Broken Omega spring

P

Psychopomp

Joined
Feb 21, 2005
Messages
2,662
Let me preface this by saying that this is in no way a complaint about Benchmade's quality, which I think it outstanding.

I noticed a few days ago that my 710 wasn't opening very smoothly but didn't think too much about it. I assumed it was dirty and left it at that. Today I finally decided to open it up and found this:

IMG_0552.jpg


It took two and a half years of everyday carry and use for this to happen, so despite being a bit upset about it, I'm pretty pleased that it hung on this long. And I know Benchmade will take good care of me.

However, this is the first time I've ever had to use the warranty on a knife. What's Benchmade's usual turn around time on issues like this? This is the old 154cm version and despite that, I don't want it replaced, should I tell them that or do they even consider replacing?

I'll be sending it to them probably on Wednesday, so while my 710 is at the doctor, I'll be carrying this beauty that I bought a year and a half ago and have yet to carry:

IMG_0571.jpg
 
Depends, I once badly bent the pocket clip on one of my 710s. After a phone call, Benchmade mailed me a new clip for free.

However, I've no idea if the omega springs are a simple drop-in replacement. Give them a call--they might be able to mail you the springs + save the hassle of shipping it back.
 
Technically you've voided the warranty by taking it apart. But don't worry about it, just put it back together and send it off, but definitely don't mention via phone or email that you've taken it apart. I find it annoying but they won't just mail you a new omega spring :grumpy:
 
Doesn't it void the warranty if you open a Benchmade? Don't tell them you opened it and just say the blade isn't opening like normal. You'll probably have to ship it back to them and they'll replace the spring.
 
In the past Benchmade was pretty picky about opening them up, but I've heard from several people that more recently, if you don't push the issue, they won't say anything.

Whatever the case, I'm willing to pay them whatever an Omega spring costs to fix it.

They've never been willing to ship out springs.. don't want anyone to steal their design, but I've seen Chinese knock-offs for as long as I've seen Axis locks, shouldn't matter anymore.

And to be honest, I'm also kinda looking forward to carrying my Spyderco Centofante. That knife intrigued me from the day it came out but it took me a while to pull the trigger on it, and after I did it took a little while longer to choose which blade configuration I wanted... we'll see how the Wharncliffe blade treats me after, after I convert it to tip up.
 
Last edited:
There was some talk some time ago about making your own omega springs. I'm especially interested with this one as I'm living in Malaysia and I'm not too keen with sending my Benchmades to the US and back again. Don't even know the warranty covers non-us owners :(

Perhaps someone with some knowledge in steel especially in srings can make a few hundred and sell it in BF? If selling is against the law then maybe give it away for coffee in my house :)
 
I've read that piano wire is very similar to the springs Benchmade uses. Not sure which guage though.
 
Once you get that Cento4 in your pocket you may have a hard time putting the 710 back in!
 
Psychopomp said:
In the past Benchmade was pretty picky about opening them up, but I've heard from several people that more recently, if you don't push the issue, they won't say anything.

Whatever the case, I'm willing to pay them whatever an Omega spring costs to fix it.
They've never been willing to ship out springs.. don't want anyone to steal their design, but I've seen Chinese knock-offs for as long as I've seen Axis locks, shouldn't matter anymore.

And to be honest, I'm also kinda looking forward to carrying my Spyderco Centofante. That knife intrigued me from the day it came out but it took me a while to pull the trigger on it, and after I did it took a little while longer to choose which blade configuration I wanted... we'll see how the Wharncliffe blade treats me after, after I convert it to tip up.
Click to expand...


Thank you for making me smile this morning.
Integrity sometimes shows it self in the smallest of places:thumbup:
 
Hawkings said:
Thank you for making me smile this morning.
Integrity sometimes shows it self in the smallest of places:thumbup:
Click to expand...

If the warranty covers it, then great. But I've taken this knife apart many many times for cleanings (it gets used hard) so I know I don't have a valid warranty claim.

I'm not expecting something for nothing and this knife is worth fixing.

I will say though, I'm liking the Spyderco C4 a lot. I always have and it's been a desk knife for a while now, but it's never gotten any pocket time. I decided not to convert to tip up just to see how it carries. I don't like the sharp point at the top of the thumb ramp and that may get ground off tomorrow afternoon.

