What is an acceptable amount of blade play?

[Childe Roland]

This is my first posting here although I have been reading the forum for a while now.
I thought the people here could help me out with this.
I just bought a Stretch about a month ago and it seems to be a great knife. However, I've just noticed that when I choke up on the handle and vigorously shake back and forth I can feel a slight amount of side to side play. This doesn't seem to affect the performance of the blade so I would hate to have to send it in unless this might lead to lock failure or excessive wear.

If anyone can give me any input as to whether this amount of play is acceptable or whether I should try sending it in I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks in advance

[LONE WOLF]

as long as it is not unlcking, it should be fine

[Childe Roland]

Thanks.
I've heard alot of different stories about how much play is acceptable--was never sure which to believe.

[JDEE]

To be fair dinkum I don't accept any blade play in a new knife. I check all the knives I get in for blade play both horizontal and vertical and if there is any I either send it back or sell it off as a "second". Whilst a small amount of blade play may not effect the operation of the knife whether you find it acceptable or not is a personal decision. By the way of all the Spydercos that have gone through my hands not have had any sort of blade play.

[Childe Roland]

I'm not the most knowledgable, but this slight amount of play doesn't seem to affect performance, so it would be acceptable to me unless it is a possible safety hazard or would cause premature wear.
I just hate going to the trouble of sending it in and waiting I don't know how long.

[Spidernoir]

I can except a small amount of up and down blade play, but I will not accept any side to side play in a knife. Over the years of collecting I've had several models (all brands) that I've returned because of side to side play. I'm to the point now that if a knife doesn't have an adjustable pviot screw, I won't buy it.

[J Smith]

I do not think a higher end production knife should have any at all and I will not buy any knife that has any blade play.
My Stretch is solid,no play in any direction.

[Childe Roland]

I do not think a higher end production knife should have any at all and I will not buy any knife that has any blade play.
My Stretch is solid,no play in any direction.

Okay, now I'm starting to think I should send it in.
I don't suppose anyone has a guesstimate on how long it would take warranty and repair to deal with this?

[J Smith]

I would think a week or two.
The last couple times I had to send in a knife to W and R was a big let down.
If you bought it from a dealer you may do better sending it back to them for an exchange.

[Childe Roland]

Sending it back to the dealer is what I would normally do as I don't really know how The Warranty and Repair department operates, but I believe it's now past the time that I could have sent it back to the dealer, it being a little more than a month now.

[J Smith]

Yeah thats a fairly long time for an exchange.W and R should be able to take the play out for you.
Just send them the knife along with 5.00 for return postage.Unless it has changed the W and R address is
SPYDERCO
820 Spyderco Way
Golden Co 80403

[Childe Roland]

Thanks, everyone for all the for all the helpful input. I'll see if I can contact someone at W and R tomorrow.

[The Deacon]

I've just noticed that when I choke up on the handle and vigorously shake back and forth I can feel a slight amount of side to side play.

I'm tempted to wonder whether the vigorous side to side shaking might be responsible for whatever side to side play you are now experiencing. Depending on your definition of "vigorous", that type of motion could put considerable side load on the pivot area, and actually force the two sides of the frame apart. My Stretch has barely perceptible side to side play (can feel it, but cannot see it), but my habit of mashing cloves of garlic with the side of the blade may have "something" to do with that. :o

[Yojimbo]

some blades have small amounts of build in bladeplay. IIRC the Chinook knife has a tiny amount of lockplay so it would still engage when there would be a little amount of lint or dirt in the locking lug.

[Childe Roland]

I'm tempted to wonder whether the vigorous side to side shaking might be responsible for whatever side to side play you are now experiencing. Depending on your definition of "vigorous", that type of motion could put considerable side load on the pivot area, and actually force the two sides of the frame apart. My Stretch has barely perceptible side to side play (can feel it, but cannot see it), but my habit of mashing cloves of garlic with the side of the blade may have "something" to do with that. :o

When I first got the knife I tried gently wiggling the tip of the blade with my left hand while holding the handle with my right. I did detect a slight amount of play, but believed this to be "normal." I had heard some people say that if there there was any noticable movement while shaking the knife that this was unacceptable; which is what I tried doing yesterday and I don't believe it has increased the amount of side to side movement.
I think "quickly" might better describe the kind of shaking I'm doing:Choking up on the handle and moving wrist so that the tip of the blade moves about 2 inches to left of center then 2 inches to right of center. Not at all aggressive movements.(easier to show than to describe)

I have also noticed that when I apply very slight pressure with the finger of my left hand( I would guess not more than a few ounces--not near as much force as it would take to crush cloves of garlic)that I can see a slight gap appear between the frame and blade tang(about large enough to slip a piece of printing paper into.)

[HoB]

If you have to choke up on it and do something vigorously, I am pretty sure, that all is fine. On a Spyderco a small amount of vertical blade play is actually a design parameter, so I have read, in order to ensure reliable lock up even under adverse conditions (in other words "dirt"). The way you are describing the bladeplay I am pretty sure that your knife is exactly as it should be.

[Childe Roland]

If you have to choke up on it and do something vigorously, I am pretty sure, that all is fine. On a Spyderco a small amount of vertical blade play is actually a design parameter, so I have read, in order to ensure reliable lock up even under adverse conditions (in other words "dirt"). The way you are describing the bladeplay I am pretty sure that your knife is exactly as it should be.

That is what I was hoping would be the case,however, other people with the same model knife report zero blade play. I may see if I can get hold of someone at Spyderco and see what they can tell me.
I really do hate to have to send it in(if that is necessary.)

[HoB]

Maybe they haven't tested quite as "vigorously". I find that if I really want to I can make pretty much any blade move, especially on the models that have longer blades (more torque) and FRN handles (handle material with a little bit more give). It is just a matter of force applied, as Mr. Glesser always says: with enough force you can break anything. But that is really kind of pointless to do so I think. To me bladeplay you have when the blade feels loose. And if there is something loose you should feel it no matter how much force you use. If there is nothing loose, and you are feeling bladeplay while exerting a substantial force you are likely deforming the handle (not permanently), you prey essentially the two handle slabs appart. Just my $0.02 of course.

[JDEE]

Yeah HoB I thought that myself. My test is simple I hold the top of the blade midway along with my left hand and the handle in my right and apply firmish pressure to the blade both vertical and horizontal if there appears to be no movement my verdict is no blade play. I have seen customers attempt to test for blade play by placing the tip of the blade on a firm surface this to me seems inaccurate esp., with FRN models. I do know of a case with a Manix where there was some vertical blade play but this disappeared with use.

Childe Roland - why not apply the test I mention above you don't have to apply too much pressure because if there is any blade play it will soon become obvious.

[Childe Roland]

Yeah HoB I thought that myself. My test is simple I hold the top of the blade midway along with my left hand and the handle in my right and apply firmish pressure to the blade both vertical and horizontal if there appears to be no movement my verdict is no blade play. I have seen customers attempt to test for blade play by placing the tip of the blade on a firm surface this to me seems inaccurate esp., with FRN models. I do know of a case with a Manix where there was some vertical blade play but this disappeared with use.

Childe Roland - why not apply the test I mention above you don't have to apply too much pressure because if there is any blade play it will soon become obvious.

This is actually how I've always checked for blade play, and there is some slight movement when applying light pressure with this test. The reason I used the "shake test" is the story that I've heard from some people that if you have to apply pressure with your left hand to feel movement that this is acceptable play, but if you can hear or feel any movement while shaking the blade then there is too much play.