Help with the Spydie Chef

[Ramonade]

I've admired that knife for a couple years now, and decided to try it.
I've own several RILs and none of them was problematic too me, except a steel RIL from a certain 4 letter company, and that was not a surprise.

I like Spydercos for many reasons, and one of them is that they feel really secure in open position. I don't use my knife as Batarangs or Bathammers, but I've had one or two lock failures on other knives that made me fear for my finger count.

I've read a lot about the Spydie Chef before purchase, including older threads about lock rock and lock travel.
I understand the fact that, the lock bar being thin, it gets some flex away from the body when locking.

However, the movement in lock position is not reinsuring, and I do not know if this is a normal thing, if this will get better (or worse?). Some people say their knife does not do that, others that it does, so i'm a bit puzzled.

Maybe I shouldn't test the lock that way, and everything will settle over time, but the lock is already pretty high around 80%, and can be pushed at almost a 100%.

Here's some footage and pictures.

The regular lock percentage :


Something I apparently shouldn't do, and won't do again but that surprised me (and my other RIL do not do that):

The "pushed" one :


Third attempt at filming lock rock, it's not as easy as I thought :




I'll wait for your wisdom, guidance and to know if I should just accept that this is how it is, or ask for replacement to my dealer.

[jwbnyc]

Try placing the knife down on a flat surface, edge up and pull up on the blade.

It’s hard to see anything with the whole knife moving around.

I would find that lock up acceptable.

[Ramonade]

Try placing the knife down on a flat surface, edge up and pull up on the blade.

It’s hard to see anything with the whole knife moving around.

I would find that lock up acceptable.

Yeah, thanks for the tip. This is way better that way, I updated the video in my post.

[SG89]

If you find any fault whether real or perceived, return it.

[jwbnyc]

That’s a fair amount of rock. Can you exchange it?

[Ramonade]

If you find any fault whether real or perceived, return it.

That's a good philosphy. I just wondered if they were all like that. If it's the case, well I can't get better so I would settle (this design looks and feels excellent to me).

That’s a fair amount of rock. Can you exchange it?

I can ask for a refund yes, and it should be possible to exchance with another one. However, they said they can't control the one they'd send back because of covid and the fact that they are under staffed at the moment.

[Ramonade]

I have a 30 day return window, maybe the lock rock is something that can disappear with the lock wearing in ?

[jwbnyc]

I would check the pivot. I had a good deal of blade play and a little bit of lock rock, on a PM2, that I was able to eliminate with a bit of tinkering.

[ladybug93]

just checked mine and it does pretty much the same if i push on it. i've never had any issues in use though. how much pressure are you using to get this movement? i had to give it a little bit of force. i've never pushed against the lock or tried moving my blade like this until your video. i think it's just the lock bar compressing a little under pressure. i don't think it's really an issue, honestly. i'd be curious to see if the same happens on a crk.

[Ramonade]

just checked mine and it does pretty much the same if i push on it. i've never had any issues in use though. how much pressure are you using to get this movement? i had to give it a little bit of force. i've never pushed against the lock or tried moving my blade like this until your video. i think it's just the lock bar compressing a little under pressure. i don't think it's really an issue, honestly. i'd be curious to see if the same happens on a crk.

Thanks for your message. Considering how the knife works, I wondered if I'm just a nutjob and every SpydieChef would do that if tested the way I do !
For the blade movement, it requires a bit of force, the blade is not loose while in open position. I looked and it's around 3 pounds of pressure.

As for the lock, I didn't try it on the scale cause it's in a weird direction, but it's a bit less force. I won't repeat it though cause it's bad for the knife apparently (logical, when you put stress on the lock bar in an unwanted direction).

If there is numerous customers with a knife received in the same condition and happy with it, experiencing no issues in years I'll just accept it as normal and go on my merry way. I'll finally allow myself to cut with it (I won't return a scratched up knife).

I would check the pivot. I had a good deal of blade play and a little bit of lock rock, on a PM2, that I was able to eliminate with a bit of tinkering.

I was afraid of damaging the paint on the pivot screws, but I'll try anyway if it helps ! Thanks !

[Kid]

Mine is the same. I can push the lock bar all the way and could also feel some lock rock. I don’t believe it affects function. Doesn’t bother me. Chef is still one of my favorite and most used Spyderco.

[Ramonade]

Mine is the same. I can push the lock bar all the way and could also feel some lock rock. I don’t believe it affects function. Doesn’t bother me. Chef is still one of my favorite and most used Spyderco.

Could i ask you how long you've had the knife ?

