Bad week :(

SpyKers · Jul 30, 2012

First my Knockout was less than stellar and now this...

My less than a week old 1555 Ti Cryo torsion bar snapped! #*%$!!! Kershaw doesn't have the parts in stock and Blade HQ is out of stock for a replacement.

I'm having Blade HQ send me preposted label to return the knife. I need advice from CRYO owners. Has anybody else experienced any issues with the torsion bar? If not, I got a bad egg and I can simply wait a few weeks for my new Cryo to arrive. If there are others, then I'll just request a refund.

My first 10 Kershaws have been awesome. I really need to get out of this slump

Edit: I don't mean torsion bars in a general sense. They are reliable and I'm aware of that. I am only referencing the specific torsion bar in the Cryo. Sorry for any confusion.

thegeek574 · Jul 30, 2012

The torsion bars going is a normal thing. considering what they are asked to do, I say they are pretty dang good. after only 1 week is a bit of a disappointment, though.

SpyKers · Jul 30, 2012

thegeek574 said:
The torsion bars going is a normal thing. considering what they are asked to do, I say they are pretty dang good. after only 1 week is a bit of a disappointment, though.

I'm aware they will eventually wear out. That's not at all my concern. It's the timeframe at which this one wore out is my immediate concern. 1 week with light use is abnormal. My leek continues to truck along without fail

TX180SX · Jul 30, 2012

SpyKers said:
I'm aware they will eventually wear out. That's not at all my concern. It's the timeframe at which this one wore out is my immediate concern. 1 week with light use is abnormal. My leek continues to truck along without fail

I would say this kinda points to you just getting a Cryo with a bad torsion bar, nothing more, doubt Kershaw got the design of the thing wrong. you sure you didn't flick it a million times this week and wear that sucker out?

Anyways one week to break with no replacement part is no bueno so I hope you can get it switched out quickly! :thumbup:

crom · Jul 30, 2012

I saw a YT vid on the removal of the bar, that bar in the Cryo looks like a completely new design. I have never had a bar break.

SpyKers · Jul 30, 2012

crom said:
I saw a YT vid on the removal of the bar, that bar in the Cryo looks like a completely new design. I have never had a bar break.

That is what got me wondering as well. Another user on this forum posted a video removing the torsion bar and I thought the torsion bar looked different than the ones I already owned.

TX: Me? Flick a knife open a million times? Never

It was more like a thousand

Joking aside. Nothing more or less than I did with all my prior torsion bars.

aquaman67 · Jul 30, 2012

How many times did you open it before it broke?

I bet I've flipped my Cryo open about 1000 times this week. (my first flipper)

So far mine's been rock solid. I have a feeling you just got a bad one. I'm sure the new one will be much better.

kreole · Jul 30, 2012

Did you flip it a bunch of times in a row? That will kill a torsion bar in a short time.

SpyKers · Jul 30, 2012

kreole said:
Did you flip it a bunch of times in a row? That will kill a torsion bar in a short time.

Kreole: Yes, I flipped the knife open quite a few times over the past week. It was no more or less than I did with any prior torsion bar in the first week of ownership. I realize that repeated use will eventually wear it out... But in a week? No, it wasn't THAT much.

Aquaman: I couldn't begin to put a REAL number on it. Lets just estimate greater 50 but less than 100. It was in fact rock solid up until the point it broke. Pefectly centered with no play in the blade whatsoever.

kreole · Jul 31, 2012

SpyKers said:
Kreole: Yes, I flipped the knife open quite a few times over the past week. It was no more or less than I did with any prior torsion bar in the first week of ownership. I realize that repeated use will eventually wear it out... But in a week? No, it wasn't THAT much.

Aquaman: I couldn't begin to put a REAL number on it. Lets just estimate greater 50 but less than 100. It was in fact rock solid up until the point it broke. Pefectly centered with no play in the blade whatsoever.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. Rather than doing it a bunch of times over a long period of time, I meant if you do it a bunch of times in rapid succession, you'll cause the torsion bar to break.

SpyKers · Jul 31, 2012

kreole said:
Sorry, I wasn't clear. Rather than doing it a bunch of times over a long period of time, I meant if you do it a bunch of times in rapid succession, you'll cause the torsion bar to break.

Nothing out of the norm.

jimmer_5 · Aug 1, 2012

SpyKers - Can you send me an email or a private message with your email address?

- Jim

Hobo with a Rolex · Aug 1, 2012

I already have vertical blade play due to ridiculously fast lock wear. But I am not going to send it in or anything I think overall it is a good design with Chinese quality, so you are getting a knife built to a certain price point and you need to expect problems with QC. If I had the same problem on a Sebenza or a custom I would throw a fit - all depends on what is acceptable at a given price point.

CrimsonTideShooter · Aug 1, 2012

SpyKers said:
I'm aware they will eventually wear out. That's not at all my concern. It's the timeframe at which this one wore out is my immediate concern. 1 week with light use is abnormal. My leek continues to truck along without fail

See, that's the thing with torsion bars. The period from day 1 till about month 2 is a crap shoot, but in my experience if they last those 2 months then they will last a loooooong time.

tfields · Aug 1, 2012

that is a ruff week . i hope things get better for ya!

SpyKers · Aug 1, 2012

CrimsonTideShooter said:
See, that's the thing with torsion bars. The period from day 1 till about month 2 is a crap shoot, but in my experience if they last those 2 months then they will last a loooooong time.

That's interesting to know. I've had nothing but wonderful experiences with torsion bars (until the Cryo). They were by far my favorite a/o style (and still are).

Hobo: Did you tighten the pivot and locktite it? Even after the torsion bar broke, the lock up on mine was SOLID

SpyKers · Aug 1, 2012

jimmer_5 said:
SpyKers - Can you send me an email or a private message with your email address?

- Jim

I feel that it is important to give credit where credit is due. I now see what all the hooplah about Kershaw customer service and warranties is all about. These guys (and gals) are amazing. Jim, thank you for your generosity and going that extra mile to ensure every customer is happy.

sticktodrum · Aug 2, 2012

I don't know exactly what happened, but I'm pretty sure it's awesome.

On the torsion bar, I haven't had an issue with mine. My Cryo has been my EDC since I got it, and it's been opened and closed countless times. So far, nothing has happened to it. Sorry to hear of the misfortune, and relieved to see that things are worked out.

EZ Bake · Aug 2, 2012

I haven't taken mine apart yet, but is there a ball-detent hole in the tang to retain the blade closed? If so, I'm considering taking my tortion bar out anyways, but I thought I read that there's no detent-hole and that only the tortion-bar holds it closed.

solidorange · Aug 2, 2012

EZ Bake said:
I haven't taken mine apart yet, but is there a ball-detent hole in the tang to retain the blade closed? If so, I'm considering taking my tortion bar out anyways, but I thought I read that there's no detent-hole and that only the tortion-bar holds it closed.

It has a detent ball, but no corresponding hole in the blade.