m390 CF millie owners post your observations regarding Fit & Finish

[Spook410]

I looked at my new CF M390 Millie. The jimping looks like it was done by some kind of jig possibly followed by a hand smoothing of the sharp edges.

I then looked at my G10 CTS XHP Millie. Looks and feels exactly the same.

When I buy a sprint or dealer exclusive what I think I'm buying is a $130 knife with material options. The materials can cost $30 extra like the CTS XHP or closer to $100 like the CF M390. However, the workmanship will be exactly the same as a $130 G10/S30V Millie. Same tooling. Same people. Same processes. These are not 'custom shop' knives built by a special crew by hand. I doubt they even go through any special inspection other than starting up the assembly line for the run. This is not a custom knife. This is a production knife with the outstanding materials which is precisely what I want. I don't want to pay for low tolerance titanium machining. I want great steel and great scales with good workmanship for a reasonable price. And I have to say that the workmanship on this thing looks far better than anything else I've seen for the money.

[Owl45]

Mine showed up a few days ago and is pretty much what I've come to expect from Spyderco; lets call it "Functional Perfection".

To my weak eye the jimping looks fine.
Because of the comments about it, I did pull out a magnifying glass and it still looks fine. I'm not about to put it under a microscope to look for something "wrong".
Feels fine to my fingers also.
It did appear to "tilt" slightly forward but does not seem to effect its performance.

CF seemed a tad light colored, I would have preferred a darker black, but it looks like every other pic I've seen of this one.

Liner lock looks a bit...uhh..."dull" colored next to the CF. Polished would probably have looked nicer but possibly not functioned as well. Would have preferred a tad more bite from the lock, but it is adequate and locks up solid.

No blade play of any sort. Opens smoothly, but a tad stiff (but it is brand new).

Maybe I've just been lucky, but every Spyderco I have purchased (and I do have quite a few) has basically been without problems and I've come to expect that when I order a spydie. A forum mate on another forum has frequently posted he has never gotten a spydie that did not have issues from minor to severe, which does make me wonder what he is doing wrong....possibly where he buys them? But he still keeps buying them! :D

[CXXX]

Recieved my 2 Friday but could not inspect them closely until tonight. 1 perfect, 1 has a slight scuff/dent on he CF (non clip side). Don't really know what to do. Send back to Knifeworks or Spyderco Warranty?

[gbelleh]

A slight scuff is the perfect excuse to just go ahead and use the heck out of it. That's what I'm doing with the less perfect of my two.

[JNewell]

Pics? How bad? These are just production knives and should not be held to any higher expectations.

Recieved my 2 Friday but could not inspect them closely until tonight. 1 perfect, 1 has a slight scuff/dent on he CF (non clip side). Don't really know what to do. Send back to Knifeworks or Spyderco Warranty?

[Slash]

thanks to all the crew at spyderco and knifeworks. Knife looks great. well worth the wait.
now, if I can only get my payment and shipping notice for my lionspy...

[AKWolf]

My 390 Millie is great and have been carrying and using it everyday. I noticed there were 7 on the bay yesterday.

[Chopping Broccoli]

So I have been playing with my M390 Mili. Its been stored in my SpyderPac since its arrival. My jimping is also in the opposite direction. I understand the comments above and agree with the sentiment that the ergo's are more important than the jimping BUT...if a knife maker is going to take the time to put jimping on the knife I do not understand why they would do it in this direction? I'm not going to complain about the jimping because if I really wanted to complain I would talk about the non existent jimping on my new Orange Endura. End rant about jimping.

I do have a major problem with my M390 CF mili in that the liner lock does not work. When the blade is open the lock does not engage. I have often heard people talk poorly about liner locks. I have many and never understood why people don't like them (I do like them and own several). Is this a common thing with liner locks? I'd say my mili is pretty dangerous right now in that it appears to be locked open and with buttery smoothness will come slicing closed with the slightest bit of pressure. I've never sent a knife back to Spyderco or a retailer before but when the lock does not work on a $200+ knife...well, not sure what else I can say and leave shiny footprints.

[Spook410]

<snip> I've never sent a knife back to Spyderco or a retailer before but when the lock does not work

If the lock doesn't work exactly the way it's supposed to work, it goes back.

[PovertyViaKnifeCollecting]

So I have been playing with my M390 Mili. Its been stored in my SpyderPac since its arrival. My jimping is also in the opposite direction. I understand the comments above and agree with the sentiment that the ergo's are more important than the jimping BUT...if a knife maker is going to take the time to put jimping on the knife I do not understand why they would do it in this direction? I'm not going to complain about the jimping because if I really wanted to complain I would talk about the non existent jimping on my new Orange Endura. End rant about jimping.

