Spyderco Forums

Just received mine and I'm so pissed The blade is off center when closed and the cutting bevels are all over the place and uneven on both sides.I'll try to fix all these as much as I can but let me say that it's unacceptable for an exclusive. Where is the CQ here ....really Spyderco ?!

elena86 wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 8:36 am

Just received mine and I'm so pissed The blade is off center when closed and the cutting bevels are all over the place and uneven on both sides.I'll try to fix all these as much as I can but let me say that it's unacceptable for an exclusive. Where is the CQ here ....really Spyderco ?!

For what it's worth I haven't seen a para 3 LW that wasn't slightly off center when closed, and I've handled about 7 of them now. Not a huge sample size, but still. It's a 100 dollar knife. Being slightly off isn't a big deal.

Also, the edge lines being off is a non issue. Do you plan on using and sharpening it? Because that is going to be fixed through use.


I'm no Spyderco apologist. Far from it. But really these complaints are pretty minor IMO. Either return it or sell it. **** I'd buy it from you.

AwayFromMySpydieHole wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 9:11 am

elena86 wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 8:36 am

Just received mine and I'm so pissed The blade is off center when closed and the cutting bevels are all over the place and uneven on both sides.I'll try to fix all these as much as I can but let me say that it's unacceptable for an exclusive. Where is the CQ here ....really Spyderco ?!

For what it's worth I haven't seen a para 3 LW that wasn't slightly off center when closed, and I've handled about 7 of them now. Not a huge sample size, but still. It's a 100 dollar knife. Being slightly off isn't a big deal.

Also, the edge lines being off is a non issue. Do you plan on using and sharpening it? Because that is going to be fixed through use.


I'm no Spyderco apologist. Far from it. But really these complaints are pretty minor IMO. Either return it or sell it. **** I'd buy it from you.

1.It's not "slightly" off it's way off and the action is stiff ... I can't fix the **** thing.. when I mess with the pivot I get blade play so I'm even more pissed.
2.I didn't affirm that the "edge lines are off" ...in reality the cutting bevel is uneven( 17 degrees on one side and 20 degres on the other) and all over the place on both sides.
3. It's my first Para3 LW and I like this variant quite alot ... it might become my favorite light edc and I am going to use it and sharpen it eventualy but I'm still saying that Spyderco should do something about their quality control and maybe have a talk with their sharpeners...

P.S My spydies are my babies and I want my babies to be perfect :)

elena86 wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 9:46 am

AwayFromMySpydieHole wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 9:11 am

elena86 wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 8:36 am

Just received mine and I'm so pissed The blade is off center when closed and the cutting bevels are all over the place and uneven on both sides.I'll try to fix all these as much as I can but let me say that it's unacceptable for an exclusive. Where is the CQ here ....really Spyderco ?!

For what it's worth I haven't seen a para 3 LW that wasn't slightly off center when closed, and I've handled about 7 of them now. Not a huge sample size, but still. It's a 100 dollar knife. Being slightly off isn't a big deal.

Also, the edge lines being off is a non issue. Do you plan on using and sharpening it? Because that is going to be fixed through use.


I'm no Spyderco apologist. Far from it. But really these complaints are pretty minor IMO. Either return it or sell it. **** I'd buy it from you.

1.It's not "slightly" off it's way off and the action is stiff ... I can't fix the **** thing.. when I mess with the pivot I get blade play so I'm even more pissed.
2.I didn't affirm that the "edge lines are off" ...in reality the cutting bevel is uneven( 17 degrees on one side and 20 degres on the other) and all over the place on both sides.
3. It's my first Para3 LW and I like this variant quite alot ... it might become my favorite light edc and I am going to use it and sharpen it eventualy but I'm still saying that Spyderco should do something about their quality control and maybe have a talk with their sharpeners...

P.S My spydies are my babies and I want my babies to be perfect :)

Mine is pretty seriously off center, too. Luckily the action is great, so I haven't messed with it. Fwiw, I got a pakkawood delica about 4 months ago that was even worse than this, and VERY stiff action. I wasn't able to adjust it without the blade actually scraping the liners. I sent it in to spyderco and they were able to improve it significantly.

Airfaye wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 02, 2019 2:56 pm

I just got mine and was thrilled until I went to swap the wire clip to the other side. I set up all of my knives the same way. my only experience with FRN models is a great ZDP-189 dragonfly. The channels for the wire clip are the dragonfly are equal depth on both sides. On this PARA 3LW the channels on one side are molded to about half the depth that they are on the other. No matter how i try I can't get it to keep the clip in place. Can anyone else who got one see if your wire clip grooves are equal depth on both sides of the scales? This is my first issue with a spyderco so I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do at this point. Thanks for any help
IMG_1449.JPGIMG_1448.JPG

I solved my clip issue on my BD1N P3.
ADD A SMALL WASHER>

gull wing wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 11:48 am

Airfaye wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 02, 2019 2:56 pm

I just got mine and was thrilled until I went to swap the wire clip to the other side. I set up all of my knives the same way. my only experience with FRN models is a great ZDP-189 dragonfly. The channels for the wire clip are the dragonfly are equal depth on both sides. On this PARA 3LW the channels on one side are molded to about half the depth that they are on the other. No matter how i try I can't get it to keep the clip in place. Can anyone else who got one see if your wire clip grooves are equal depth on both sides of the scales? This is my first issue with a spyderco so I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do at this point. Thanks for any help
IMG_1449.JPGIMG_1448.JPG

I solved my clip issue on my BD1N P3.
ADD A SMALL WASHER>

Simple, elegant solution.

