How long do slip joint knife spring last?

C

Cb1997

Joined
Apr 13, 2012
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I have had a Case stockman for 2 years now and I want to know how Long the spring will last In them? If it does snap/break how do I replace it?
Thanks
 
I have my grandfather's Case knife that he took with him to Vietnam. So they tend to last for a while.
 
I guess I should also say it's still usable. Might not have the new spring pop but still a knife you could carry and use.
 
My oldest was manufactured 70-90 years ago... the tang is rounded. By design or by use, don't know or care. Still putting pressure on.
 
Cb1997 said:
I have had a Case stockman for 2 years now and I want to know how Long the spring will last In them? If it does snap/break how do I replace it?
Thanks
Click to expand...
as has been stated here they can last a loooong time and if not outright abused they will usually outlast the original owner, manufacturing defects aside.
as far as replacing the spring, i suppose one could try but slipjoints are complicated little things and better left to the pro's, not to mention youd have to have a donor knife, or fabricate a new backspring.
regards
gene
 
Cb1997 said:
I have had a Case stockman for 2 years now and I want to know how Long the spring will last In them? If it does snap/break how do I replace it?
Thanks
Click to expand...

Probably no need to worry with your Case, but if it breaks, you could probably get it covered under warrenty.

Lightning strikes, sometimes twice. Here's a custom slipjoint I carried for over 10 years that is currently back with the maker, hopefully getting repaired. The spring has broken on this knife twice in 10 years, several years apart both times. The maker assured me he tempered the spring properly both times. D2 blade and IIRC the spring was also D2. Never been a nail breaker, so don't think the spring was too stiff. There is a bit of visible corrosion on the spring, wonder if it eventually rusted enough to hit a defect in the metal then snapped. I have other slipjoints from this maker and none of them have had an issue.

brokenslipjoint.jpg
 
The blade tangs tend to wear out before the springs do, especially on the older ones. On knives I have taken apart, sometimes there is some wear at the point where the tang rubs the spring, but it's usually not that noticable.

Older Imperial blades were great steel, but got used up alot quicker. I have many knives that are in the 60-80 year old range, and the snap on those springs seems to be likely as strong as they were when originally sold.

I realize that doesn't answer the question about your more recent knife, but it should give you some perspective.

Glenn
 
I've seen a few really old knives that had weak springs but not having followed the knife from manufacture to its present state I've no idea what caused it. Tang wear? Tang/spring interface wear? Hard to tell.

The only knife I have ever had a spring break in was not a slipjoint it was a 1095 single blade lockback hunting knife. I used it for a couple years and it broke. I sent it back and they repaired it. I used it another year and it promptly broke again... it is sitting in my drawer now. No idea if I'll bother getting it fixed again.

Will
 
I have an old, very well-used Wadsworth cattleman that was made between 1905 and 1917. Both the master and secondary blades have been sharpened down to almost nothing, and both of the springs still have snap to them. Slipjoints are made to last.
 
I've only ever had one backspring fail & that was due to degassing. The fumes eat right thru the backspring (an 80's Fightin Rooster Barlow w/Christmas tree scales)
 
How long do slip joint springs last?

My dad was given a Case peanut by his mother in 1938. He carried that knife until he passed away in 1981. I have that knife, and still carry it once in a while. The springs are still good.

In 1953 on my 12th birthday, I was given a new Camillus boy scout knife by my dad. My youngest son is carrying that knife today. Springs are still good.

In 1967 I bought a brand new Buck 301 stockman. I carried that knife for 25 years as my edc, including a tour in Vietnam. The knife is still good to go with some blade wear. The springs are still good.

I'm 71 years old, and have carried just slip joints all my life. I've never had a spring wear out or fail with the exception of those damm military all steel scout knives, the MLK knives. They were junk anyways.
 
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