Broken spring club

Redmasta

Redmasta

Joined
Jul 17, 2013
Messages
1,002
Well, popped my broken Omega spring cherry today. Carried this 525 on and off for 2 years now and the Omega spring gave out today. Took the scale off and other than a little pocket lint cant see what would have caused it.

Im assuming Benchmade still makes you send the entire knife in for a little spring? [emoji34] Fortunately I have a 527 mini presidio i can rob one from. Good thing to have multiple knives...

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That stinks. Look on the inside of the scale and see if there is a spot where the spring was rubbing.
 
Get guitar string wire and make a replacement.
 
marthinus said:
Get guitar string wire and make a replacement.
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Already cannibalized my 527 and took both the Omega springs out. My 525 is back up and running and I have one spring ready now as backup when another one fails.

Holding on to the broken spring to send in with the 527 to get replacements. I don't particularly like the 527 "ultra" presidio version and only reason I kept it around was to use as back up parts for my 525 in this exact situation.
 
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Wanted to update this thread. Today the Omega spring on the other side of my 525 has broken. I'll post pics when I get the knife apart.

Now my 527 will be stripped of both its springs, guess it's time to go through the hassle of sending the entire knife in. Extremely irritating Benchmade won't just mail you the springs when they are so prone to failing.

I use my knife quite a bit daily and I can see this is going to be an issue. I wouldn't really mind the springs breaking as I love the quickness of the axis lock and installing new ones is so simple a drunken monkey could do it.

Suppose I could make my own out of guitar string, or just carry my PM2 from now on. Decisions, decisions...
 
May I pick your brain for a moment?

When closing the knife, do you disengage the lock by pulling back on both Axis lock buttons simultaneously or do you only pull backwards on one side?
 
To close the knife I usually pull back the axis lock with my thumb and index finger and flick it shut.

The spring is not rubbing on anything and I keep the knife reasonably clean. The only explanation I can come up with is that the omega spring being a very thin gauge metal wire and being put under stress during every open and close it eventually just gives out.

My knife is constantly in and out of my pocket at work to cut things open. Ive been carrying my 525 the most as of late as I really like it. I either need to stock up on Omega springs or carry it less to spread out the wear on the springs.
 
Redmasta said:
To close the knife I usually pull back the axis lock with my thumb and index finger and flick it shut....
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Okay. So much for my theory. I was thinking that the springs might have more stress put on them and therefore be more likely to break if the user only pulled back on one side or the other of the Axis lock buttons when disengaging. Apparently not the case.

I recently returned to carrying a Benchmade (710). Years ago I carried a 440C Griptilian for several years and never had a problem with the springs. Maybe I was just lucky. Or maybe others have just been unlucky.
 
Even more surprising to me is that no maker or manufacturer is making available aftermarket Omega springs. Heck, the Axis mech can be cloned but nobody can whip up some springs? My gut says there's more to it than bending wire (avoiding burrs, heat treatment, etc.), but dang, we've got unnecessary aftermarket pocket clips, lanyard beads with embellishments, stand-offs, clip tab fillers, you name it selling for ten to hundreds of dollars and no one has figured out the Axis spring? And to top it off, Cookie Monster doesn't eat cookies anymore. Just wow.
 
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Professor said:
Even more surprising to me is that no maker or manufacturer is making available aftermarket Omega springs. Heck, the Axis mech can be cloned but nobody can whip up some springs? My gut says there's more to it than bending wire (avoiding burrs, heat treatment, etc.), but dang, we've got unnecessary aftermarket pocket clips, lanyard beads with embellishments, stand-offs, clip tab fillers, you name it selling for ten to hundreds of dollars and no one has figured out the Axis spring? And to top it off, Cookie Monster doesn't eat cookies anymore. Just wow.
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Not much to it. I make my own springs. Better than factory :)
 
kniferbro said:
Not much to it. I make my own springs. Better than factory :)
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Better how? I'm sincerely asking, as while I know where to find different gauges of stainless wire, I'm curious about how to make the clean bends, and if any heat treatment is required? I'd love to go with a slightly thicker gauge and create more tension all around.
 
Interesting thread. I open and close my 940 constantly and no problems yet. Nock on wood 🌲
 
It happens but BM will take care of you, never had an issue with them. Excellent service. Gary
 
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