Spyderco Forums

About six or seven years ago I bought a PM2 which I eventually gave to my son. About two years ago it was stolen. A month ago I decided to buy my son a new one and thought I might get one for myself. I received them about three weeks ago. I changed the pocket clip position on mine from tip down to tip up. While tightening one of the screws the head stripped. This didn't make me happy. I gave my son his for Christmas and in an attempt to change the pocket clip position from tip down to tip up one of the screw heads stripped so we can't even change the pocket clip position. I never remotely dreamed this would be an issue especially after the great experience with the first PM2 from six or seven years ago. I spent good money on these knives! Money that would have gotten my son a Skilsaw MAG77 or some other useful tool that he could get good work done with. The pivot screw on his PM2 is so tight I can't adjust the tension on it so he can flick the blade out. What happened in the last few years to the quality?! I was disappointed with my knife but then to have this happen to a gift for my son is just too much. I'm going to talk to him to see what he wants to do. If it were up to me I'd send them both back to Blade HQ or Spyderco so this could be made right. For $135.00 knives to be bad for the lack of decent screws made with quality steel or hardened is just beyond belief! Instead of battling red lock tite I'm battle rubbish screws!

Have you contacted Spyderco directly.

And if so what did they say ?

I understand the need to vent frustration but it doesn’t actually solve the problem or progress to a solution.

I am sorry for you, but have to say: I purchased about 15 Spydies in the last two years (though never a PM2) and was impressed by their quality in every single one... only issues were loosing a clip screw on a Stretch and a Delica, but Spyderco did send me replacements plus loctite for free (to Europe!)

O.P., it's an inconvenience to be sure. But, do yourself a favor and let Spyderco make it right. You yourself know just what good knives they are. Dont give up just yet.

I understand your frustration, the soft screws are an absolute pain in the ***!
Contact spyderco but also make sure the bits you are using are both the right size and in good shape, too often I’ve had knives brought to be where they have stripped screws and using that t7 in a t8 screw dosnt help.
Take photos of the screws you need and include thin in the email, hopefully avoiding them sending wrong stuff

Hi Brianv,

Welcome to our forum and sorry about your misfortune.

I would suggest contacting customer service. customerservice@spyderco.com

I'll give Charlynn a "heads-up"

sal

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 29, 2018 11:57 am

I am sorry for you, but have to say: I purchased about 15 Spydies in the last two years (though never a PM2) and was impressed by their quality in every single one... only issues were loosing a clip screw on a Stretch and a Delica, but Spyderco did send me replacements plus loctite for free (to Europe!)

So I'm sure they'll take care of your issue, I should add

I own my second PM2 now, and in both I changed from tip down to tip up. No problems there. I do remember though that in one of the other spydies, when I did that, one of the screws broke. Just two screws holding the clip there now. It does give a bad feeling, and I can understand that if this happens to two out of two newly bought knives, this is really frustrating. Maybe Spyderco should consider to switch back to better material here.

But: I'm sure CS will make it right for you.

I have never had an issue with any spyderco screws. Push HARD into the screw and apply pressure gradually and smoothly. Haven't stripped one yet, even ones with various types of loctite.

Torx screws are difficult to strip. I hope OP is using torx drivers and didn’t mistakenly use a regular Allen wrench.

I think it’s common to (blue) loctite the clip screws these days, right? I’m not sure that’s the best idea but it does take some care to get those moving the first time.

I have taken thousands of PM2s apart and 99.999% of the time if a screw strips, it's because the driver used is junk. I use Wiha drivers and pretty much never ever have problems. Also, having seen so many PM2s I would say in general the quality has gone up in the last 3-4 years.

Quality drivers are essential when you get down to the sub T8 sizes. Wiha is my top pick as they fit very snug. Cheap drivers almost always ruin the screws, especially if loctited in.

Did you use a quality Torx driver like Wiha brand? I've never had an issue when using a Wiha driver.