It's the first Spyderco I've carried in several years and I'm liking the weight factor again. I know the C4 isn't as heavy duty a knife as the 710, but I don't have any doubts that it'll stand up to what I need a knife for.

It was actually a tough decision over what the carry in the absence of the 710. The choice came down to the C4 and and a ten year old Kershaw ATS-34, G-10 Hawk. But you don't see many of the Hawks around anymore so I've been a bit careful with it of late.
 
i dont know why ya couldnt use some spring wire (or whatever they call it) and bend it around, i have used that wire to make some similar springs in old guns which i couldnt find an example being the slide release lever spring on a star BMK.
 
dont worry terribly about taking it apart. One of my co-workers has a presidio auto that he took apart to clean and then couldnt get it back together right so he drove on over with it in a ziploc bag they cleaned it up replaced the springs/hardware and sent him on his way free of charge.
 
Benchmade still hasn't emailed me back. Is this normal?

I think I'll give them a call Monday and see what we can work out. I'm really liking the Spyderco Centofante 4, but I miss my 710.
 
Never email when you can call. Turnaround should be quick. The only time I sent a BM back for an Omega spring it was there for one day, and on its way back to me by 2nd day UPS the next.
BM does not now, and never has cared about you disassembling the knife. Consider that a disclaimer against extreme idiocy and warranty abuse, and don't worry about it.
 
I think most companies of this size do much, much better on the phone than by email. Give 'em a call - bet you get quick service.
 
Well, I called last week, but it was after business hours, so I left a message. Never heard back from them.

Today I decided to deal with the problem myself and started searching around the house. I couldn't find anything suitable until I remembered that last week I broke the low E string on my Stratocaster but couldn't find a pair of wire cutters and just put the guitar back in the case with the loose string end still on.

Opened up the case, snipped the string and used the unwound part of the end of the string. It isn't pretty, and probably won't last as long, but it works. Locks up just as rock solid as it always did. When my fix breaks, I'll try Benchmade again, but until then I'm pretty pleased with it.
 
11 points (out of 10) for creativity and determination. Thanks for reminding us to keep our eyes open when things get fouled up.
 
So far so good and thinking about it, this may be a viable option... and at least cheaply and easily replaced when it does break.

In the end it was a fairly easy fix. I took about two inches of string end and started in the middle and made a complete coil around the Axis bar and held it there until it conformed to shape then clipped it off. Then with the string taken off the lock bar, I used a pair of pliers to bend the last 16th of an inch or so to fit into the liner.

Before puiting it back around the lock bar and into the liner, I rolled the string around a Sharpie to create a close to circular bend and to prevent it from folding in the middle as I tried to fit the end into the liner.

I do have two areas of concern though, so we'll use this as a running experiment and see what happens.

My first concern is the ability of the string to retain a useful degree of springyness over time. These strings are meant to be coiled and eventually stay in place and it's not as thick as the stock Omega springs. But with such a short length, I don't see it becoming a problem for a while at least.

The other area of concern and the only major concern is at the bend where the spring fits into the liner. I tried my best to make this more of a slightly rounded bend instead of a 90 degree fold in hopes that it won't break too soon.
 
Hey Guys..

Doesn't Knifekits.com sell spring kits??I thought at one time they sold an omega spring..

I'd check out that situation before sending it back...

If it's not them,, then someone was for sure making them...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
Cotherion said:
There was some talk some time ago about making your own omega springs. I'm especially interested with this one as I'm living in Malaysia and I'm not too keen with sending my Benchmades to the US and back again. Don't even know the warranty covers non-us owners :(

Perhaps someone with some knowledge in steel especially in srings can make a few hundred and sell it in BF? If selling is against the law then maybe give it away for coffee in my house :)
Click to expand...

Well ok it is about five years ago since i had the same question. At that time Benchmade offered me, not to send my defective knife in and gave me a free replacement. Guess, since buisiness must have grown, they will no longer do that.

Sometimes they send springs outside the us.

My personal perspective is "self made springs". Ability to do it yourself is a great option.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top