Specifically, what does Spyderco do to fix stripped clip screw holes?

[Spyderwebs]

I have had issues with one clip screw on the Cruwear Ayoob since day one and it finally stripped completely.

If I send it in to be fixed, will they drill it out and tap the next-larger thread size? (I.e. from the current M2x.4 to M2.5x.35 or M2.6x.45 or M3x.5), or even worse, would they tap Imperial threads into an otherwise Metric knife? Or replace the liner completely? (on a Sprint from a couple years ago...?) Or drill/tap into the SS back spacer and use a longer screw?

Specifically how has Spyderco fixed your stripped screw holes on a Sprint Backlock with exposed liners?

[Evil D]

Good question. I'm probably going to do this myself once I find a thread size and source for screws. My Ayoob is stripped clip holes.

[zhyla]

They fix stripped threaded holes? I didn’t know that.

I imagine they just replace the liners.

[zhyla]

Good question. I'm probably going to do this myself once I find a thread size and source for screws. My Ayoob is stripped clip holes.

For DIY I would lean toward brazing the hole closed then drill and tap the braze. For such light duty applications I think that will hold for a while.

[ChrisinHove]

Teeny tiny helicoils?

[Danke]

The screws are usually softer than the liners, is everyone sure it's not just a bad screw?

[zhyla]

The screws are usually softer than the liners, is everyone sure it's not just a bad screw?

I don’t know whether that’s true or not but the tiny amount of thread engagement in liners make them easier to damage.

I’ve never encountered this myself.

[Evil D]

The screws are usually softer than the liners, is everyone sure it's not just a bad screw?

In my case 100%, there are no threads left in the hole.

[cjk]

Take the thing apart, peen the hole on an anvil (ie, make the hole smaller), re-tap the hole, reassemble.
Alternatively, one could just switch to the other of tip down or tip up.

[Spyderwebs]

So no consensus? I'm not curious about how I could fix this - I know what I will do if I fix it myself (I would drill and tap the backspacer which is like 5mm thick, then buy 8mm long screws so the thread engagement would be 3-4x more. I'd even use a bottoming tap and hand-start it using the existing threads in the liner so the thread length is synchronous and continuous).

To answer other points brought up so far -
The hole is 100% stripped. I've replaced the screw multiple times as a sanity check.
Braising is an undesirable fix IMO. (maybe Spyderco has a process figured out for this, but I'm not doing it at home, and overall it seems like a marginal fix)
Peening and retapping is worse. This is just a sloppy fix prone to re-failure.
Helicoil is a funny thought! (it would be like a M0.6 by the time the helicoil was inserted!)

Someone must know what the factory does to fix this. Seems like a common damage point.

[Danke]

I would guess the ideal fix for this is to replace the liner.

[Cletus]

I pinched the screw with a pair of pliers to make it oblong. Then I screwed it in with some red locktite, and it has held for a year so far. The screw will kinda sorta make it's own threads.

[RustyIron]

I know what I will do if I fix it myself

Cool! Sounds pretty straight forward. It will take longer to order the screws than it will to do the work. I'm eager to see the pictures of your process.

If you want to unleash your inner artisan, make a bushing. Get yourself a chunk of stainless rod in whatever size and flavor you think is appropriate. Personally, I'd use whatever I could find in my pile of stainless. You're not building a Space Shuttle, and nothing about this is critical. Drill out the buggered hole to whatever size matches your rod. Slice off a disk of the rod so it's just a hair thicker than the liner. Silver solder the disk into the hole. Now grind or stone down the disk so that it's perfectly flush with the liner. Drill and tap the disk for the new screw. I said "new screw." The assumption is that the threads on the existing screw are knackered. Don't use a damaged screw in your new hole. This repair will be as solid as a new liner.

I have no idea what they might do at the factory, or if they'd even want to do it. Why not just send it in? It might cost you a few bucks in shipping, but that's nothing compared to the labor involved in doing a proper repair.

[ASmitty]

Liner replacement is the most likely fix for a normal situation. But, since you're dealing with a sprint run, I'm not sure if they'll have the parts. Most manufacturers do carry some stock of parts for discontinued or rare models for some time after they're out of production, but it's a crap shoot how long those last. I know that for FRN knives with molded clips that broke, they drilled and tapped directly into the FRN to add replacement clips. I'd just reach out to warranty via email and ask what the options are for your case. Then, you can decide whether to send it in or try to fix yourself.

[toml4185]

Interesting and timely topic. Only the other night I ended up rather carefully taking my oscillating tool to my K390 Delica clip screws that were stripped to cut a line that I could use a slotted driver on. Luckily there was no collateral damage.

[Red Leader]

Can y’all just tap to the next screw size and get some new screws? If I had an irreplaceable liner thats what I would do, but I’m not the factory. Seems like you would need to have someone from Spyderco respond to this thread.

[zhyla]

Can y’all just tap to the next screw size and get some new screws?

Yes… but machine screws only come in so many sizes. And if you have to decrease the TPI you’ll have something even more likely to strip again.