How to open a nail breaker?

[kamagong]

A couple of days ago I got a Schatt & Morgan Harness Jack. This knife was commissioned by waynorth, and it's a beauty. Beautiful goldenroot bone scales, and the fit and finish is excellent. In fact it's the best I've seen on a production slipjoint by far. There is no play at all in the main blade, which is good because I hate wobble. It also has polished liners and springs, a very nice touch.

There is one problem though. I haven't yet seen the punch blade on this knife. Try as I might I can't open it. Every time I attempt to I feel that my thumbnail is about to be ripped off. Any tips on opening a knife with a nail-busting spring?

 

[texasboy]

Grab the nail nick with a pair of fingernail cutters to open it. Then clean and lube the joint and that should take care of it. That has always worked for me.

 

[zeppos]

I remember seeing a thread about devices specially made to open nail breaker slipjoints. I'm not sure it was on BF, but some of them looked like guitar picks, that i do remember. Maybe someone else over here remembers?

 

[TLSmith]

contact Queen they will be happy to fix it.

Tom

You can file the edge of a piece of brass or even a coin to make a good fit into the nick and use that.

 

[sharp-e]

greateasterncutlery.com sells a brass pick made from original blade stamp. i recently paid $2.10 ea. works well with gnc's which can be tough. good luck

 

[jackknife]

I'll have to go with Mr. Smith's advise; send it back.
A knife should have a firm spring, but when you can't open it without breaking a nail, or using a second device or tool, its poor fitting. Not acceptable.

Maybe I'm spoiled, but I don't recall any of the pocket knives of my childhood that us boys couldn't open with minnor effort. I think today, some of the manufactures are going overboard on the "walk and talk" thing. If that knife can't be opened when your hands are wet, or tired, or a little numb from cold, then that knife should not have left the factory like that.

 

[sunnyd]

kamagong,

To open her just get an old rag and a pair of needle nose pliers and pull that punch blade open. If after you have cleaned and oiled the joint it still requires the same he-man effort to open, then I must be sound off as + 2 in sending her back to the S&M / Queen shop to have her fixed or replaced.

Please let us know how it works out whatever the fix is.

Best,

Anthony

 

[kamagong]

Thanks guys. Here's the knife I was talking about.

I don't think the bear trap spring is a defect or poor craftsmanship at all. It seems the designer asked Queen to make the spring for the punch extra stout.

The only complaint was the stiffness of the punch. On the first model I designed, that looks like the Robeson above, some guy was using the punch a lot, and closed it on a finger and cut himself pretty good. He was man enough to admit he was abusing it (dulled, so pushing too hard!), but I got paranoid, and asked Bill at Queen to keep it "stiff" for safety on this next model. Hard to open, but it stays open when you are using it. A punch is not like a blade. You change directions with it if you are not super careful, just by the way you twist it.

I'll play with it some more and try the tips you guys have given. If I still have trouble I'll send it in to Queen.