Old Millie has some "play"...

[DrtyHarry]

Well....my EDC Millie that I have had for a good dozen years now has some blade play. I tightened the pivot up and it did get tighter, however....it is near impossible to open effortlessly with one hand. It is really stiff. If I loosen it, it becomes easier to open....but the blade play returns. So, I either keep it stiff to open with no blade play....or easy to open with some blade play. Is there anything I can do to fix this? If not, can I send it back to Spyderco to have them repair it? Could it be possible that the base of the blade...the area where the pivot pin goes in, has worn down over the years? Maybe it shed a little metal and now has a thinner profile? I dono....the 52100 I just recently got has almost no blade play and is butter to open. None of my Millies are as simple and easy to open as my PM2s...if I push on the lock bar on my PM2, the blade just falls down. None of my Millies do that. I noticed that on my 52100, the pivot has a torx head on both sides, my older Millie has just one on the back side. Any suggestions? Thanks!!




Harry

[v8r]

Maybe try loosening the stop pin and rotate it. See if that helps. Could be a little wear on the stop pin.

[FK]

The early Military were designed with an eccentric pivot pin.
You could rotate it and alter the lockup with liner.

Not certain if yours is that era. The later models eliminated the ecc. pin.

Regards,
FK

[Evil D]

It may just be the result of using a knife for 12 years. Things do wear with use, can't really expect a knife that's been your EDC for 12 years to be as tight in the pivot as a brand new knife.

[DrtyHarry]

Loosen the stop pin and rotate? How can it rotate? Can't get a grip on it...

I don't expect it to work like new, but I assumed it can be "tuned" back to normal?


Harry

[Evil D]

Loosen the stop pin and rotate? How can it rotate? Can't get a grip on it...

I don't expect it to work like new, but I assumed it can be "tuned" back to normal?


Harry

To a degree yes, it just depends on what's causing, or allowing, the play in the first place. Where's the lock up at? If for example the lock is completely over to the side and bottomed out, you're pretty much SOL.

There used to be a couple models that had elliptical shaped stop pins instead of a standard round cylinder. The idea was you could turn the stop pin to fine tune lock up. I've never seen a Military with this but who knows. Either way, loosening the stop pin screws and turning the pin cylinder 90 degrees wouldn't hurt. Just loosen the screws, turn the pin a bit, then tighten the screws back up.

If that doesn't work and the lock bar isn't worn out and bottoming out then I suppose your washer may have worn. This is something only Spyderco can fix. To be safe I would avoid taking it apart just in case you need to send it in. I doubt something like this is covered under a warranty so there may be a bit of a charge, but I can't speak for Spyderco so you may want to discuss it with them.

If the lock isn't completely worn out, my guess is a new set of washers and maybe a new stop pin will get it back in shape, washers alone may be all it needs. It really just depends on how much use and wear the pivot has seen over the years.

[DrtyHarry]

Thanks, I'll give it a try tmro. Hope it works. I don't mind paying Spyderco to bring it back to New, had this thing forever....and I don't see many black Millies that have "MILITARY" stamped on the blade. I also have a fully serrated one I bought on the same day, it's in good shape but feels like there is some grit in there. Never took it apart as to not void my warranty, but after a decade....might as well try. I'll give Spyderco a ring tmro and see what they can do for me before I take anything apart. Thanks fellas...


Harry

[DrtyHarry]

I really should get another user....been waiting 7 months for the production S110V, still waiting. Are black blade S30Vs discontinued (non digicam)?



Harry

[ImageX]

I really should get another user....been waiting 7 months for the production S110V, still waiting. Are black blade S30Vs discontinued (non digicam)?



Harry

http://www.bladehq.com/item--Spyderco-M ... lack--3514

[DrtyHarry]

Huh....I looked and didn't see it. Thanks! I am wondering if the ti fluted version is worth the extra $...ya think?



Harry

[farnorthdan]

Huh....I looked and didn't see it. Thanks! I am wondering if the ti fluted version is worth the extra $...ya think?



Harry

Both the fluted and solid Ti are the Cadillac's of Military's, my fluted is probably the smoothest one I have, not one of my EDC's though.

[DrtyHarry]

If I got one, I would EDC it. Rather have a ti fluted one or a G10 S110V for EDC? I love my 52100, but I would rather EDC a stainless knife....would be nice to get a fluted one and swap the blades between that and a S110V, when they drop.


Harry

[Evil D]

I almost bought a second hand Ti Military once. It had been modded and had the larger scale screws and Ti stand offs. The asking price was a bit rich and honestly the added weight was kind of a shock. You always think of titanium as being light but it's nowhere near as light as minimal liners and G10/CF scales.

[JD Spydo]

I almost bought a second hand Ti Military once. It had been modded and had the larger scale screws and Ti stand offs. The asking price was a bit rich and honestly the added weight was kind of a shock. You always think of titanium as being light but it's nowhere near as light as minimal liners and G10/CF scales.

Hey I agree with you on that one EVIL D because a few years back I got ahold of two of the highly coveted Spyderco "Peter Herbst" models with the Titanium handles and both of them seemed to be much heavier than I had expected. Titanium after all is significantly heavier than aluminum for instance but you really don't notice it until you get a Titanium handle with some size and bulk to them. And you're hearing this from a guy who is an ardent fan of Titanium handles for the most part. That original, early 2000s Ti ATR model was one of my most favorite folder handles ever in the entire knife world.

But I've also had a couple of Benchmade models made with aircraft grade, anodized aluminum and both of them made for very decent folder handles.

EVIL D is right the Military model really excels in G-10 and Carbon Fiber and I don't believe I would want one in anything else at this time.

[farnorthdan]

Not Surprisingly,the fluted Ti Military is noticeably lighter than the non-fluted model but agree the carbon fiber is feather light compared. :)

[Evil D]

Now if they ever bless us with either G10 or CF with that fluted pattern that the Ti Military and 40th Native got I'll be extremely happy.

[farnorthdan]

Oh wouldn't that be a nice piece, especially with some new steel we haven't seen yet...

[rodloos]

If I got one, I would EDC it. Rather have a ti fluted one or a G10 S110V for EDC? I love my 52100, but I would rather EDC a stainless knife....would be nice to get a fluted one and swap the blades between that and a S110V, when they drop.

I absolutely love my fluted Ti Military's (yes plural, I have 4 of them -- it's a psychological problem :) ) and as mentioned, they are lighter than the full non-fluted Ti Military. I sometimes wish they had a more premium steel, but honestly there is nothing wrong with S30V either.

Not everyone prefers the fluted Ti; I think Surfingringo mentioned he did NOT like the fluted Ti Millie as well as the regular Ti one.

I don't always carry my fluted Ti Millies, I have so many others to carry :) Today it's a 52100 Millie, and a Burch Chubby, along with my Dragonfly Salt and Yojimbo 2 :D.