I do have a major problem with my M390 CF mili in that the liner lock does not work. When the blade is open the lock does not engage. I have often heard people talk poorly about liner locks. I have many and never understood why people don't like them (I do like them and own several). Is this a common thing with liner locks? I'd say my mili is pretty dangerous right now in that it appears to be locked open and with buttery smoothness will come slicing closed with the slightest bit of pressure. I've never sent a knife back to Spyderco or a retailer before but when the lock does not work on a $200+ knife...well, not sure what else I can say and leave shiny footprints.

This is interesting, I had the same type of problem with my CTS-XHP military. The liner lock simply would not work properly unless slammed open. Being from Canada its too expensive to ship back and forth to spyderco so i have opened and closed the knife several hundred times and now i at least get the entire surface of the liner meeting the tang of the blade.

I really hope my M390 mili is not this way as well...

[DeathBySnooSnoo]

With liner locks there if always going to be some "rapid wear" for the first while as the tang and lock bar wear in a bit. This should solve any issues with early lock up. In fact, I like it when I get a liner lock that doesn't quite fully engage because it means that after a wear in period it will have a nice secure lock up with plenty of room for wearing over the years.

However, if there is a dangerous lock up and you don't see improvement, I would sent it in for sure.

[Chopping Broccoli]

This is interesting, I had the same type of problem with my CTS-XHP military. The liner lock simply would not work properly unless slammed open. Being from Canada its too expensive to ship back and forth to spyderco so i have opened and closed the knife several hundred times and now i at least get the entire surface of the liner meeting the tang of the blade.

I really hope my M390 mili is not this way as well...

You described my issue perfectly. I can force the lock to work if I slam it open with a very hard flick. Otherwise the lock does not engage.

[JNewell]

I have seen that (really shallow, non-engagement) a couple of times, once on a Military. It is unsafe, I'm sorry to say, and should not have left the factory that way. These things will happen with production knives, even though none of us (most especially Spyderco) wishes they didn't. It needs to go back for adjustment to assure that it's safe.

So I have been playing with my M390 Mili. Its been stored in my SpyderPac since its arrival. My jimping is also in the opposite direction. I understand the comments above and agree with the sentiment that the ergo's are more important than the jimping BUT...if a knife maker is going to take the time to put jimping on the knife I do not understand why they would do it in this direction? I'm not going to complain about the jimping because if I really wanted to complain I would talk about the non existent jimping on my new Orange Endura. End rant about jimping.

I do have a major problem with my M390 CF mili in that the liner lock does not work. When the blade is open the lock does not engage. I have often heard people talk poorly about liner locks. I have many and never understood why people don't like them (I do like them and own several). Is this a common thing with liner locks? I'd say my mili is pretty dangerous right now in that it appears to be locked open and with buttery smoothness will come slicing closed with the slightest bit of pressure. I've never sent a knife back to Spyderco or a retailer before but when the lock does not work on a $200+ knife...well, not sure what else I can say and leave shiny footprints.

[Rossi]

@Chopping Broccoli

I don't know if this will work for you but if I tweak how tight the pivot, stop-pin and pocket clip screws are on mine, the lock will go from not engaging, to slightly and quietly engaging, to fully engaging with
loud clack. Might be worth a try if you don't want to send it in.

[chuck_roxas45]

@Chopping Broccoli

I don't know if this will work for you but if I tweak how tight the pivot, stop-pin and pocket clip screws are on mine, the lock will go from not engaging, to slightly and quietly engaging, to fully engaging with
loud clack. Might be worth a try if you don't want to send it in.

Yep, I tried that on mine at first and it did result in a deeper lockup but uncentered blade.

[Slash]

the more you use it and break in the lock bar. the more it will seat...I promise.

[chuck_roxas45]

the more you use it and break in the lock bar. the more it will seat...I promise.

What if it doesn't? What you gonna do? Exchange his for yours? What is your promise worth to him?

[Diesel55]

No complaints from me. Everything about this knife is spot on.

[Slash]

What if it doesn't? What you gonna do? Exchange his for yours? What is your promise worth to him?

First of all, you would have to use the knife to find out. Not messing with the pivot screw as you did.

Since english is your second language I figure you just don't understand the meaning of my words.
So here it is by definition.

prom·ise (pr m s) n. 1. a. A declaration assuring that one will or will not do something; a vow. b. Something promised. 2. Indication of something favorable to come; expectation: a promise of spring in the air. 3. Indication of future excellence or success: a player of great promise.

[chuck_roxas45]

First of all, you would have to use the knife to find out. Not messing with the pivot screw as you did.

Since english is your second language I figure you just don't understand the meaning of my words.
So here it is by definition.

prom·ise (pr m s) n. 1. a. A declaration assuring that one will or will not do something; a vow. b. Something promised. 2. Indication of something favorable to come; expectation: a promise of spring in the air. 3. Indication of future excellence or success: a player of great promise.

I understand quite well. What if it doesn't? What happens to your promise then? Broken promises?

English may not be my first language but even here, gentlemen are not in the habit of making promises that you can have no control over of keeping.