I'm willing to keep it that way, my guess is that they all are more or less this way because of the design and the really thin lock bar. If the action and security of the lock doesn't degrade, I'll live with it no problem.
The rest of the design is so well thought and executed that this might be the only knife I'd allow some lock rock without getting crazy ^^.

Btw : I can't manage to clean these out


Is this kind of spots into the blade now ? I'm OCD I know but I paid 260€ for this knife, I want it to be nice and clean at least when it's new (then I'll put it to work and it'll get scratches, but no spots like that).

[Mushroom]

I would not consider any amount of rock lock normal on a brand new knife. From factory the lockup should be solid, with the blade “locked” in place. Judging from your second video, I would personally consider that unacceptable to my own standards at least. Personally, I would either return the knife or send it back to Spyderco.

I have two Spydiechefs and neither one has any perceivable rock lock. Lock up is solid on both of them.

[Gsg9]

This problem can actually be described as a matter of the heart, a clash of feelings.

Between your OCD knife aficionado feelings (no offence ) from a buyer perspective.

And Spyderco's feelings that they are still having in 2022 - from a seller perspective - that steel inserts are not needed even if the competition adds them by default even on the cheaper models and even if the Spydiechef has reached now a retail price of 288EUR on Lamnia (LOL and LOL, 300+ next year?)
https://www.lamnia.com/en/p/14772/knive ... fe-c211tip

If you can get over pushing the lockbar to see how far it would go and how much lock rock you can get and just operate it normally and use it carefully.

Otherwise if you're not happy send it back, what's the worst it can happen, might just get another one working about the same, realistically I don't think you'll get another one that is worse than this and if you're lucky you may even get a better one.

That spot, belt contamination? I agree with you that you shouldn't get any of these at this luxury price-point.

[Kid]

Mine is the same. I can push the lock bar all the way and could also feel some lock rock. I don’t believe it affects function. Doesn’t bother me. Chef is still one of my favorite and most used Spyderco.

Could i ask you how long you've had the knife ?

I'm willing to keep it that way, my guess is that they all are more or less this way because of the design and the really thin lock bar. If the action and security of the lock doesn't degrade, I'll live with it no problem.
The rest of the design is so well thought and executed that this might be the only knife I'd allow some lock rock without getting crazy ^^.

Btw : I can't manage to clean these out


Is this kind of spots into the blade now ? I'm OCD I know but I paid 260€ for this knife, I want it to be nice and clean at least when it's new (then I'll put it to work and it'll get scratches, but no spots like that).

I didn’t notice it until it was mentioned in the forum last time. To me the knife locks solid, until I hold the blade towards the tip and really look for vertical play, only then I notice it and very little. For the use that I’m putting the knife, it’s more than secure to me so not an issue.
My spydiechef lives in the kitchen, blade showing lots of scratches. One day I will get it back from my wife.
You could get a replacement and see which one you like better or at least know if they all have the same trait. But mine definitely is like yours.

[Ramonade]

Thanks a lot for your input Mushroom.
I've asked if they are willing to exchange the knife, and if it is still like this on the second model, I'll certainly live with it.

This knife will get scratches and all, especially in the kitchen and the table ^^ But it's a big buy for me, like the priciest actually (N5 CF was LNIB) and I wanna trust and enjoy it to the fullest.

I'm willing to have a bit of lock rock, but this is a lot, and the cosmetic imperfections on the blades are not to my taste (if it was a scratch or two, it would have been ok to me).

Edit : They accepted for me to return it. I sent them pictures and they said that it wasn't normal. Since it's in another country, it'll take some time for my knife to get there and for them to send a new one back. I'll update this thread when I'll get it.
Thanks a lot everyone.

[Doc Dan]

Send it back. Get a refund. The lock is not going to get better and you can only expect it to get worse as it wears. I would consider it unsafe.

[Ramonade]

I was gonna ask for an exchange. But I ended up asking for a refund and ordering a new one.
If the next one is the same way, I think I won't keep it, just because my (maybe not valid) doubts will for sure prevent me from using it.

[Molle Ninja]

I bought two and both had too many flaws for the price. I was one of the people here begging for the prototype to be made a model back in the day.

Would love it to get a v2 treatment. Great design, just needs to be modernized with some better attention to detail.

[Ramonade]

I suspect this might just be a design that won't work for me, I'll see it very fast tomorrow, when I receive the new one.
If that is indeed the case, the dealer will certainly accept another refund and I'll buy the Caly 3.5, that is finally appearing as soon to be in stock after more than a year !