Broken omega springs :Benchmade Volli

E

Edgesnarf

Joined
Sep 7, 2013
Messages
231
What is up Benchmade? So I was flicking my newly de-assisted Volli while watching a show. I noticed it started to get wicked blade play. Every which way. Upon further inspection ,I saw that the omega spring had broke. I absolutely love this knife so 1) no way I'm leaving it out of commission 2) I'm not sending it back for warranty repair. I also am not sure if I would still have a warranty anyways; since I've melded with it... Anyway , I decided to borrow a spring from a griptilian I rarely carry. I had to cut it down and re-shape it since they are slightly different. So I successfully repaired my knife and alls well. However, I noticed that the springs for the Griptilian are a thicker gauge wire. Seems like a fairly significant difference. Why would you put such week , thin wire springs in an assisted knife? One that otherwise would be pretty robust. I've also noticed comments from other people complaining of blade play in the Volli. As of now mine is totally rock solid. I'm pretty certain it's the thicker spring that prevents vertical blade play.
 
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Is it possible that since the knife was an assist model that the omega springs are lighter so it doesn't interfere with the assist?
Just a guess as I do not have any assist models, but I would contact Benchmade and get a set of springs so all of your B's are up and running.
Good luck.
 
Edgesnarf,

The lighter gauged Omega Springs are used in the Volli for spacial purposes and are the same springs used in the 585 Barrage. Are the springs you used from a 551 (full size Griptilian)? In regards to blade play have you attempted to adjust the pivot screw at all?

Edgesnarf said:
What is up Benchmade? So I was flicking my newly de-assisted Volli while watching a show. I noticed it started to get wicked blade play. Every which way. Upon further inspection ,I saw that the omega spring had broke. I absolutely love this knife so 1) no way I'm leaving it out of commission 2) I'm not sending it back for warranty repair. I also am not sure if I would still have a warranty anyways; since I've melded with it... Anyway , I decided to borrow a spring from a griptilian I rarely carry. I had to cut it down and re-shape it since they are slightly different. So I successfully repaired my knife and alls well. However, I noticed that the springs for the Griptilian are a thicker gauge wire. Seems like a fairly significant difference. Why would you put such week , thin wire springs in an assisted knife? One that otherwise would be pretty robust. I've also noticed comments from other people complaining of blade play in the Volli. As of now mine is totally rock solid. I'm pretty certain it's the thicker spring that prevents vertical blade play.
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Hey Benchmade, thank you for responding. Just so you know this wasn't a complaint as much as a heads up. To answer your question ; yes the replacement was from a full size Griptilian. I cut it down and reshaped it to fit into the cutout in the scales. It currently has zero blade play. I had already adjusted the pivot screw and applied lock tight; so no play side to side. I mention the thicker springs also because it seemed to cure the slight vertical play.
 
When my mini grip broke a spring it gained light vertical play unless I forced the lock to engage like it should have with both springs.

Edgesnarf said:
Hey Benchmade, thank you for responding. Just so you know this wasn't a complaint as much as a heads up. To answer your question ; yes the replacement was from a full size Griptilian. I cut it down and reshaped it to fit into the cutout in the scales. It currently has zero blade play. I had already adjusted the pivot screw and applied lock tight; so no play side to side. I mention the thicker springs also because it seemed to cure the slight vertical play.
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So you don't flick it open with your thumb using the thumb stud? Or are you talking about using only your wrist to fling it open?
 
Helderberg said:
Is it possible that since the knife was an assist model that the omega springs are lighter so it doesn't interfere with the assist?
Just a guess as I do not have any assist models, but I would contact Benchmade and get a set of springs so all of your B's are up and running.
Good luck.
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Benchmade doesn't send out springs. It's a warranty repair item, which means they fix it free of charge.

aquaman67 said:
I've never understood why people insist on flicking knives open.

<shrugs>
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I've never understood why people insist on questioning other people flicking knives open...
 
Nope. I don't flick my knives at all. I open them with the studs but I don't flick them.

craytab said:
So you don't flick it open with your thumb using the thumb stud? Or are you talking about using only your wrist to fling it open?
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To explain why I never will...

From the time I was a child my father instilled in me that anything mechanical will wear and eventually fail.

Some may hear that thwack sound and think it's music to their ears but all I "hear" is the visualization of the stop bar being dented and worn every single time. I'm not a fan of lock play so I associate this action with premature and unnecessary wear.

Kevin.
 
richstag said:
To explain why I never will...

From the time I was a child my father instilled in me that anything mechanical will wear and eventually fail.

Some may hear that thwack sound and think it's music to their ears but all I "hear" is the visualization of the stop bar being dented and worn every single time. I'm not a fan of lock play so I associate this action with premature and unnecessary wear.

Kevin.
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Exactly.

It's like watching someone slamming the door closed on a '66 Mustang. I mean I guess it's theirs and they can do what they want with it, but it's abuse and so unnecessary IMO.
 
Yeah, I could not care less with what people do with their paychecks.

aquaman67 said:
Exactly.

It's like watching someone slamming the door closed on a '66 Mustang. I mean I guess it's theirs and they can do what they want with it, but it's abuse and so unnecessary IMO.
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I don't use anything but the studs to open my knives. There's a lot of years left in these things (without constant flipping) if we don't force them beyond what they're designed to do. Maybe that's why I've never broken an Omega spring...or maybe I've just been lucky is all. :rolleyes:
 
I think mine broke from sand and other abrasive and corrosive materials getting on the springs. I am much more careful now. I'm used to a sebenza in that respect. You can burry it in sand and nothing will change. Of course it wasn't purposeful when I got stuck on and island in a horrible storm that got my mini grip full of sand.

Live and learn I say. That or it just had a bad spring.

Either way, I look at the springs as the week link on a benchmade with axis lock. I prefer the axis lock to a frame lock so it's a tradeoff.

Kevin

jkarp_53 said:
I don't use anything but the studs to open my knives. There's a lot of years left in these things (without constant flipping) if we don't force them beyond what they're designed to do. Maybe that's why I've never broken an Omega spring...or maybe I've just been lucky is all. :rolleyes:
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I just spent 30 min makeing my own omega spring which works perfectly.I had a flashback of being in high school and trying to fix my ball point pen.
What is all the drama here,just make these available so us knife fanatics don`t have to get all creative and stuff.
 
Mechanical parts fail, sometimes prematurely due to microscopic things we can't see or easily perceive. A bad heat treat, flaw in metal grain from inclusions or maybe being nicked in the production process. Cycling a spring is one opening closer to failure, they add up day after day. Bad luck or other superstitious factors could totally be at fault. Also, I don't think springs care how fast (flicked) a knife is opened. Cycles kill knives. My Sage 2 wears the Ti frame lock every click. If someone pays money for a knife and wants to enjoy it by flicking... well flick on! If you get jollies from seeing how long you can make a knife last by leisurely opening that's great too! I plan on making replacements for mine if/when from music wire. No way I would send it back for such a minor issue. Do you change the oil on your car or at least the air filter? Manual AXIS locks are easy to work on. OP, awesome job on the fix for now!
 
I flick open all my knives including my Benchmades. It's not any worse on the knife than if it were assisted or automatic which clacks the blade open even harder. I'm not going to walk on egg shells with my pocket tool, life is too short.

In regards to the Omega spring breaking, well no surprise there springs do break from time to time. It could be for a number of various reasons. It would be logical if Benchmade would supply these to the customer but they don't. This is when having more than one knife comes in handy.
 
Ideal situation;next time I order something from knifeworks or BHQ I could click on parts accessories
and omega springs would be available with no guarentees.:)
 
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