How do I ease the grip?

[TattooBlade]

Ease the grip my new Case Humback Whittler has on the blades when I'm trying to open it???

I've tried a few drops of oil and opening and closing it a bunch. The spear and spey blades seem to have loosened up enough to stop ripping off my nail, but the pen blade is killer tight.

Any suggestions???

 

[silenthunterstudios]

I'm in the same boat. The access cutout for the spey blade on my humpback stockman, which is much deeper than the spear and sheepsfoot blades, is not fully cut out of the stag. The stag looks beautiful, but if I can't use the spey blade, I don't see any reason for keeping it. I actually like a good pull on a blade, but the spey is way too tight.

Case said to send it in to them, and I will do that when I get a chance to. Remember, their repair department told me that their Christmas break is coming up soon, if they get something during the Christmas rush, they probably won't get it back to you until January.

 

[Rick]

I bought a G-10 Humpback Whittler when they first came out, and it too has near nail-breaker pulls on the two small blades, though the master blade is fine. Like you, I've oiled the joints, taped the edges and worked the action on both blades back and forth for quite a while, and they've eased up a tiny bit, but hard pulls seem to be the norm for this pattern.

 

[Railsplitter]

I'm in the same boat. The access cutout for the spey blade on my humpback stockman, which is much deeper than the spear and sheepsfoot blades, is not fully cut out of the stag.

I have a Humpback Whittler with exactly the same problem. The cutout in the liner is plenty deep enough but the cutout in the scales is just barely low enough to get my thumbnail in there. Not near enough room to get any leverage.

I have a Humpback Stockman on my Christmas wish list and I'll bet it will be the same way.

I don't mind the tough backsprings but Case needs to take a lot more material off of those cutouts.

 

[Railsplitter]

I got so carried away complaining about the cutouts that I forgot to add my suggestion.

Try opening the blade(s) to the point that the backspring is stressed to it's limit and leave them in that position for several days. It might loosen them up a bit.

 

[digdeep]

I got so carried away complaining about the cutouts that I forgot to add my suggestion.

Try opening the blade(s) to the point that the backspring is stressed to it's limit and leave them in that position for several days. It might loosen them up a bit.

Funny you should mention that because I was thinking about doing that to the new GEC trapper slippie I just bought. Tight nail breaker. :grumpy:

Does anyone else here think that if you leave the blades open halfway for a few weeks it would help to loosen the tension on those springs without doing any damage?

By the way my Case trapper opens with ease.

 

[grizzled gizzard]

I don't think that a couple weeks will do much of anything to any decent spring steel. Couple years, maybe. Have you tried working the blades to and fro while putting lateral stress each way? How about working them packed with rubbing compound?

 

[digdeep]

I don't think that a couple weeks will do much of anything to any decent spring steel. Couple years, maybe. Have you tried working the blades to and fro while putting lateral stress each way? How about working them packed with rubbing compound?

Don't think I'll try rubbing compound on this limited edition GEC but I'll take your suggestion about working the blades back and forth with the lateral stress and see what happens. Guess I shoulda thought of that myself
but thank you for your response.

 

[Flying Guillotine]

So did the lateral force + see-saw opening relieve the tension? I've a nasty pull on a new GEC that I'd love to EDC but the pull is a bit too nasty for comfort.