Almite then that is just a bad choice pure and simple.

I handled my brothers Al Mar Shrike the other day. It has a very similar handle, liner lock as well but it has real and completely even liners as is expected and smooth G10 that felt just like the surface of the Lum. What a magnificent knife this would be with just that handle swap.

And to the poster right above in Germany. That is why I'm more aggravated about this than most things. I haven't been let down by a Spyderco model like this before, I'm basically a Spydie kool-aid drinker, and I'm just surprised this thing is cranked out and it is business as usual. I just need to find someone that like chaos where there is supposed to be order.

Seriously though, if I keep this knife I actually will end up finishing the knife myself. Yes, by doing extremely careful custom work if I want to keep most of the coating on the handle. The extremes that the uneven factory work are off is actually going to make it harder than if I had done the whole process myself. I actually starting to laugh about this now.

[Piet.S]

if I keep this knife I actually will end up finishing the knife myself. Yes, by doing extremely careful custom work if I want to keep most of the coating on the handle.

Personally, I don't think it's such a hard job at all.
Just do it.

Extremely careful custom work is something else in my book.

[MCM]

Or, you could just use it & enjoy it.
I have two in ZDP. One to use & one for the collection.
If you can get over the fact that its not perfect, you might find it a neat little knife to carry for light duty use.

[Shanklick]

Hard or not is relative. I didn't buy the knife as a project to finish either.

If I end up keeping the knife I have already stated I would modify the handle and it was always planned to be a user to some extent, task specific. Just because I can use it that doesn't mean I want it to start with a poor finish. Not just imperfect, it is like a chimp did it.

I have some fairly heavily used knives that still look great. This one will always look wrong no matter how well cared for unless I finish this project knife. I'm sorry if this point of view seems too unreasonable, to get quality based on about 20 experiences and then to get something done so in-the-opposite-direction poorly and react negatively to it.

I paid good money for something that I wanted to receive with the expected quality finish that Spyderco is known for and I'm being told its fine or that I can't see the same thing that is happening in other handle materials. If you just want to join in with some of the others and keep telling me that well then that is fine too but I'll just tell you now we'll have to agree to disagree.

[Piet.S]

Sir, I just think you have a great talent for drama.

Have a nice day.

[Shanklick]

Thanks a lot for that, Sir. Have a nice day as well.

Sir, I just think you have a great talent for drama.

Have a nice day.

[The Deacon]

Whether you like it or not, it's the norm. Not just for that Sprint Run. Not just for the Lum Chinese in general. It's the norm for Spyderco knives with coated aluminum handles, period. Few people notice it, much less complain about it. Probably because it's one of those things that really only looks "horrid" under magnification. Considering the degree to which it bothers you, I would suggest that, in the future, you refrain from purchasing aluminum handled Spydercos.

[Shanklick]

And whether you like it or not your comments have worn out their usefulness on this subject with regards to telling me anything new. I'm not sure why you decided I don't understand the situation at this point. I clearly do. I knew that after the first response that said this was the way it was even beyond the Lum and I told you I appreciated the information so I would not need to contact Spyderco about it. I don't know how much more clear it can be that I understand that they are all like that after I have made that statement.

I already know to stay away from any more Spyderco made Lum models as well as other aluminum handled knives that are finished this way that are made by Spyderco. I never suggested anywhere that I would keep trying out models made this way until I got a good one. I get it. Has this been clear enough to understand?

I favor roughly 99% of what Spyderco does so I am very sorry I expressed my opinion about the cause of the only bad experience I have ever had with the company.

Whether you like it or not, it's the norm. Not just for that Sprint Run. Not just for the Lum Chinese in general. It's the norm for Spyderco knives with coated aluminum handles, period. Few people notice it, much less complain about it. Probably because it's one of those things that really only looks "horrid" under magnification. Considering the degree to which it bothers you, I would suggest that, in the future, you refrain from purchasing aluminum handled Spydercos.

[The Deacon]

No problem sir, will put you on ignore.

[MCM]

+1