Blade bottoming out

Joined
Apr 17, 2017
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290
I just bought a new GEC #13 whittler. It seems to be well built, with the exception of one of the secondary blades bottoms out on the spring in the center where the hump is and leaves a tiny nick in the blade and the spring. I'm guessing the kick was ground down a little short, causing the problem.
It looks like the blade nick will sharpen out easily enough, but the short kick will probably cause problems until it bottoms out to its final stopping point. I taped up my Spyderco Medium pocket stone so only the very end was exposed and tried to remove a little material from to spring, but so far only removing brass from the liner. Should I plow along until I get down to the spring, or is there a better way of solving this problem, or is this a fatal flaw?
Seems like I read someone write about gluing a bit of cork in the bottom of the well, but I dont want to do that if there is a better solution.

TIA
 
Carefully hammer the kick larger. You might have to use a punch to do it.
It won't take moving much metal to make a difference.
 
If this were a used knife or bought secondhand, trying to fix it on your own might be OK. But, with a brand new knife, presumably with a factory warranty to come with it, I'd send it back to GEC and let them fix it. It's a flaw that shouldn't have gotten past QC.

It may be that a few sharpenings will make the edge retreat far enough to avoid future contact with the spring when closed. But there's no guarantee that'll fix it.

Some have 'peened' the kick (as Bill mentions above) just enough to lengthen the kick a tiny bit and make it taller. It's possible the factory may fix it in this manner, if it's sent back. I'd still be inclined to let them do it under warranty coverage.
 
After a few, maybe 4, sharpen and test cycles I think the problem is solved, at the cost of time and steel.

I bought the knife on the board in "excellent condition" so I'll assume that would exclude the knife from free GEC warranty work, but don't know for sure. Looked to be NIT, with a couple light rubs.

I wonder if another solution would be to take a very sharp chisel like object and deepen the notch in the spring that was made by the blade. Probably be tricky to do without screwing the knife up.

Thanks again for your help.
 
is there a better way of solving this problem
Yes. Send it back to GEC.
If you don't think I can't relate check out this thread : LINK > > >
The difference is my knife is more "rare" though not more expensive.
You'll see why it is "rare" when you read my thread.
and
there was absolutely no hope of Boker helping me.
GEC deals with this sort of thing daily and fixes it for their customers. They take it in stride. (a little too often in my opinion from what I have read in BladeForums but as was pointed out to me and rightfully so : one shouldn't believe all the negative comments posted here about one company or another without giving the company a chance to make it right).
I had a great experience with another company (not GEC) when I was told I wouldn't be helped).
GEC help is accessible give 'em a shot at making you happy.
 
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