Just got mine from the mailbox. The blade is a tad off center, but the grinds are even and the action is super smooth and free dropping blade. I like it, a lot!

Love this knife! Blue S110V version next; please Sal, Eric! :)

I have had my m390 lw p3 for a week now and I really love this version a lot but it has to be the most slippery frn knife I have owned.

I’ve dropped it 3 times while trying to close it.
I probably wouldn’t have this problem if I wasn’t a lefty and had to switch the clip but I think the solution is to get the dremel and slightly take away some material to have more access to the lock and maybe take some low grit sandpaper and rough up the smooth edges.

willc wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 10, 2019 12:44 am

I have had my m390 lw p3 for a week now and I really love this version a lot but it has to be the most slippery frn knife I have owned.

I’ve dropped it 3 times while trying to close it.
I probably wouldn’t have this problem if I wasn’t a lefty and had to switch the clip but I think the solution is to get the dremel and slightly take away some material to have more access to the lock and maybe take some low grit sandpaper and rough up the smooth edges.

Sadly the FRN texture on these is substantially less aggressive than on the seki city models. I know Eric said they were experimenting with different texture shapes, depths, etc.

Overall the level of grip from something like an endura or delica is far beyond what I get on the para 3 lightweight. I’ve just learned to be extra careful with it.

willc wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 10, 2019 12:44 am

I have had my m390 lw p3 for a week now and I really love this version a lot but it has to be the most slippery frn knife I have owned.

I’ve dropped it 3 times while trying to close it.
I probably wouldn’t have this problem if I wasn’t a lefty and had to switch the clip but I think the solution is to get the dremel and slightly take away some material to have more access to the lock and maybe take some low grit sandpaper and rough up the smooth edges.

That's how I feel about the manix lw, although I guess that's frcp, not frn. It can be so slippery I have trouble disengaging the lock sometimes. I haven't had this problem with this new para3 lw, though. But hands down, I think the seki frn is the best lw material and texture execution.

AwayFromMySpydieHole wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:12 am

willc wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 10, 2019 12:44 am

I have had my m390 lw p3 for a week now and I really love this version a lot but it has to be the most slippery frn knife I have owned.

I’ve dropped it 3 times while trying to close it.
I probably wouldn’t have this problem if I wasn’t a lefty and had to switch the clip but I think the solution is to get the dremel and slightly take away some material to have more access to the lock and maybe take some low grit sandpaper and rough up the smooth edges.

Sadly the FRN texture on these is substantially less aggressive than on the seki city models. I know Eric said they were experimenting with different texture shapes, depths, etc.

Overall the level of grip from something like an endura or delica is far beyond what I get on the para 3 lightweight. I’ve just learned to be extra careful with it.

People have complained that the bi-directional texturing on a lot of the FRN/FRCP knives are too grippy and can be tough on pockets. So (I assume) they toned it down on the P3LW in response to that. While I do like the extra grippy texturing on the majority of the LW models, they are kind of hard on my pockets. I have several pockets that are shredded to show for it and end up having to carry something with smooth scales and wire clip when I wear those clothes. So I welcome the subdued texturing on the P3LW. Combined with the wire clip I think it's perfect and don't find it slippery at all. In fact I think it still has more grip than the peep-ply G10 P3s and nobody complains that those are slippery.

gull wing wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 11:48 am

Airfaye wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 02, 2019 2:56 pm

I just got mine and was thrilled until I went to swap the wire clip to the other side. I set up all of my knives the same way. my only experience with FRN models is a great ZDP-189 dragonfly. The channels for the wire clip are the dragonfly are equal depth on both sides. On this PARA 3LW the channels on one side are molded to about half the depth that they are on the other. No matter how i try I can't get it to keep the clip in place. Can anyone else who got one see if your wire clip grooves are equal depth on both sides of the scales? This is my first issue with a spyderco so I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do at this point. Thanks for any help
IMG_1449.JPGIMG_1448.JPG

I solved my clip issue on my BD1N P3.
ADD A SMALL WASHER>

Thanks. I'll try that. Knife is a dream, just afraid of ending up with only a clip if it comes off. Thanks for the help

I think the texture on this one is about perfect....I despise when a knife is made too rough and makes it hang up getting in or out of a pocket, and this one goes in and out very easily. It also has plenty of grip, and never shows any inkling of slipping. Well done and balanced for me.

About the scales roughness:
You can't see it but, I lightly sanded the contact areas of the clip, to make it less "grabby".
I do this on all of my FRN. You can't tell it's been done, just very fine wet/dey.