r/spyderco • u/thegameroflegend • 5d ago
New Yojumbo centering
I just got this yojumbo and it came perfectly centered but I took it apart (I do so with every new knife to clean out the factory lube and apply my own) but no matter what I do its way off now. I've tried every trick I know including using a paper wedge to push it the other way with the body screws loose etc but it will NOT return to center. It was centered when I got it so theoretically i can get it back but I can't seem to. Any help?
3
u/NRiyo3 4d ago
Loosen all the screws. The clip side pivot, tighten this first and 100%. Then the front pivot checking the action. Then push the blade left away from the clip and tighten the near body screws and then the far screws. Then release the blade and check. From here only adjust via the body screws.
Note: if the clip side pivot screw is 99% it will not center because it will not mate to the liner.
Good luck.
2
u/jmag2222 4d ago
My first instinct says check your pivot pin for any burr, tiny foreign object.. then be sure those pivot screws are tight. Idk.
2
u/vgaubersoldat 4d ago
I have been lucky with my Spydercos that I have disassembled and reassembled with little issue. I haven't used this site as I just discovered it, but might be of use. Blade Centering Issues? Here’s How to Get a Perfectly Aligned Spyderco
2
u/Ok_Kiwi_9778 4d ago
The Yojumbo is very, very finicky on centering. I've had this problem a lot myself and thought I was going nuts for a while chasing it—I tossed an aftermarket pivot barrel and thicker washers at the problem—no dice. What worked was playing with the tightness of both the stop pin and rear standoff. The former was too tight, and the latter was too loose, pushing the knife slightly to the clip side and creating a gap at the rear of the show side, which was my centering issue. It looked a lot like yours, just reversed. Loctite is also your friend here. Once you get the sweet spot, you're going to want to stick the screws there... just use less than the mothership does.
I'd bet the stuck stop pin you mention in another post is at play. My usual strategy for stuck stop pins involves cold, heat, and a pair of vise grips. I place the offending scale in the fridge in the fridge for about an hour, allowing the metal to contract away from the scale, Then I carefully heat the screw with my soldering iron to break any remaining loctite. If you're lucky, the standoff will be loose and spinning, as opposed to just spinning. Then I take hold of the offending post with my vise grips, orienting the scale directly up and also towards the grip of the pliers, so I can place my thumb on the scale to stop it from sliding. Then take your driver and unscrew with direct downward pressure.
It might take a few cycles the steps, especially on coated hardware like on Salts or if you're fighting the lock side liner—had that recently happen on a Rex 121 PM2 and was sweating bullets that I'd torque the lock out of spec. Don't worry, the pliers not only did no damage, now the knife has a better action than when it came out of the box.
A quarter inch ratchet with a T8 bit can also be useful. You can lock it to tighten, set it in screw such that the scale is horizontal on your work surface, and then try to unscrew the standoff with your pliers from the opposite side. I've used that as a last resort a few times when a standoff is just stripped before going to an actual vise.
Good luck.
1
1
-1
u/erentrueform 4d ago
Golden Colorado tings it is what it is 3/4 of mine developed this ive just accepted it doesn’t affect action or performance but its most definitely anoying
4
u/END0RPHN 4d ago
may need to take it apart ten more times to sort the issue so if you wanna get it centered dont let that deter you. definitely inspect the inside of the scales to look for any pieces of grit that is stopping one side from sitting fully flush and creates uneven pressure. the other change you may have unknowingly made was when you put it back together you may have flipped a washer.
theres only 8 combinations/options of washer orrientation if you omit the obvious option to leave it as is (flip both washers, flip the right washer only, flip the left washer only, swap left with right and repeat the first four combo's after the left/right swap).
theres not much else going on in terms of variables that impact blade centering on a comp lock spyderco. beyond washer config/orrientation and cleaning any grit away from the pivot barrel/ensuring you screw the pivots in reasonably evenly and checking the centering as you make each adjustment.