Sage 2 - Not so smooth??

[danseifertus]

So I received my Sage 2 earlier this week and I'm still trying to get used to it. Already own the Sage 1 and love everything about it. When I got the itch for a titanium frame lock that I could carry every day and use I decided on the Sage 2.

Having carried it for almost a week and getting some good use out of it, I'm a little disappointed in how it compares to the Sage 1. The blade is not nearly as smooth, I feel noticeable drag/resistance during opening and closing. Also, the ball detent seems a little too strong. I have to apply much more pressure just to get the blade to release from the closed position before I can push the blade into the open. I've also noticed that the ball is rubbing a curved path in the blade from where it normally rests in the notch when closed to where it rests on the blade when the knife is opened. Is this normal for the Sage 2?

Lockup is rock solid, and the tension of the frame lock bar seems fine to me even though this is my first frame lock knife. Firm but not hard to open.

The blade is slightly off center. Not a huge amount, but the Sage series (and the rest of the Taichung knives apparently) have set the fit and finish bar at the level of relative perfection.

I suppose in summary I feel like my Sage 2 is simply put together too "tight". I would attempt to make some minor adjustments but I think the screws have locktite or something on them. I can't get them to move and I don't want to apply pressure that might strip them. Is the Sage 2 just a firmer operating knife in comparison to the Sage 1 due to the frame lock and titanium scales, or did I get a dud?

Thanks

[mikerestivo]

Having carried it for almost a week and getting some good use out of it, I'm a little disappointed in how it compares to the Sage 1. The blade is not nearly as smooth, I feel noticeable drag/resistance during opening and closing. Also, the ball detent seems a little too strong. I have to apply much more pressure just to get the blade to release from the closed position before I can push the blade into the open. I've also noticed that the ball is rubbing a curved path in the blade from where it normally rests in the notch when closed to where it rests on the blade when the knife is opened. Is this normal for the Sage 2?

I have two of the Sage 2 and both have the problem you describe with the ball detent scraping the blade and not gliding over it. From reading about others on the forum I would not say that this issue is normal. I have not sent either of mine back to Spyderco because they are both fully functional and they are both "users".

I do like the smooth action of the Sage 1 and wish I had the same experience with my Sage 2's. Obviously this does not deter me from being a pretty big fan of the knife because I have 2 of them.

[danseifertus]

I think I'm probably just going to return it. It's a cool knife, but it just doesn't do it for me. I'm not a collector and bought it because people seemed to like it and I was curious about the frame lock. I don't see myself ever wanting to use the 2 over the 1 anyway so I don't see much reason to keep a knife I won't use.

I'm fairly new to the Spyderco sickness. My experience so far:

Delica 4 FFG: Awesome.
Sage 1: Really awesome.
Sage 2: Meh.
Para 2: We'll see...

[rosconey]

things will smooth out with use-

[gull wing]

By "return" do you mean to the store you bought it from?(and get your money back) or to Spyderco to "fix"?

I think this is a very powerful user knife, I love my Sage I, but this is much stronger and rugged..

If you decide to keep it, there is an easy fix:
Simply bend the lock lug back a tiny bit to "weaken" the spring action. Pow! the action smooths out.
I usually do that to my framelocks, most come with too stout a spring for me(thumb surgery), ex Strider, Sebenza, Zero Tolerance, etc.

Good Luck

[gbelleh]

These sound like pretty picky concerns for a user knife. Why not just use the heck out of it?

[danseifertus]

I was actually just going to flat out return the knife to Amazon. Honestly I just get the feeling that I might not care for frame locks.

[rosconey]

I was actually just going to flat out return the knife to Amazon. Honestly I just get the feeling that I might not care for frame locks.

i would strongly suggest you use that sucker hard -then you will understand frame locks-imho they are the cats fanny

[gull wing]

Your choice of course, but you won't find a finer framelock for the price anywhere.

[Donut]

It sounds like you are placing your fingers wrong when opening the knife.

If you open the knife with your fingers in the same position where you open a liner lock, you are likely to have all the problems you are describing. Try moving your fingers to where the pivot is or the clip is before you open the knife. I prefer putting my fingers where the pivot is.

A rough feeling of opening will generally smooth out over time because a blade is ground as the last step and the steel detent ball will wear into the grind on the blade.

[JimP]

Having carried it for almost a week and getting some good use out of it....

I was actually just going to flat out return the knife to Amazon.

You can still return it after you get some good use out of it? What does Amazon do with it then?

My Sage 2 came stiff and gritty also and required me to loosen the pivot clean it out and oil it and the ball detent and immediately it became smoother than my Sage 1 and smoother still since :cool: (however the blade retention is still a little firmer on my Sage 2), which I attribute to the Sage 1 having a slightly coarser grind on it's tang where the ball races(visually, and you can feel it with your nail).

The pivot was tight but I wouldn't say it was hard to loosen/crack the locktite and when I loosened it to my desired tension the blade surprisingly centered up perfectly and has zero play...?

This was an easy fix for me which might also work for your knife, assuming these are the only things that puts you off the Sage 2. :)

[The Mentaculous]

It's not as smooth as the Sage 1 or Chokwe, but I still think it has a very nice action.

****One major thing that makes it much less smooth is your grip on the handle. Holding it with less that a very light grip will push the lockbar into the blade tang, creating more pressure between the ball bearing on the tang. So make sure not to squeeze the lockbar when you open it. I found that that was a fairly major factor in my Sage 2 being less smooth.

Just for an experiment, I actually put some Tuff Glide on the detent, and since then, it's been smooth as can be.

[Ben_1323]

When I first got mine, it was just as you described yours. I'd recommend a little Tuff-Glide; a drop or two placed right along the area where the detent ball contacts the tang. This smoothed mine out nicely.

Also, if the threadlocker is too tight on the pivot, use a hair dryer or any other heat source on it, which should loosen up the threadlocker. Make sure you use a nice torx set when you loosen the screws so you don't strip them.

[danseifertus]

It sounds like you are placing your fingers wrong when opening the knife.

Yeah definitely thought of that first because I couldnt find a comfortable place to put my fingers when I opened the knife that didn't interfere with the lock bar. Got used to it after a little bit.

[danseifertus]

You can still return it after you get some good use out of it? What does Amazon do with it then?

Haha I didnt destroy it or anything - blade and handle cleaned up fine enough. I dont think they'll notice that the edge isn't quite as sharp as it was.

[danseifertus]

Alright you guys have convinced me to give it a chance. I'm going to need to get some tuff glide, which I needed anyway, and tinker with the knife until I get it right. Was planning on getting a para 2 with that return money though...

[JediKnight86]

This is a good thread! I really want to try out a Sage!

[JimP]

Was planning on getting a para 2 with that return money though...

In that case I would have to rethink convincing you of the Sage 2...Para 2 is my absolute favourite Spydie :D