Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

Discuss Spyderco's products and history.
User avatar
MattM68
Member
Posts: 488
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2014 3:06 pm
Location: Michigan

Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

#1

Post by MattM68 »

Recently I haven’t been buying as many knives as I have been in the past, but I fell in love with the M390 Para 3. The action is perfect, and I have no complaints. I loved it so much that I bought a S90V CF one from a reputable dealer. I love everything about it, besides one thing. The side to side play is ridiculous. The only way to get rid of it is to make my knife into a fixed blade essentially.

Anyone with a similar experience? Is it fixable on my own? I’ve adjusted every screw with no luck. I haven’t done any polishing or anything, as I don’t want to mess with anything if I don’t have to. I’d rather not send it to Spyderco, but I’ll do what I have to!
User avatar
MichaelScott
Member
Posts: 3008
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2015 11:42 am
Location: Southern Colorado

Re: Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

#2

Post by MichaelScott »

So, what else can you do? Keep messing with it or send it to the experts?
Overheard at the end of the ice age, “We’ve been having such unnatural weather.”

http://acehotel.blog

Team Innovation
User avatar
Calicoast
Member
Posts: 384
Joined: Sun Aug 13, 2017 8:09 am
Location: Southern California

Re: Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

#3

Post by Calicoast »

MichaelScott wrote:
Thu Aug 09, 2018 4:13 pm
So, what else can you do? Keep messing with it or send it to the experts?
+1. Side to side no bueno.
Time to send it in.
C
User avatar
Sharp Guy
Member
Posts: 8561
Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2016 2:19 pm
Location: DFW, TX (orig. from N. IL)

Re: Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

#4

Post by Sharp Guy »

I assume the side-to-side play is when the knife is open and locked? If so, that's not normal. I agree with Michael, send it in
Of all the things I've lost I miss my mind the most!
mgnmdngg
Member
Posts: 40
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2018 6:25 pm

Re: Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

#5

Post by mgnmdngg »

the length of your pivot barrel is probably off. none of my knives have blade play.
User avatar
MattM68
Member
Posts: 488
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2014 3:06 pm
Location: Michigan

Re: Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

#6

Post by MattM68 »

I’ve just had bad experiences sending in knives. I’ve done it twice for knives with up and down play, and they came back the exact same.

I was hoping maybe someone had to same problem, but had a solution. You guys have had some clever solutions to problems like this before!
User avatar
Evil D
Member
Posts: 27147
Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2010 9:48 pm
Location: Northern KY

Re: Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

#7

Post by Evil D »

If you search my posts I've done a lot of tinkering with compression locks. When the PM2 first came out it seemed like he side play was more of an issue (at least every one I've owned has had it). I still own one and to this day it just isn't as solid as my Yojimbo 2 or Sliverax pivots. I would either send it back to where you bought it or live with it because it's probably within tolerances and sending it back to Golden won't get you what you want.
All SE all the time since 2017
~David
RickC27

Re: Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

#8

Post by RickC27 »

Random question...when anybody determines if they have side to side play, do you try to wiggle the blade from the tip of the blade, or closer to the pivot around the thumb hole?
Last edited by RickC27 on Thu Aug 09, 2018 4:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
MattM68
Member
Posts: 488
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2014 3:06 pm
Location: Michigan

Re: Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

#9

Post by MattM68 »

Evil D wrote:
Thu Aug 09, 2018 4:35 pm
If you search my posts I've done a lot of tinkering with compression locks. When the PM2 first came out it seemed like he side play was more of an issue (at least every one I've owned has had it). I still own one and to this day it just isn't as solid as my Yojimbo 2 or Sliverax pivots. I would either send it back to where you bought it or live with it because it's probably within tolerances and sending it back to Golden won't get you what you want.
I guess I’ll live with it then. Since I’ve messed with the pivot and body screws, I won’t send it back to the dealer. It’s the worst play I’ve ever had from a Spyderco, so it’s disappointing. I still love the Para 3, so I’ll try some other sprints when they’re released.
User avatar
Evil D
Member
Posts: 27147
Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2010 9:48 pm
Location: Northern KY

Re: Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

#10

Post by Evil D »

MattM68 wrote:
Thu Aug 09, 2018 4:41 pm
Evil D wrote:
Thu Aug 09, 2018 4:35 pm
If you search my posts I've done a lot of tinkering with compression locks. When the PM2 first came out it seemed like he side play was more of an issue (at least every one I've owned has had it). I still own one and to this day it just isn't as solid as my Yojimbo 2 or Sliverax pivots. I would either send it back to where you bought it or live with it because it's probably within tolerances and sending it back to Golden won't get you what you want.
I guess I’ll live with it then. Since I’ve messed with the pivot and body screws, I won’t send it back to the dealer. It’s the worst play I’ve ever had from a Spyderco, so it’s disappointing. I still love the Para 3, so I’ll try some other sprints when they’re released.

