Spyderco Forums

I just bought a para 3. It fits what I’m looking for perfect. My question is the knife is stiff. There is some side play so I tried to adjust the pivot screw but something seems weird. Could the compression lock be binding something. I think I got it to a good place but still a little stiff. Does this sound right or does the knife have to break in. I’m new to this. I used gun cleaner first then oiled it. Any help appreciated

Play with it, open and close it a few hundred times.

Try oiling the detent track (liner locks and compression socks have a little detent ball that rides on the blade, try oiling that ball or the part of the blade that it rides on).

Could the compression lock bind somehow. The pivot screws have to be almost completely tight in order to minimize blade play

So just clarifying, your question is about the knife action being stiff after tightening the pivot to minimize side to side blade play?

Tightening the pivot is going to make the action stiff no doubt. You're just going to have to break it in. In terms of pivot action, the compression lock is basically the same as a liner lock. The only part of a compression lock contributing friction to the action is going to be that detent ball, so I doubt it's the compression lock causing issues.

My experience has been that some new Spyderco Knives can be stiff when new. However, with use and some time, they break in nicely and you will soon forget that initial stiffness. Don’t worry. Just use it and it will be fine.

You can’t loosen the pivot screw without getting a lot of blade play (unexceptable). You have to keep it tight to get minimal play. I think I have it somewhat good now, but it’s pretty much all the way tight. Very very minimal adjustments.

Mine was stiff for a long time. If it was loose enough to be smooth there was blade play.
I'm not suggesting you do this, but i took the blade out, polished the washers on a strop, ran the part of the blade near the pivot on my worksharp very fine belt just to polish it up a bit. Put it all back together with lock tight on the pivot screw, tweaked it a bit, and it has been smooth without play ever since.

My PM2 was like that, it was stiff. so i loosened it one one side, and played with the lock for a few days. i ended up gradually tightening the pivot screw which i had loosened. i then tightened up the other side's pivot screw. now they're both tight, and the blade swings free and smooth when the compression lock is pressed it.

it'll break in, man.

I have the exact same problem on the para 3. I had to decide between blade play with drop shut, or tight as **** with no play. I went with no play and am hoping it'll break in more.

BushcraftJoe wrote:I have the exact same problem on the para 3. I had to decide between blade play with drop shut, or tight as **** with no play. I went with no play and am hoping it'll break in more.

Trust me, it will.

I went with 0.5mm blade play for a week. then tightened it up. now both sides are as tight as can be, and the blade is smooth as butter with it's action.

just keep at it, man.

It should break in. Give it some oil and time.
It used to be that you could loosen the stop pin screw on the pm2s and that would help, but the para3's have the non-adjustable stop pin.