Native 5 vertical bladeplay

[Buendia518]

Handling my Native 5, I notice some vertical movement with pressure on the finger choil. Is there any adjustment I can make to minimize this? I can't tighten the pivot of the back lock any further or the lock sticks.
I feel the about the same resistance in my delica, I expected it to be a little firmer.


Also, depending on the tightness of the lock screw, the lockup is either much louder than my other backlocks or pretty similar, any opinions on a potential sweet spot to aim for?

thanks for any help

[Buendia518]

According to an old post "A very slight vertical play in lockbacks is fairly common if they are engineered for strength." - Sal

[Donut]

I wonder what other options for the engineering we have.

[APS]

You can try loosening/tightening one pivot screw or the other until you get it like you want. Send it in if you're not happy. I had to send mine in as it was either impossible to open with my thumb, or the worst vertical play I've had in a lockback. I will happily accept some play as I have with every one of the over 30 Spyderco lockbacks I've had, but this new Native lock is supposed to be an advancement.

[ABX2011]

My Spyderco Native 5 has zero vertical bladeplay, is very smooth to open and the blade swings down with gravity when the lock is disengaged. The Native 5 uses a stop pin and it shouldn't have vertical bladeplay like traditional lockbacks.

[Evil D]

I too was under the impression that the internal stop pin was supposed to eliminate the typical lockback vertical blade play issue.

[ricechrispy]

My Spyderco Native 5 has zero vertical bladeplay, is very smooth to open and the blade swings down with gravity when the lock is disengaged.

My Native 5 is like this as well. My Delica has some play, but the Native has zero.

[senorsquare]

My Native 5 locks up like a bank vault and has zero blade play in any direction. You might want to send this one in for inspection.

[gbelleh]

Both my Native 5s are Rock solid too.

[Evil D]

Those of you saying yours are solid, go find a block of wood and press the edge directly into it like you're trying to slice it in half. As you press look and see if the lock bar raises up any. This is the play that people are referring to. It's not something you can feel by grabbing the blade and wiggling it.

[Buendia518]

Thanks for the responses.
I saw a picture of a disassembled Native 5 and I don't believe there is a stop pin anywhere.
Another screw adjustment has the lock just loose enough with no easily sensed movement so I'm satisfied.
Beforehand a tight grip on the choil had the blade wiggling and it was really a nuisance.

[senorsquare]

I saw a picture of a disassembled Native 5 and I don't believe there is a stop pin anywhere.

They may have been referring to the pivot, which looks pretty substantial compared to something like the Delica.

Those of you saying yours are solid, go find a block of wood and press the edge directly into it like you're trying to slice it in half. As you press look and see if the lock bar raises up any. This is the play that people are referring to. It's not something you can feel by grabbing the blade and wiggling it.

I just tried this and my knife has not revealed any play yet. I have not had it very long so perhaps it is that it's not broken in yet. I will keep an eye out to see if any play develops as it gets more wear and tear.

[DRKBC]

I have had mine for quite a while and I carry it a lot. Mine has an extremely solid lock up no blade play at all really one of the most solid knives I own. If you can't get it tight I would send it in or, if you just got it, back to who you purchased it from.

[ABX2011]

Those of you saying yours are solid, go find a block of wood and press the edge directly into it like you're trying to slice it in half. As you press look and see if the lock bar raises up any. This is the play that people are referring to. It's not something you can feel by grabbing the blade and wiggling it.

Right when you're talking about a traditional lockback like the Delica. You won't see that with the Native 5 because the stop pin is stopping the blade when fully open - not the lockbar. Lockbar keeps it from closing only.

[kurt6652]

I had to return my first native 5 to the vendor because it had vertical play and lock bar movement. I am sure the lock was safe, but I dislike the idea of a new knife with blade play especially after reading about the native 5's tight manufacturing tolerances. My new native has no play and locks up tight. I think the first one I received should not have left the factory it also had issues with one scale not completely covering the knife frame. I wish the quality control was a little tighter sometimes.

[ABX2011]

Upon looking into this more, I think I'm wrong. The Native 5 doesn't seem to have a stop pin like the Chapparal and Sage 4.
http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... torn-apart
http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... r-my-Sage4
Scroll down for attached images in the second link. You can see the pin on the blade that rides in a slot in the liner.

[Evil D]

Right when you're talking about a traditional lockback like the Delica. You won't see that with the Native 5 because the stop pin is stopping the blade when fully open - not the lockbar. Lockbar keeps it from closing only.

That was my understanding, I was just curious because of the OP's post.

[mattman]

Upon looking into this more, I think I'm wrong. The Native 5 doesn't seem to have a stop pin like the Chapparal and Sage 4.
http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... torn-apart
http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... r-my-Sage4
Scroll down for attached images in the second link. You can see the pin on the blade that rides in a slot in the liner.

Huh... I was also under the impression that the Native 5 also had the new hidden stop pin... learn something new every day...

[Buendia518]

The movement on my knife has come back so I'm thinking of sending it in.
I've never sent a knife in to Spyderco, but to anyone who is familiar with the process, what are the chances that they send the knife back in the same condition because it is within specs?
When a knife is just on the edge of acceptable what's the usual protocol?

[kennethsime]

According to an old post "A very slight vertical play in lockbacks is fairly common if they are engineered for strength." - Sal

I wonder what other options for the engineering we have.

Engineering to appease throngs of youtube viewers who demand peculiar qualities from a folding knife which have little to do with everyday use? I'll take the strength option, thanks.