GEC farm and field problem

Haven't read that this is common. Maybe someone who has one will drop by.
 
Can't say I have this problem with mine. Would put some oil on the lock or try opening and closing it a bunch of times and that might break it in more. Maybe you have something stuck in there also.
 
I have had two of these and neither exhibited this issue. I am wondering if it is the lock bar is a little long, and is sticking against the tang of the knife. How long have you had the knife?
 
ive had the knife about 2 months now and is my edc . it just takes ALOT of pressure to actually push down and close the blade . ive oiled and played with the lock part for some time now,,am thinking of sending it back.
 
vic2367 said:
ive had the knife about 2 months now and is my edc . it just takes ALOT of pressure to actually push down and close the blade . ive oiled and played with the lock part for some time now,,am thinking of sending it back.
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If it has been that long, I would probably contact them and see about sending it in.
 
yeah thats what im gonna do ,,was just wondering if this was a normal feature on this type of blade ,,

many thanks everyone

vic
 
I had a #72 lockback and the force to depress it for release sometimes felt like it was more than it should have needed but most of the time it was fine. It can be a pretty close tolerance to match up the lockbar to the blade tang and make it all work in concert with the spring tension. If one part of that setup is off by a little it can throw the whole operation out of spec.

That said, it seems like you just have a really hard spring. Contact GEC and I'm sure they'll take a lot at it for you.
 
GEC just doesn't have their lock back system down pat. I used to think the minor verticle blade play and minor blade wobble and sometimes the hard releasing lever were seldom encountered problems but not anymore. There are just too many complaints about the lockback system from GEC. I have several #72s and one is dang near impossible to disengage but I have chosen to live with it. Another two have miniscule verticle blade play and again, I've chosen to live with it - doesn't bother me actually. The others are perfect.

If you're not happy with your knife send it to GEC for a once-over and possible repair.
 
If you can't disengage the lock without difficulty then it is certainly not working as it should be. Ed is correct, GEC certainly do seem to have problems with their lockback system. Blade-play appears to be rather common, it may not matter OK, but I take issue with people who claim that play is inherent in all lockbacks. It is not. GEC need to dismantle a Moki to see how it's done, properly.

Back to the hard to disengage lock, this cancels out the whole point of a lockback for me. Rather discouraging because I'm on the brink of getting a Wall Street Tidioute in Green Bone, looks a fine knife and has 3 blade options, but if the thing is near impossible to disengage then I don't want it. As it is based on the Field & Farm design it worries me. The tight lock and any potential lack of snap might just be due to GEC pinning them hard to cut down on the blade play.
 
The tight lock would have absolutely nothing to do with the pivot pin. And lack of snap is inherent in the design because a lock back knife has a lock bar mechanism, not a back spring as in a slip joint knife.
 
rma100 said:
The tight lock would have absolutely nothing to do with the pivot pin. And lack of snap is inherent in the design because a lock back knife has a lock bar mechanism, not a back spring as in a slip joint knife.
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Sorry, I can't agree with you here.

Admittedly, I don't know the actual mechanics used in lockbacks, or rather GEC lockbacks, but I have some Weidmannsheils, CASE Copperlocks, Moki, Schrade,Queen lockbacks and they will all snap satisfyingly and smartly on the return. They don't need guiding back or anything like that.

Regards, Will
 
None of my Buck 110's or Case Copperlocks or Case Small Lock Backs have any snap whatsoever. Seems dangerous, as soon as you press the lock bar the knife snaps shut.
 
Both of you seem somewhat correct. I haven't taken one apart, but by looking at it think I can explain the difference. My #99 seems to have a single bar/spring that is a solid piece from the center pin to the blade - but "wishbones" (for lack of a better term) from the center pin back to the release. The top tine is captured in a slot on the end spacer and the bottom tine is the locking release. This gives the release the spring back into position and a nominal amount of snap.

Many other lockbacks add an additional and separate spring in the end spacer that puts pressure on the bar itself. In a Case Copperlock extends to apply pressure between the center pin and the blade; but I have seen them made several ways. This additional spring eliminates the fine tuning to get a wishbone that will add good snap, but leave an easy release.

If you look down into the cavity of your opened lockback and see what looks like a separate spring coming from the end spacer (not the correct term), then it should have more action than one that appears to be all one piece. Just a difference in design and a few more hand operations.

Now I have posted way more information than I actually know and will probably have to post a retraction later....
 
rma100 said:
The tight lock would have absolutely nothing to do with the pivot pin. And lack of snap is inherent in the design because a lock back knife has a lock bar mechanism, not a back spring as in a slip joint knife.
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It most certainly is a backspring that pivots on the middle pin. Once disengaged the tang stays in contact with the spring until fully closed. The only difference between locking and non-locking is a notch in the tang and a tab on the spring to fit the notch. There is no other mechanical difference.
 
Markesharp said:
It most certainly is a backspring that pivots on the middle pin. Once disengaged the tang stays in contact with the spring until fully closed. The only difference between locking and non-locking is a notch in the tang and a tab on the spring to fit the notch. There is no other mechanical difference.
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This would be a stretch, if for no other reason than simply the fact there is one pin through a lockbar and two thru a spring. Two pins allow much more pressure to be applied without negatively affecting other components (other than that gator snap). One pin requires pressure to come from somewhere else (split spring in this case) which greatly diminishes the pressure that can be applied without negatively affecting other components (the release in this case). Now admittedly the top half of the split is captured, but that is not the same as the full mechanism being pinned.
 
Thanks for that link Greg - great work.

However, the underlying tone of this thread is that GEC needs to do some work on their lockback system as does Queen for that matter. Perhaps it has to do with some of the older machinery that GEC uses but it's something worth looking into.
 
knifeswapper said:
This would be a stretch, if for no other reason than simply the fact there is one pin through a lockbar and two thru a spring. Two pins allow much more pressure to be applied without negatively affecting other components (other than that gator snap). One pin requires pressure to come from somewhere else (split spring in this case) which greatly diminishes the pressure that can be applied without negatively affecting other components (the release in this case). Now admittedly the top half of the split is captured, but that is not the same as the full mechanism being pinned.
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Not a stretch...a fact Mike. No matter how you slice it, the spring is pinned in two places and the tang has contact with the spring on opening and closing the blade just like a non-locking traditional. Simple mechanics my friend.
 
The physical stress of the GEC lockback on the "backspring" is between the center pin and the release (inside the "wishbone"). The physical stress of the slipjoint on the backspring is between the center pin and the blade. That is like saying a big boy holding one end of a see-saw is just as supportive as a diving board. BTW, the spring is not in contact with the tang on a lockback at all times if you are pressing the release hard enough.

I concur that with both there is some amount of pressure on the blade at all times in standard operation; but I can't go as far as to say that makes them mechanically identical.

But, my way of thinking is wrong a lot; at least that is what my wife has explained to me....
 
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