Spyderco Forums

Just got a Domino in the mail today and quite frankly, it is the worst flipper I have owned. Without extreme wrist action it will only open 75% and flat stops.

I loosened the pivot. Can't do that because then off centered so bad it scraps the side of the blade. So, just loosened the pivot enough to get to the bearings with some wd40 spray and ran half a can thru it. Then blew compressed air thru it and oiled. Did not help at all.

So, either the detent is so poor you don't get the energy built up to get a good ejection or the pivot is so gritty it is not going anywhere or the detention is scraping the side of the blade so tight it is grabbing the blade and preventing smooth deployment. Since I can't take it apart to examine any of that I have two options - sell it and let someone else mess with it or send it in to Spyderco.

I would not be so upset except this is the 4th Spyderco this month for me and only one was without issue. I am near the end of my patience.

Well, not the detention because I just held the detent off the blade and it won't fall, at all!

So, has to be the pivot.

I said screw it, and took it apart and besides the washers between the frame and the bearings assembly being a little 'grooved' where the bearings run, I see nothing wrong. But it sux. This one is going on the exchange immediately with full disclosure and see if someone else wants to mess with it. I'm am never looking back on this model.

That's why I select dealers based on their return policy, especially if I had the bad luck that you've had. I would box it up and send it back.

Wow, that's a serious bummer!

That's weird and frustrating. I had no issues with 2 Dominos and 2 Southards. I had bumpiness with the Mantra.
I had grittyness and unexplained friction with a Viper Kyomi. Returned to dealer.
I had grittyness and sluggishness with a LionSteel Kur that was cured with lubrication.
Overall I would say that I'm highly skeptical of bearing pivots.

Was it a used knife? Or did you get it from a dealer? Some might disagree with me but I'd never use wd-40 on one of my flippers. Actually, I'd never use it on any of my knives. Send it back!

I have 3 Domino knives... they all flip like a rocket...

I just bought one on Craigslist from a local collector and it's as smooth as butter.
Bummer...

You really should have sent it back to Spyderco without taking it apart. I can understand the frustration but now you're just selling the problem to someone else who also won't have a warranty, and if the knife really has a problem Spyderco needs to know about it, and telling them through the forum won't be enough. If something slipped through quality control they need to know, and you probably would have gotten a replacement in the mail. Instead you're choosing to walk away disappointed. Not trying to bust your balls, but when real quality control issues come up the best course of action is to let Spyderco handle it. If they sent the same knife back to you and told you it was in spec, then I'd be disappointed.

Liquid Cobra wrote:Was it a used knife? Or did you get it from a dealer? Some might disagree with me but I'd never use wd-40 on one of my flippers. Actually, I'd never use it on any of my knives. Send it back!

Ditto that. I've used it in the past to clean out pivots, but I've found that the residue it leaves behind can act as a barrier and prevent lube from reaching where it needs to. Some people also swear by its "lubricating qualities" but it's only marginally better than raw metal to metal contact when it comes to lubrication.

Evil D wrote:You really should have sent it back to Spyderco without taking it apart. I can understand the frustration but now you're just selling the problem to someone else who also won't have a warranty, and if the knife really has a problem Spyderco needs to know about it, and telling them through the forum won't be enough. If something slipped through quality control they need to know, and you probably would have gotten a replacement in the mail. Instead you're choosing to walk away disappointed. Not trying to bust your balls, but when real quality control issues come up the best course of action is to let Spyderco handle it. If they sent the same knife back to you and told you it was in spec, then I'd be disappointed.

Exactly this. I can't understand why someone who has an issue with a warrantied product would not simply call the company and return said item for inspection. They would have taken care of this for you. I have 2 Domino's and the action on both is nothing short of superb. The blades fire out on both using the flipper tab. Exercising a little patience, making a call, and waiting a few weeks for a replacement or repaired knife is not a big deal.

Evil D wrote:You really should have sent it back to Spyderco without taking it apart. I can understand the frustration but now you're just selling the problem to someone else who also won't have a warranty, and if the knife really has a problem Spyderco needs to know about it, and telling them through the forum won't be enough. If something slipped through quality control they need to know, and you probably would have gotten a replacement in the mail. Instead you're choosing to walk away disappointed. Not trying to bust your balls, but when real quality control issues come up the best course of action is to let Spyderco handle it. If they sent the same knife back to you and told you it was in spec, then I'd be disappointed.

^^ This

The bearings are not made by Spyderco and anything man made can be out of spec. It could be a bad bearing that needs replacing. Send it to Spyderco even if it has been taken apart. They are good folks and will take care of you as long as you did not further damage the knife.