gec #55 springs too stiff?

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Feb 17, 2007
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Hi everyone,

I just purchased two knives that are made by GEC and they are #53 and a #55 wharncliff. Why are the #55 springs so stiff? I can just barely open the knife with my fingernail. I guess I need to send it back for them to lighten. the F&F are great but the stiff springs make me not want to buy another.
 
You can lighten the pull your self, by working it for a while. I You can also leave the knife part way open for a while (in a safe place where kiddies won't get their fingers on it). That can also lighten the pull.

I have a few I was able to get the pull from what I consider a 9 down to about a 5/6.
 
A good cleaning and oiling of the joints will also help. Sometimes a little polishing compound get left in there after the final buffing.
 
Sometimes a simple call to Great Eastern will solve your problem. In my experience, Ms. Christine is very personable and helpful. If you have a problem with the strenth of the pull, it can be solved by sending the knives back for an adjustment. I've had nothing but good experience with their customer service.
 
clipboard said:
Hi everyone,

I just purchased two knives that are made by GEC and they are #53 and a #55 wharncliff. Why are the #55 springs so stiff? I can just barely open the knife with my fingernail. I guess I need to send it back for them to lighten. the F&F are great but the stiff springs make me not want to buy another.
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All good recommendations above. Since you are new here and I can't really tell from your post if these are your "first two" GEC's; let me shine some light on their philosophy. GEC really likes knives to snap and therefore generally has tighter backsprings than any other maker out there at this time. I haven't noticed any 55's having tight springs, so you might have an anomaly. But sounds like you definitely want to stay clear of their #23, #73, #25 patterns (maybe a couple more); as they have a reputation as nail-killers. Very few people are neutral, some hate the gator snap and some love the gator snap. But one of the byproducts of the tight backsprings is that the factory does not have to shim the joints to reduce resistance as much as most other makers, thus you get blades with less "play".

Another thing to consider is that your #53 has radius end allowing for smooth opening beginning to close and your #55 has a square end (half stop) which gives you a tougher take-off on beginning your open (up to about 45 degrees) and then will pop to 90 degrees.

Either way GEC can tame it for you.
 
I too had a tight spring on my 55. Not too big of a deal, but while we are on the subject, the 55 was a little larger than what I was looking for in this pattern. I was hoping for something more along the lines of the Case SBJ. So I traded out of mine. Would love to see GEC eventually produce this pattern as a mini.
 
thanks for the reply. I will try leaving knives open to see if that helps. if not will send the #55 back to gec for adjustment. Funny thing is my case knives have good walk and talk but and no wobble in blades but are less than half the pressure to open them and quality is not far behind. love my swayback jack and wharncliff copperhead red bone!
 
clipboard said:
thanks for the reply. I will try leaving knives open to see if that helps. if not will send the #55 back to gec for adjustment. Funny thing is my case knives have good walk and talk but and no wobble in blades but are less than half the pressure to open them and quality is not far behind. love my swayback jack and wharncliff copperhead red bone!
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Also less pressure for it to close on your fingers.
 
My 55 has a pretty strong spring, but if my fingers and blade are dry enough, there is no problem just pinching the blade open. It is getting easier through use, but sometimes you just have to manhandle these strong springs. You run the knife, don't let the knife run you;)
 
They also get better over time. I still haven't gotten around to sending both of my 23's to GEC to get their pull and snap reduced. Most of my other knives don't have the bear spring trap of death, I had a 73, my first GEC, that was really bad. Turned me off of their knives for a couple years.

Made me miss out on all of the GEC goodness out there.
 
my #53 furtaker trapper isn't that bad. just a little hard to open. now my #55 is going back this week. it caught the top of my thump pushing the linerlock with closing on top of my thump. what a cut! it's so hard to open my poor fingernail is waving the white flag!
 
Just got a #55. The spring is a 10 out of 10, imo. Perfectly crisp and snappy, but not too hard to open at all.
 
My new Outlaw Jack is pretty tough to open on the main blade, the combination of long-pull and stiff spring is making my thumbnail sore. I blasted the pivot area out with electrical contact cleaner (lots of black gunk came out) and oiled it with mineral oil. It's much smoother now but I'm still having a hard time with the first 1/3 of the travel. I may leave it partially open for a while and see if that helps. It's still a keeper!
 
sent my #55 back. hopefully will get it back ina couple of weeks. I asked them to lighten it enough to open knife without using thumbnail. hopefully it will suffice and I really like a wharncliffe as an EDC.
 
Good to send it back so GEC knows that they are just too stiff. I've sold off most of mine in favor of ones that I don't struggle with. One of the best is a GEC made Scagel that can be pinched open but still has a solid snap. Part of it is due to the nicely balance pull combined with the abilty to get ahold of the blade well. I also enjoy my 2011 Forum knife that has an EZ pull cut-out. Firm but easy to pull out the blade even when my fingers are a little wet.
 
I have a 2006 case 6249w copperhead that opens using your fingertips and closes with good snap. it is quickly becoming my favorite edc.
 
akadave2 said:
Am I missing something? People dont use the nail nick?
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Not to get too far off topic, but I mostly carry knives that can be pinched open rather than using the nail nick. That doesn't only include EOs either. I only use the nail nicks on my pen blades. I HATE blades that combine 8-10/10 springs, half stops, and non-pinchable blades. My thumb knuckles always get cut up.
 
medicevans said:
Not to get too far off topic, but I mostly carry knives that can be pinched open rather than using the nail nick. That doesn't only include EOs either. I only use the nail nicks on my pen blades. I HATE blades that combine 8-10/10 springs, half stops, and non-pinchable blades. My thumb knuckles always get cut up.
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No we are still on topic. Stiff springs would definitely require the use of the nail nick. I have a couple of knives that I can open with a pinch but for the most part 99% of my traditionals require the use of the nick. GEC is a bad choice for those just wanting to pinch since their springs are notoriously stout.
 
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