Case Backspring Question.

Nathan Dewey

Nathan Dewey

Joined
Nov 29, 2009
Messages
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Does Case Knives use the same steel for their back springs regardless of the blade steel? Like if the knife has Chrome Vanadium blades, will it have CV back springs to match?
 
Nathan Dewey said:
Does Case Knives use the same steel for their back springs regardless of the blade steel? Like if the knife has Chrome Vanadium blades, will it have CV back springs to match?
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My assumption would be that they use the same steel on all the handles unless they mark it otherwise. I don't know much about CV, but if it is harder, it would not make sense to make it a back spring.

I could be wrong, please don't flog me if I am:)
 
Their use of ss for spings on CV knives is a nice feature. I have one Uncle Henry with nice Schrade+ blades and carbon freakin springs! Defeats the whole purpose of SS.
 
They didnt always do this though right?

Older case knives would have carbon backsprings...mine are way too dark for stainless.
 
Sparljo said:
They didnt always do this though right?

Older case knives would have carbon backsprings...mine are way too dark for stainless.
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That's true. I have some carbon steel Case knives from the before the 70s and I am positive the springs are also carbon steel.
 
They use the same SS for all there backsprings, and I like a SS backspring.

I was once told by a member here they(and other factory knives) didn't heat treat the springs, and thats why they get weaker over a long period of use/time.
Does anyone know if thats true ?

Also, I was told a handmade with heat treated spring, will stay the same pull tension. Not sure about that either???
 
Ken44 said:
They use the same SS for all there backsprings, and I like a SS backspring.

I was once told by a member here they(and other factory knives) didn't heat treat the springs, and thats why they get weaker over a long period of use/time.
Does anyone know if thats true ?

Also, I was told a handmade with heat treated spring, will stay the same pull tension. Not sure about that either???
Click to expand...

It's not a spring until they heat treat it. All springs are heat treated. If you didn't they would bend and stay there.
 
Tony Bose said:
It's not a spring until they heat treat it. All springs are heat treated. If you didn't they would bend and stay there.
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Thanks. In all my years I should have known that:o:o

I think I was just having a brain fart....and if not, thats my storey and I'm sticken to it:p




Tony, (or any one else that may know),
I've got a few older Case knives that the spring has gotton lighter on over the years.
Do you think the backspring by a good custom maker is going to keep the same pull longer than a factory knife?

I suspect maybe it will, but have no idea why???
Yeah, I'm an idiot when it comes to the making of knives, and such:o
 
Over the years, opening and closing traditional knives, would possibly make the tension on the springs lighter, simply because of the abrading nature of steel on steel. It may not be so much the springs becoming "weaker" alone. I'm thinking that after a while, the steel will be abraded slowly away from the blade/spring-interface, smoothening it significantly. And possibly removing metal from the springs. (As the springs are generally much softer in hardness than the blades, it would make sense.)

That's what i think atleast. If anyone who knows more about traditionals could chime in and educate us all, it'd be a treat. :D
 
aayra, That seems to make alot of sence to me.


But I wonder if the custom makers heat treat there springs to a higher rockwell than the standard factory knife?
I would think so, but really have no idea, as I've already shown how little I know about this:p
 
In addition to the wear there is the issues of fatigue and creep. Over time steel will "take a set" and conform to the deformed shape resulting from strains on it (creep). Softer (annealed) metals are more subject to creep. The larger grains flow in response to the strains.

Harder metals can fatigue over cycles of use but this usually leads to embrittlement and breakage.

I think creep is why springs weaken over time.

Springs are heat treated but not to the high hardness of blade steel otherwise they'd snap pretty quickly due to fatigue.

Like blade steel heat treat can be optimized to avoid both creep and fatigue making them last longer without weakening.
 
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