I bought two of the Wiha Torx Drivers: from BHQ and knifecenter.com
Boker Wiha Toolkit Torx Bit Driver Part #09BO700
Buy two of them: you may need to hold and/or turn from both sides.
Not cheap, but you get what you pay for !.

fanglekai wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 29, 2018 10:47 pm

Did you use a quality Torx driver like Wiha brand? I've never had an issue when using a Wiha driver.

I do hope the OP comes back and answers this question - asked by a few people - because from what I read by others who take apart/change clips regularly, it’s not the screws that are the problem but the tool used and the user.

500Nitro wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 30, 2018 12:49 am

fanglekai wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 29, 2018 10:47 pm

Did you use a quality Torx driver like Wiha brand? I've never had an issue when using a Wiha driver.

I do hope the OP comes back and answers this question - asked by a few people - because from what I read by others who take apart/change clips regularly, it’s not the screws that are the problem but the tool used and the user.

I've broken and stripped a number of screw heads. And you're right. Well, besides all of those that broke/stripped due to thread locker.

The Boker branded / Wiha-made bit set is only $20. Good investment for little cost.

knivesandbooks wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 30, 2018 1:05 am

500Nitro wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 30, 2018 12:49 am

fanglekai wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 29, 2018 10:47 pm

Did you use a quality Torx driver like Wiha brand? I've never had an issue when using a Wiha driver.

I do hope the OP comes back and answers this question - asked by a few people - because from what I read by others who take apart/change clips regularly, it’s not the screws that are the problem but the tool used and the user.

I've broken and stripped a number of screw heads. And you're right. Well, besides all of those that broke/stripped due to thread locker.

The Boker branded / Wiha-made bit set is only $20. Good investment for little cost.

It's still a user induced problem isn't it ?

As opposed to a Spyderco quality problem ? As has been shown here,good tools stop stripping.
I'm sure Syperco maintenance department doesn't strip screws every time they fix or work on a knife.

(I don't play with Spydies but I've been playing with Torx and computers for years and a good set of tools
is correct. In fact I can't think of a time I stripped a screw.)

500Nitro wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 30, 2018 1:46 am

knivesandbooks wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 30, 2018 1:05 am

500Nitro wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 30, 2018 12:49 am

fanglekai wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 29, 2018 10:47 pm

Did you use a quality Torx driver like Wiha brand? I've never had an issue when using a Wiha driver.

I do hope the OP comes back and answers this question - asked by a few people - because from what I read by others who take apart/change clips regularly, it’s not the screws that are the problem but the tool used and the user.

I've broken and stripped a number of screw heads. And you're right. Well, besides all of those that broke/stripped due to thread locker.

The Boker branded / Wiha-made bit set is only $20. Good investment for little cost.

It's still a user induced problem isn't it ?

As opposed to a Spyderco quality problem ? As has been shown here,good tools stop stripping.
I'm sure Syperco maintenance department doesn't strip screws every time they fix or work on a knife.

(I don't play with Spydies but I've been playing with Torx and computers for years and a good set of tools
is correct. In fact I can't think of a time I stripped a screw.)

I agree, for the most part. Even thread locked screws stripping or breaking are probably user error. I did have a yojimbo that I bought last year that had way too much thread locker and the pivot screw head sheared off after the slightest turn. I was just barely trying to adjust the tension to get rid of the blade play it came with. The threadlock was caked all through the area. I think Spyderco agreed with me becuase they repaired it for free--unless they were just being nice, not sure.

I have stripped some, usually T6, that had a lot of threadlock and most of those could probably have been avoided with more care.

I do agree with you though. In most cases of damage or "defect" we should probably be looking at ourselves instead of the object when assigning blame, especially when the incident was a result of tinkering.

So, unless the OP comes back on the thread, we (not me but some might be) are left with a thread where a first time user who reads the first entry
gets the impression that Spyderco has a quality problem which looking at experienced "tinkerers" they don't.

Yes. I wonder if they have read this at all.