If it's really that bad maybe it does need to go back. If you're content with keeping it then if they send it back you're only out shipping cost.
All SE all the time since 2017
~David
User avatar
MattM68
Member
Posts: 488
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2014 3:06 pm
Location: Michigan

Re: Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

#11

Post by MattM68 »

Evil D wrote:
Thu Aug 09, 2018 4:42 pm
MattM68 wrote:
Thu Aug 09, 2018 4:41 pm
Evil D wrote:
Thu Aug 09, 2018 4:35 pm
If you search my posts I've done a lot of tinkering with compression locks. When the PM2 first came out it seemed like he side play was more of an issue (at least every one I've owned has had it). I still own one and to this day it just isn't as solid as my Yojimbo 2 or Sliverax pivots. I would either send it back to where you bought it or live with it because it's probably within tolerances and sending it back to Golden won't get you what you want.
I guess I’ll live with it then. Since I’ve messed with the pivot and body screws, I won’t send it back to the dealer. It’s the worst play I’ve ever had from a Spyderco, so it’s disappointing. I still love the Para 3, so I’ll try some other sprints when they’re released.

If it's really that bad maybe it does need to go back. If you're content with keeping it then if they send it back you're only out shipping cost.
Yeah, I completely agree. Just making this post inspired me to tinker a little more. It seemed like the blades resistance increased when the blade was about half open. So I cranked down the body screw extra hard, and it’s more consistent now. The knife has a ways to go, but that helped a lot. I think the handle wasn’t pinching the blade flat enough.
User avatar
Evil D
Member
Posts: 27147
Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2010 9:48 pm
Location: Northern KY

Re: Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

#12

Post by Evil D »

MattM68 wrote:
Thu Aug 09, 2018 5:22 pm

Yeah, I completely agree. Just making this post inspired me to tinker a little more. It seemed like the blades resistance increased when the blade was about half open. So I cranked down the body screw extra hard, and it’s more consistent now. The knife has a ways to go, but that helped a lot. I think the handle wasn’t pinching the blade flat enough.

Scales and liners being out of parallel are probably the biggest cause of blade play issues. I usually just loosen all the screws then follow a torque sequence snugging them back down.
All SE all the time since 2017
~David
Extra330SC
Member
Posts: 748
Joined: Thu Aug 02, 2018 4:17 pm
Location: Encinitas, CALIFORNIA

Re: Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

#13

Post by Extra330SC »

MattM68 wrote:
Thu Aug 09, 2018 4:07 pm
Recently I haven’t been buying as many knives as I have been in the past, but I fell in love with the M390 Para 3. The action is perfect, and I have no complaints. I loved it so much that I bought a S90V CF one from a reputable dealer. I love everything about it, besides one thing. The side to side play is ridiculous. The only way to get rid of it is to make my knife into a fixed blade essentially.

Anyone with a similar experience? Is it fixable on my own? I’ve adjusted every screw with no luck. I haven’t done any polishing or anything, as I don’t want to mess with anything if I don’t have to. I’d rather not send it to Spyderco, but I’ll do what I have to!
I'm not as experienced with the quality control and complete mechanical workings of spyderco knives as most of the other members of this great forum. But I do have 5 (6th in the mail) Para 3's that are ALMOST perfect
In operation to one another! I would definitely say what you are experiencing is a problem that needs to be addressed in one of the ways previously mentioned!

Hope everything works out

James
User avatar
Crux
Member
Posts: 1361
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2018 9:29 pm
Location: North Carolina USA

Re: Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

#14

Post by Crux »

Sometimes you just have to tweak the blade pivot screws. I bring them out a tiny amount and then slowly bring them back together semi-snug and that always fixes it for me. You can lock-tite it if you wish. It's easier on the PM2.
Can you find it and can it cut? :eek:
Fixmeister
Member
Posts: 48
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 7:04 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

#15

Post by Fixmeister »

My Para 3 in M4 wasn’t as smooth as my PM2 in S110V. I watched a disassembly video on YouTube and went after mine. I found a bit or two of stray something... maybe left-behind Loctite, in and around the pivot washers. I cleaned everything out, polished up the washers with some 1 micron cloth, and then reassembled it with 10w Nano Oil.

I did a full-tight seat on the pivot screw to make sure I had everything flat and then backed off the screw until I had free blade fall and no side-to-side play. It’s perfect now.

The lanyard tube is an issue with the flared ends and I was too chicken to risk damaging the scales by trying to pull them off. But I was able to get the blade and washers and pivot out by prying the scales apart to get those pieces out. A piece of something in that pivot might be your culprit.
User avatar
Crux
Member
Posts: 1361
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2018 9:29 pm
Location: North Carolina USA

Re: Para 3 Action Inconsistency?

#16

Post by Crux »

Almost sounds like the pivot studs are reversed or the one that is keyed is out of whack. If you over loosen the pivot screws it's possible that the pivot screw stub that is keyed is out of it's slot. If that happens then you just have to take that side down and re-align the stud. When it's out of alignment there is NO way to get it right no matter what you do with the pivot screws. Hope that helps.
Can you find it and can it cut? :eek:
Post Reply