Difficulty obtaining screws

[JBE]

This is not meant to be inflammatory or to reflect negatively on anyone - shiny footprints. :)

I'm having difficulty obtaining the polished (shiny) Torx (T6) screws used by Spyderco for attaching clips and scale handles. I'm not sure if the same sizes are utilized by all models or if it's different sizes for different models. At least it appears to me that the same size is at least utilized on several models that I personally own.

I've already contacted W & R and the SFO and all they could provide were the black-coated screws. In fact, in order to get even the black screws through the SFO, I was told that I had to purchase a clip. I don't need the clip, just the screws.

I even placed a "Wanted" add on knifebst.com a few days ago looking for these screws but no luck.

I don't mind paying for the screws if I have to; I just don't want to have to purchase a clip just to get a few screws. I'd rather take that $5-7 and put it in my knife "fund" for future purchases.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Fred Sanford]

I have been in your boat in the past.

I ended up just purchasing the clip kit. I figured why not? At some point I may need the extra clip. As it turned out I did, after I bent one of my clips up real bad and I just couldn't get it bent back as nice as the factory clip.

It was a D4 clip and it was caught on something while I was working outside and it bent up and then to the rear. It was really bad looking.

What knife are you needing the screws for?

Another option is to just accept the black screw and polish the head with some sandpaper. I've done that a ton of times.

[JBE]

Need the screws for a Police 3 and Delica 4.

I was assuming that these would be relatively easy to get since the silver ones seem to be more commonly used in assembly than the black ones. :confused:


I feel like I'm chasing the proverbial "Holy Grail."

[FLYBYU44]

I wrote the warrenty department an email when I lost a clip screw out of my Delica 4, about a week later I got a small package with two clip screws at no charge to me. Both screws were uncoated as well. I would try that, just email them. BTW my Delica 4 took T6 Torx screws.

[JBE]

I wrote the warrenty department an email when I lost a clip screw out of my Delica 4, about a week later I got a small package with two clip screws at no charge to me. Both screws were uncoated as well. I would try that, just email them. BTW my Delica 4 took T6 Torx screws.

Not sure an email would make a difference where two direct phone calls did not and the only screws they had available were the black (coated) ones.

All of the Torx screws except the pivots on my P3 and D4 are all T6. I'm just wondering if there's a difference between length, pitch, etc of the screws that are used on handle assembly and on the clips and if there's a difference between the T6 screws used to assemble different models or is it standardized.

[Netsquash]

I've got difficulties obtaining screws too, but it your willing to pay I hear they're around

[mserr]

I just measured a clip screw, t6 13/64 torx screw is what you want.

[fredswartz]

You can buff them on a wire wheel and they are then polished SS.

[Tom v S]

FlyByu is right. A bought a Persian with a clipscrew missing, one email to W&R with a request for one little screw and my adres was enough. Got three within a week at no charges. Awesome! :cool:

[JBE]

FlyByu is right. A bought a Persian with a clipscrew missing, one email to W&R with a request for one little screw and my adres was enough. Got three within a week at no charges. Awesome! :cool:

Apparently the both of you had better luck with W & R then I'm having right now.

I'm just having a hard time understanding the unavailability of such a common part. :confused:

[Jay_Ev]

I'm just wondering if there's a difference between length, pitch, etc of the screws that are used on handle assembly and on the clips and if there's a difference between the T6 screws used to assemble different models or is it standardized.

I have limited knowledge of knife construction (and I may be wrong here) but I would think that different handle thicknesses would require different screw lengths. If one was to use a longer screw on a thinner knife handle, the screw may bottom out and leave the head of the screw sticking up, not flush. Just my $0.02

Jay

[The Deacon]

When it comes to clip screws, Spyderco may be moving toward standardization as it has with the clips themselves. However, if that's the case, the move is relatively recent and as already pointed out complicated by the fact that different handle materials and construction methods call for different lengths of screws. I take the clips off all my "users" and have seen a large variety of lengths, diameters, and pitches over the years. I'd go so far as to say that screws with T-6 heads come in more than one diameter and pitch. One would hope all the models currently using the "Delica style" clip use the same screws, but even if we ignore length that may not be the case. I know when I remove a clip I bag it, with its screws, and label the bag, just in case I ever get the urge to re-install it.

However, as has been pointed out, if one were offered black screws and wanted bright, the color can be removed.

[JBE]

I guess this has become more of a point of curiosity with me more than anything now.

I would expect, if anything, the scale screws of the D4 and P3 to be different, given the the thicknesses and types of handle materials used. I can also reasonably expect the clip screws to different in pitch or length as well given those same variables. I was curious if there was currently any standardization among models as this seems somewhat plausible, especially when dealing with models of similar construction such as the D4 and E4.

With those potential differences in mind, I can also understand that parts for the P3 may not be as readily available since this is a newer model, higher-end knife that is no where near as common in carry and use as the D4. I was just assuming that since the D4 is probably a top seller and thus making it more likely to be returned to W & R for repair work, that parts commonly used to assemble the knife would be kept on hand.

It's interesting to me that I was told that I could even purchase a non-coated, polished (shiny) SS clip but the screws would still be coated. Aren't most of these knives shipped and sold with the non-coated screws to start with? Is there a changeover to the coated screws or is it just misinformation or misunderstanding my part.

I had already considered polishing the screws myself in the past. I had requested a few non-coated T6 screws for a particular model and received a packet of three coated screws, none of which even fit the knife that they were requested for.

Now I'm even more frustrated. Just got back from checking the mail. A few days ago I had ordered and paid for an un-coated, polished clip and clip screws for a D4 and received both the wrong clip (no pivot hole) and clip screws (wrong size). This isn't the type of customer service I've become accustomed to receiving in the past. :mad:

[Fred Sanford]

Jason,

Every clip kit I have ever purchased have had silver colored screws. The only black ones are the ones with the barrel bolt like the Salt 1 or the Atlantic Salt, etc.

I have ordered clip kits for the Military, Paramilitary (which are the same), the Delica 4, the Salt 1, and the rescue 93mm. None of the 3 screw clips came with anything but silver colored screws.

[JBE]

Jason,

Every clip kit I have ever purchased have had silver colored screws. The only black ones are the ones with the barrel bolt like the Salt 1 or the Atlantic Salt, etc.

I have ordered clip kits for the Military, Paramilitary (which are the same), the Delica 4, the Salt 1, and the rescue 93mm. None of the 3 screw clips came with anything but silver colored screws.

That's been my previous experience as well. But now I'm being told that I can only get the black (coated) ones??

Heck, now I can't even get the correct clip....

I apologize if my frustration is starting to show through... :o

[The Deacon]

You might want to consider calling Spyderco again, or emailing them. Since the answer you received does not match what others have experienced in simillar situations, there would seem to be a possibility the person you spoke to was new and uninformed or simply misunderstood your question.

[JBE]

I'm sending an email to customer service. I've always preferred direct contact by phone in the past but maybe this will yield better results.