Spyderco Forums

One of my Southards is much less smooth than my other one, so much so that it needs a firm wrist motion for it to flip open. I've cleaned it with water and a mild detergent, as per the instructions. I've lubricated it with Sentry Tuf-Glide, and since it didn't help I took it apart side by side my other one and checked that they were both put together the same - they were. I find no visible reason for its stiffness. I've ruled out lock bar pressure, it's the same even without the detent ball pressing on the blade.

Any idea of what it might be and/or how to fix it?

For starters, even though Tuff Glide is marketed as a lube, and even though it does work as a lube, there are FAR better lubes out there, if you feel you need to use a lube at all. Really though just about any lube should work well enough on a ball bearing pivot, even the Tuff Glide. Have you tried adjusting the pivot screw? It may just be more tight than the other knife.

I've tried adjusting the pivot but it doesn't do much besides push the blade off centre.

Well if the liners and tang and such looked normal, I'm not sure what to tell ya. It might just be the detent pressure. Try pushing the lock bar in...does the blade swing freely? I know that doesn't give you much room for the blade to swing with your finger on the button but if the blade moves freely with the lock pressed in, then it has to be detent pressure. If that's the case then you might just have to deal with it and/or try to break it in unless Spyderco would swap it out for you. You could also just look at it as a strong detent means a strong lock bar and a more secure lockup, which is something that other people might actually prefer. It also helps if you push the flipper tab down as opposed to pulling it back..if that makes sense. I noticed on mine that it will flip if I pull the tab backwards with enough force, but if I press the tab directly downward into the spine of the handle the blade flips out much faster, like it gives you a stronger leverage on the tab.

Ive taken my 2 down, and found if you dont tighten the screws enough, its stiff, and if you tighten them too much, its stiff...lol, so you have to find the middle. ALso, tuffglide sucks, try nano oil.

I've found the problem. The ball bearings on the stiff one are too big. I've made a video to explain, I'll upload it shortly.

You may be screwed on the Spyderco trade idea, as you've voided the warranty by taking them apart. I think the bearing size thing (don't see how one knife would have the wrong size bearings) would wear over time and loosen up since the bearing carriers are plastic aren't they?

Here's the video:

[video=youtube;bj5cqyEVEsk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj5cqyEVEsk[/video]

peter469 wrote:Here's the video:

[video=youtube;bj5cqyEVEsk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj5cqyEVEsk[/video]

Huh that is interesting. A couple options, you may contact Spyderco with this video, they may either go ahead and trade it out for you (I have no idea, I can't speak for them) or if they won't work with you because you took it apart, you can probably just use some very fine sandpaper and slowly sand around the outside of that bearing carrier and make it fit inside the liner the right way.

I too bought tuff glide and used it as lube. I bought it bc everyone swore by it, then once I had it everyone seemed to think it was crap loo. I used nano oil now.

jalcon wrote:I too bought tuff glide and used it as lube. I bought it bc everyone swore by it, then once I had it everyone seemed to think it was crap loo. I used nano oil now.

I still use it for rust prevention on some knives, and on those knives I do use it to lube the pivot. I just don't use it as my primary lube, but more for the rust prevention qualities. It just so happens that most of my knives don't need rust prevention either. I probably have enough TG for 3 lifetimes now lol.

peter469 wrote:Here's the video:

[video=youtube;bj5cqyEVEsk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj5cqyEVEsk[/video]

Thanks for sharing - great video! I recently bought a Domino that I believe had the EXACT same problem. (Luckily, the retailer let me return mine.)

Very disappointing as that seems like something that would be really easy for QA to check before shipping -- and absolutely SHOULD be checked on knives as expensive as the Southard and Domino. Makes me wonder if there is a weather/humidity/temperature variable to it which causes some of the washers to swell/warp ever so slightly between the time they leave the factory and the time they get to the customer. I mean, it's hard to believe nobody tried flipping it at the factory!

If there is a higher than average instance of issues with these ball bearing washers though, it sort of makes me question whether they are worth the added complexity. I guess I haven't had a chance to handle a knife with ball bearing washers and "perfect" tolerances, but I do know that my Chokwe and Sage 3 are pretty doggone smooth without ball bearings!

And in fairness, I should also add that the bad Domino I got was the ONLY Spyderco I've purchased in 10 years or so that has had a defect serious enough to want to return it...that's a pretty amazing track record for any manufacturer.

Ok, so I put the knife in its box and wrote to Spyderco. They got back to me and asked me to send it in. I took it out to check it before packing and it was alright! Can't say why, but it flips just fine. I will make a video showing that as well, I don't want to fault the knife or Spyderco.

When you put it back together did you flip the washers? As in the part that was against the blade is now against the handle? Those ball bearing washers have to go in with a certain side facing the blade. Maybe thats what fixed it.

No, I didn't. The thing is that it wasn't ok after assembly. It took time to settle, I guess?

I'm guessing the washer just wasn't seated properly from the factory or after you out it back together but the pressure of being screwed together forced it into place. I would be tempted to carefully open it back up and see what that washer looks like, if it's seated right now.

peter469 wrote:No, I didn't. The thing is that it wasn't ok after assembly. It took time to settle, I guess?

That's bizarre...though it would certainly also explain how my Domino got through quality control if it's an intermittent problem. Do you live somewhere that's had extreme temperature and/or humidity fluctuations this week?