How To Para 3 drops shut pivot all the way tightened.

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shewless

Joined
Jan 12, 2020
Messages
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Hi. I have a used para 3 and the action is “very” drop shut. Almost too much. There isn’t really any blade play when the knife is locked which is good (though there is a fair amount if I compress the lock).
I want to tighten the pivot a bit to slow the action down but the pivot is all the way tight (on both sides) as far as I can tell. I can loosen the screws so I know they aren’t stuck.
Just wondering if this is common and if there may be a way to tighten things up.
Thank you.
 
Paratrooper06 said:
Sounds like a challenge! I guarantee it won’t drop shut after I tighten it.
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Hmm. Are you suggesting I’m not applying enough force? It’s pretty snug.. on my para 3 lw and mini grip it’s quite easy to tighten the pivot the point where the blade won’t even move…
 
Paratrooper06 said:
Sounds like a challenge! I guarantee it won’t drop shut after I tighten it.
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Actually, it will still drop shut and you'll have stripped screw heads because it has a bushing pivot🙄
shewless said:
Hmm. Are you suggesting I’m not applying enough force? It’s pretty snug.. on my para 3 lw and mini grip it’s quite easy to tighten the pivot the point where the blade won’t even move…
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Your washers are worn out, thats why you have excessive side play when unlocked...I'd send it in to spyderco for new washers.
 
WValtakis said:
Actually, it will still drop shut and you'll have stripped screw heads because it has a bushing pivot🙄

Your washers are worn out, thats why you have excessive side play when unlocked...I'd send it in to spyderco for new washers.
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Stripped screw heads are an indicator of using the wrong torx size, not a tightening issue. :rolleyes:

When have you ever heard of “worn out washers” on a Spyderco knife? :rolleyes:
 
Paratrooper06 said:
Stripped screw heads are an indicator of using the wrong torx size, not a tightening issue. :rolleyes:

When have you ever heard of “worn out washers” on a Spyderco knife? :rolleyes:
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Do you even know how the bushing pivot works on these spydercos? If the screws are tight and there is side play then the washers are worn out. He said the knife is used, it's completely plausible.
 
WValtakis said:
Do you even know how the bushing pivot works on these spydercos? If the screws are tight and there is side play then the washers are worn out. He said the knife is used, it's completely plausible.
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And you can tell all that, sight unseen? Impressive. The screws can be tightened to varying extremes.
 
Paratrooper06 said:
And you can tell all that, sight unseen? Impressive. The screws can be tightened to varying extremes.
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So no, you don't understand how they work. The washers are captured between the liners and the pivot bushing, the screws hit a hard stop. Attempting to tighten them further will strip them.
 
WValtakis said:
So no, you don't understand how they work. The washers are captured between the liners and the pivot bushing, the screws hit a hard stop. Attempting to tighten them further will strip them.
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Let me break this down into simpler terms for you.
The screws bring the sides of the knife closer together, thereby making the pivot tighter. Often times people think they have the screws tightened “all the way” but they don’t.. and so my suspicion the screws still have room to tighten is just as valid as your “worn out washers” remark, if not more so.. because washers don’t “wear out” easily. I asked you if you’d ever heard of it before and you didn’t answer. I wonder why?
 
Paratrooper06 said:
Let me break this down into simpler terms for you.
The screws bring the sides of the knife closer together, thereby making the pivot tighter. Often times people think they have the screws tightened “all the way” but they don’t.. and so my suspicion the screws still have room to tighten is just as valid as your “worn out washers” remark, if not more so.. because washers don’t “wear out” easily. I asked you if you’d ever heard of it before and you didn’t answer. I wonder why?
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"Bushing" pivot...as in there is a steel bushing that sets the gap between the liners. Learn what you're talking about.
 
