Bradley folder - how to fix weak detent

[Brock O Lee]

Taichung Taiwan Spyderco's have a reputation of having among the best fit and finish of all the Spyderco factories. Unfortunately, many of the Taiwan linerlocks (detent-based self-close) have a reputation of having a weak detent.

How to fix?

TL;DR
Enlarge the detent hole slightly using a diamond tipped ball head Dremel bit.


Long version:
As many of you know, a linerlock has a small ball bearing half press-fitted into the lockbar. When the blade closes, this ball seats into a small hole in the blade. When you open the blade, you have to apply enough force to overcome the spring tension to unseat the detent ball.

One of the reasons for a weak detent is that the small hole in the blade is slightly too small for the ball to seat completely. This causes the ball to sit slightly proud of the hole, and requires less force to overcome the spring tension, and equals weak dent.

An easy way to fix this is to enlarge the detent hole slightly, so that the detent ball seats deeper.

I did this with a GB2 folder this afternoon. The only special tool required was a diamond tipped ball head Dremel bit (1.5mm ball head tip). I bought a five-pack for less than US$10 off Ebay.



Detent hole and detent ball:




Create a small bevel in the detent hole to let the ball seat deeper. Warning, remove just a tiny bit of material at a time and test frequently. You cannot add material once removed. If you remove too much material you could create detent-slop when the blade is closed.


Ball seats properly now (almost no gap between blade and lockbar when closed):


The detent is now much stronger and in the acceptable range. Before the mod I could shake the blade open without much effort, now I have to try really hard. It still unseats with a very hard shake, but it feels much more secure and safer now.

[Sharp Guy]

Yep! Been fixing the detent on liner locks and comp locks that way for awhile now. Works well!

[JRinFL]

I follow a guide posted a couple of years ago that is very similar except the bit is turned by hand only. I like that because it is too easy for me to go overboard with a powered tool.

Thanks for posting this as it is a common question and it helps if people know it is an easy fix. Sal said the factory is working on improving detents, so hopefully this will not be needed in the future.

[FK]

An alternative and less risky solution is to simply bend the lock bar to apply more pressure to the detent.

Regards,
FK

[Senfkarte]

I have used the same method on a few knives. Until now, I always have used a double-edged milling tool, but I think the diamond tipped ball head Dremel bit is the better tool for the job. And I always used my fingers to rotate the tool. Never was brave enough to use a power tool.

[Danvp]

I have a Gayle Bradley 2 incoming (finally). Will check how strong the detent is. If it is to weak i now know what to do. Appreciate this kind of advice here.

[Ramonade]

Warning, remove just a tiny bit of material at a time and test frequently. You cannot add material once removed. If you remove too much material you could create detent-slop when the blade is closed.

By detent-slop, do you mean that the blade moves while in close position? Because I wonder about the Para 3 G10. My S30V moves while in closed position but my Maxamet doesn't at all. I was wondering how to fix that. I guess I don't have any solution !

Very nice guide. I did the same thing with a dremel at low speed and the same bit for another brand knife once, it works very well if one takes his time ^^


Edit : took a quick vid to illustrate, is this what is called detent-slop? Even if it's not a "severe" case of it ?
(Don't worry about the +18 warning, it's only a knife I promise !)
https://imgur.com/J0ijIpL

[Brock O Lee]

Warning, remove just a tiny bit of material at a time and test frequently. You cannot add material once removed. If you remove too much material you could create detent-slop when the blade is closed.

By detent-slop, do you mean that the blade moves while in close position?
…
Edit : took a quick vid to illustrate, is this what is called detent-slop? Even if it's not a "severe" case of it ?

Yes exactly… I have a little bit of detent slop with a new Military. If minor it doesn’t bother much, but it is an imperfection that should not be present on new knives IMO.

[Ramonade]

Warning, remove just a tiny bit of material at a time and test frequently. You cannot add material once removed. If you remove too much material you could create detent-slop when the blade is closed.

By detent-slop, do you mean that the blade moves while in close position?
…
Edit : took a quick vid to illustrate, is this what is called detent-slop? Even if it's not a "severe" case of it ?

Yes exactly… I have a little bit of detent slop with a new Military. If minor it doesn’t bother much, but it is an imperfection that should not be present on new knives IMO.

It's good to know, if I have the chance to handle a knife before buying it, I'd take a weak detent over that - tiny but pretty annoying - detent-slop everyday !