Loctite vs Not?

[Foehammer]

When you take apart a knife and re-assemble it, do you always apply loctite? Do you feel like you need to put it on so that the screws won’t fall out? Interested to hear what people will say because I have started using loctite after about 4 years of disassembling knives and I never felt like I needed it, nor did I ever lose a screw. Funnily enough it’s only when I started “getting into” knives that I decided I needed to apply loctite.

[u.w.]

I use loctite.
I don't "take knives apart"; but I do check the screws, and if they are loose (which I have found numerous times) I remove them (one at a time), apply a little loctite, and re-install.
I have had screws get loose. I think I've even lost a screw or two (pun not intended, lol) over the years, before I started doing the dab-o-loctite.

I got and use the blue loctite because that's what I saw recommended by folks smarter, and more experienced than I.

u.w.

[Brock O Lee]

I use Loctite.

It is a bit of insurance and peace of mind.

Years of riding dirt bikes taught me that screws/bolts fall out by themselves when you least expect it.

[phaust]

Yeah either loctite or vibratite always

[Wandering_About]

Yes to loctite for me on Spydies.

[Wartstein]

Blue loctite, always.

Often I even apply one right when I receive a Seki knife, cause some had body-, clip and one time even the pivot screw come loose and fall out after a short period of use and carry.

[RustyIron]

Do you feel like you need to put it on so that the screws won’t fall out?
Interested to hear what people will say

No, I don't use Loctite on my work unless there is a compelling reason to do so. A properly cleaned and tightened fastener isn't going to just "fall out." It's the way friction and incline planes have worked since the invention of... friction and inclined planes.

More often, you'll see me assembling parts using anti-seize. Although it might seem counterintuitive, anti-seize allows precise tightening, which prevents unintended loosening. Be that as it may, I have quite an assortment of Loctite flavors in my cabinet, and I use them as needed. On a knife, the only area where I regularly use Loctite is on the pivot screws. Pivot screws are generally left looser than the prescribed torque, so they tend to loosen over time. I'll put just a dot of blue Loctite on these fasteners, adjust to perfection, and then let it set up for a couple hours.

[Doc Dan]

Loctite good!

[Zipper]

I rarely ever use loctite. If I use anything, I found thread tape (plumbers tape) and the right torque fixes most issues.
I put thread tape on a few of my different knives pivot screws as security. I find that’s all I really need to use to overcome the vibration issues that cause screws/bolts to back out. I have used it on the occasional body and clip screw.
If I found a screw still backing out after thread tape, I wouldn’t hesitate using loctite or similar thread adhesive. Most of the time I don’t need it.
The positive spin off for me is no mess or stripping threads. The only negative is prep - cutting the width of the thread tape and carefully winding it on the thread. Although that is never a big issue.

[vandelay]

I don't use loctite, mostly because I need to buy some better threadlocker than the one I have and I've been too lazy to. I would only use it on the pivot screw. It's harmless on the other screws but I don't see how they're going to back out.

[Evil D]

I do any time I don't plan on taking it apart again soon. I always use some brands blue version, sometimes it's liquid Permatex sometimes it's Loctite stick.

Oh, I would never use it on linerless knives, I have had too many female pins round out the D hole and then you can't get the screw out anymore. I have a Dragonfly and a Ladybug like this and they're basically pinned construction now.

[endura3]

Oh, I would never use it on linerless knives, I have had too many female pins round out the D hole and then you can't get the screw out anymore. I have a Dragonfly and a Ladybug like this and they're basically pinned construction now.

To make sure I understand, the issue you've run into is that applying loctite to those linerless knives and then later disassembling requires enough torque to break the locktite that you can accidentally round out the D hole in the FRN first?

That's a great tip - I'm surprised I've never done that haha.

[Evil D]

Oh, I would never use it on linerless knives, I have had too many female pins round out the D hole and then you can't get the screw out anymore. I have a Dragonfly and a Ladybug like this and they're basically pinned construction now.

To make sure I understand, the issue you've run into is that applying loctite to those linerless knives and then later disassembling requires enough torque to break the locktite that you can accidentally round out the D hole in the FRN first?

That's a great tip - I'm surprised I've never done that haha.

Exactly. It has only been an issue on Seki knives where they use a male/female screw-into-pin construction for the body and pivot. I suppose I could try to grind a slot for a flathead screwdriver into the dome of the female side but that's more work than I feel like doing just to get it apart again.

[Giygas]

I use the purple loctite (222) on most of my Spydercos.

While Spyderco has certainly moved on from the era of soft screws and permanent threadlock, I really wish they'd catch up to some of the hardware improvements other brands have been making.

[Albertaboyscott]

I don't really care if the screws in the scales have it but clip and pivot get some

[awa54]

Blue Loctite (the stick is better than fluid IMO) is an easy solution to wandering pivot tension and cheap insurance for other screws on any screw-together knife.
Blue is also unlikely to ever cause disassembly issues, unlike red.

Linerless FRN is the exception, as a spun pivot or clip screw is a real bummer, I would also hesitate to use any on clip screws that are attached to molded/pressed in nut-serts, like the N5 family.

[WilliamMunny]

I use blue loctite when I do take it them apart, especially on the pocket clip screws. With those small screws there really is not a lot of thread to bite.

[JRinFL]

Since getting replacement parts for certain Spyderco models is near impossible, I think it only wise to use purple or blue thread locker on your knives. I had a pivot screw back out on a blue PITS once that thankfully was found in my pocket. Since then I have been pretty good about using locker.

[Foehammer]

Interesting. One thing I noticed is that when not using loctite on knives I’d have to occasionally (say maybe once every 3-4 months) re-adjust the pivot and stop pin (for comp locks) screws because the action was either too loose or else just blade play where before there was none. So they definitely get a bit loose over time, depends on how you use them I guess.

[N. Brian Huegel]

Red Threadlocker always. Never an issue. Never a problem. Repaired hundreds of Spyderco Clipits and thousands of other assorted brands since folders started being bolted together in the mid80s.

nb