Is that the only Spyderco you own ?
I don’t have a Para 3, but the PM2’s I’ve got are like that. The coated blades are slower to drop shut. If you bought it used, the previous owner could have honed the washers to make it drop shut. Kinda sounds like the washers are too thin if you have blade play, none of my PM2’s have blade play.
What handle covers do you have ?
 
WValtakis said:
"Bushing" pivot...as in there is a steel bushing that sets the gap between the liners. Learn what you're talking about.
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Tightening screws still has an impact on the tightness of the pivot on a PM2. I don’t know how many ways I have to explain this to you before you understand. Learn what you’re talking about.
 
Paratrooper06 said:
Tightening screws still has an impact on the tightness of the pivot on a PM2. I don’t know how many ways I have to explain this to you before you understand. Learn what you’re talking about.
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Not when the washers are worn out (because it has a bushing pivot)😉

Here's a trick that may work if you're comfortable disassembling the knife. Flip both washers inside out, that will put the worn faces with the lip against the liners and may snug up the pivot a few thousandths.
 
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WValtakis said:
Not when the washers are worn out (because it has a bushing pivot)😉

Here's a trick that may work if you're comfortable disassembling the knife. Flip both washers inside out, that will put the worn faces with the lip against the liners and may snug up the pivot a few thousandths.
Click to expand...

I would also add, put some grease on the pivot bushing to give the blade some drag. The washers will protect the grease from getting grit on the bushing.
 
Thank you all for the replies.
I have taken another look at the pivot screws and I am confident that they are as tight as they should be and the action is the same as it was before (on the loose side).

I'm at the point where I don't think there is a problem but it would be nice to make it a bit stiffer. It seems to me the compression lock / detent is minimizing the blade play. If I compress the lock I can feel more wobble (that might even be normal.. not sure).

I'm in Canada so I'm not sure it's worth sending the knife to Spyderco for warranty. I'm comfortable taking apart the knife so I may try and replace the washers. Can anyone recommend a good source?

BTW it's the S110V version with G10 scales.
 
shewless said:
Thank you all for the replies.
I have taken another look at the pivot screws and I am confident that they are as tight as they should be and the action is the same as it was before (on the loose side).

I'm at the point where I don't think there is a problem but it would be nice to make it a bit stiffer. It seems to me the compression lock / detent is minimizing the blade play. If I compress the lock I can feel more wobble (that might even be normal.. not sure).

I'm in Canada so I'm not sure it's worth sending the knife to Spyderco for warranty. I'm comfortable taking apart the knife so I may try and replace the washers. Can anyone recommend a good source?

BTW it's the S110V version with G10 scales.
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If you're going to order from the U.S. there are a few places to get washers.

They look like phosphor bronze washers. I don't know the thickness of the washers or the o.d. or i.d. but if you mic that you should be able to order what you need.

You may even bump up a few thousandths in thickness to fix your issue, if necessary but there are a few factors that come into play for that to work.

You most certainly checked this but maybe worth a mention....are both washers, in fact, actually present? Make sure someone didn't forget to put one back in.

You can get a selection of sizes and thicknesses of bronze washers at knifekits.com or usaknifemaker.com.
 
shewless said:
Thank you all for the replies.
I have taken another look at the pivot screws and I am confident that they are as tight as they should be and the action is the same as it was before (on the loose side).

I'm at the point where I don't think there is a problem but it would be nice to make it a bit stiffer. It seems to me the compression lock / detent is minimizing the blade play. If I compress the lock I can feel more wobble (that might even be normal.. not sure).

I'm in Canada so I'm not sure it's worth sending the knife to Spyderco for warranty. I'm comfortable taking apart the knife so I may try and replace the washers. Can anyone recommend a good source?

BTW it's the S110V version with G10 scales.
Click to expand...
K killgar knows more about washer sizes than anyone here that comes to mind currently, maybe he can help. Due to the construction of the pivot bushing, it may be true that the washers are worn or have been intentionally honed, or changed. Also, are the body screws are tight?
 
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