Learning to live with vertical play?

[spydutch]

Greetings you all

After about 4 years of collecting and using Spyderco lock backs, I think I'm slowly starting to lean to live with some vertical play in my knives.

In the past I retired my Spydie if it developped even a small amount of vertical play, buy a new one and hope for the best

As of lately I'm back to carrying my one year old Delica 3/SE again which has about half a mm of vertical play.

It still annoys me from time to time but not so much that I put back the knife.

Could you help me to get past that last bit of annoyance so I can really enjoy my Spyderco lock backs?

Thanx very much in advance

[MANIXWORLD]

vertical play,you can find on any brand of lockback,as you know,already.
i just cant get used to it,if its to much play.A small amount of v.play,i can make peace with.
i generally dont like any loose feeling parts on a knife.
what i dont get,is that alot of Spydies dont have any v.bladeplay and others do.

[yablanowitz]

The only way I know to avoid "play" is to avoid folding knives altogether. Some have such a small amount that you can't feel it, but they all have some clearance between the parts. If they didn't, they wouldn't fold.

[Left Hand Path]

Hi spydutch,
I don't mind a little vertical play at all in my lockbacks. Once I read some posts by sal, STR, and others, and learned that a little vertical play is totally normal and acceptable in a lockback, it didn't bother me any more. All types of locks have their goods and bads - I like the ease of use and ambidexterity of the lockback and I am willing to tolerate some vertical play as a tradeoff. I think yablanowitz is right that only a fixed blade will have no play. Enjoy your D3s and don't let it bother you!

[The Deacon]

The only way I know to avoid "play" is to avoid folding knives altogether. Some have such a small amount that you can't feel it, but they all have some clearance between the parts. If they didn't, they wouldn't fold.

Would that it were so. I can tolerate it in lockbacks, but am a bit bummed right now that my K04 Utility kitchen knife has started to show vertical play.

[carrot]

My Caly3 has slight vertical play. I almost never notice it in daily use. It still feels solid.

[MAT888]

As OutchThatSharp allready mentioned sometimes there is a solution that helps for pinned blades.
Stick a razorblade /thin metal strip between the frn handle and the pivot bolt.
Tap it with a hammer and retract the razor.
Sometimes this works.

For fixed blades sometimes heathing the knive for some time helps . Metal expands when heated. Frn might be molded thight when heated too. But not to long off coarse. Like they do on kydex.

[markg]

Both of my Tasman Salts have some play (actually a fair amount of play). It seems all my trainers do too.

If it is a SD/MBC knife, I don't care. I can see how it is a bit annoying for a work knife. As has been pointed out, the knife will be OK. So I would say just use the knife, and realize it still works and I think you will re-wire your perceptions.

[cgjones]

Would that it were so. I can tolerate it in lockbacks, but am a bit bummed right now that my K04 Utility kitchen knife has started to show vertical play.

I swear that my Santoku has a bit of horizontal play. I always chalk it up to my imagination.

[Jazz]

My Rescue 79mm has a bit and I'm sure others do too, but I accually expect it in lockbacks. Just the way it is most of the time. I use the heck out of my Rescue at work and don't even notice it. I wish it were solid, but it honestly doesn't bother me. Just don't let it bug you - you might go bald or something
( I'm going bald, so I can say that if I want to ).

- best wishes, Jazz.

[Bolster]

I'm in Spydutch's corner, except I am not trying to get accustomed to play. I really dislike vertical play in a folder. Yes, I know it's normal. Yes, it's the nature of the beast. And I really, really dislike it anyway. I have lots of knives that don't have play, or very minimal play...why can't they all be like that? Answer, they can be. It's OK to have high standards. I tend to get rid of knives that have more than just a skootch of vertical play.