Folders that are nail splitters

O

ohenkowski

Joined
Oct 4, 2010
Messages
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I just received a black pearl mini trapper rough rider in the mail from EBay. It is a very good looking knife but it is a thumb nail splitter. I have put blue lube on it but it is still to stiff to carry as an EDC. I also purchased a Schrade trapper that suffers from the same annoying stifness. It makes me pause before purchasing another folder. Any suggested cure for this problem
 
No cure except by the time you give it to your Grandson it might be a little easier to open! Some knives just have monster backspring. I have a great little Kissing Crane Sodbuster that almost needs needle nose pliers to open. It sits because I'm not yanking off a thumbnail trying to use it. Hang around the "traditional" forum as it has a wealth of info.
 
agrussell.jpg


maybe AG Russell’s Steel Thumbnail will help
 
It's not something that I would really recommend for top quality knives, but back before the various "one hand opener" knives with assorted holes and studs attached to the blades became so common, we would loosen up the action on our Parker and United Cutlery knives by putting a little #0000 lapping compound into the hinge mechanism, then opening and closing it constantly until it was smooth and relatively easy, then washing the residue out with solvent. You might try something like that with jewelers rouge, Semichrome polish, or something of the sort,less abrasive than the lapping compound.
 
Avenger, you beat me to it. Yes, I have used valve grinding (lapping) compount with decent results. Sometimes a little side to side pressure on the blade (blade held in vice) without it being too much to disrupt the bolster pin can help also, as side pressure does play a part in stiffness as the spring rubs the liners.. (Don't do the last thing unless you are sure this is to be a work knife, not a sshowpiece.)
 
timberweasel said:
Rough Rider and Case also make knife-opener tools...
Click to expand...

OMG there are so many of these issues that people make tools to open knives?

All the more reason to avoid thumbnail opening systems as much as possible; it seems like most of these issues are coming from slipjoints--different strokes for different folks, but there've been many "why do you need a knife to open that quickly" threads directed at assisted openers, flippers, etc; a fair question then is why on earth would you want a knife that you can't even pry open with two hands? What's next, someone will sell you a metal hand to hold the knife while you jimmy your metal thumbnail into the knife hoping you can force it open?

Sounds like awful manufacturing to me.

Can't imagine how such a knife would suffice either as a "work" knife (if it doesn't open it doesn't WORK IMO) or a "showpiece". I would be hard pressed to display a knife that couldn't be opened, let's just say the scales on that knife would have to be PRETTY spectacular to avoid getting "displayed" in the trash can.
 
My point matt, was that often you can loosen the blade pull with a few tricks, but if don't finesse your work you might do damage which womeone down the road who gives a hoot about cosmetics might not like (which ain't me). All the knives I've carried for fifty some years have been work knives, and I for one am not rich enough to throw them in the trash without a try at improving them.
 
I open it at the half stop point or where ever the spring is at greatest flex and leave it there overnight. Does wonders and makes the walk much better
 
Or you can grab the very edge of the blade in a vise with copper jaws and work that first third or half of the action back and forth 20-50 times. Wear leather gloves.

Then wash the knife in hot water to get any gunk out and dry with a hair dryer .

That's what I did to my Kissing Crane Brown Mule sodbusters. Worked well, but the new Italian model is still a krappy knife (poor steel).
 
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