I cannot open my GEC #73 slip joint

RyanW said:
Crazy that it is that tight, when I was 6 I asked my dad for a knife he said no. a few days later I asked again... No you are too young! finally after much pestering on my part he gave in and handed me an inexpensive single bladed Buck folder (I thought it was the best thing in the world) I tried to open it and couldn't for the life of me, he then said when you can open that knife you are old enough for one of your own... I eventually lost interest in the knife and lost track of it. I have the sneaking suspicion it was glued shut. I think I just found the knife for my Son!

Sorry for the Rant! Hope it loosens up for you
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Funny story Ryan. My son will turn 4yo on Monday and tonight we sat down and checked out my collection of users. He likes the spyderco's because he can open them all. I tell him about all the handle materials like bone, carbon fiber, stag, etc. I figure when he can open a slip joint himself he'll be ready for his first real knife on a limited basis.

As for Mongomondo, I recommend a mixture of oil and mother's mag polish or a similar metal polish along with a few hundred cycles of opening/closing. It will put a hurting on your thumbnail but in the end it should work out.
 
Oil it and keep opening and closing it. Give it a rest for a day or two if your :thumbup: gets sore and then get back at it. Opening and closing it will smooth it out a bit and it will also strengthen your thumb.;)
 
I have a 23 from 2008 production. My wife bought it for Christmas. i still can't really get it open without really fighting it. I sent it back, they had it about 6 weeks and sent it back to me after a bunch of emails. It wasn't really any better. I was told that's the best they could do. Wasn't offered a replacement. I have added 2 since a rotten banana jack and a single slimline trapper. The 23 sits in my knife box. hardly ever carry it, a shame really good looking knife. It's not much use if I can't open it.
 
Some love them tight, some hate them tight. I have also noticed that machinist (or others with steel fingers) never have a problem; but my little keyboard fingers are not as adequate. The #23 and #73 patterns, especially pre-2009, are tight. It has been posted about on here many times. The early barlows also had a pen blade that would rip even a tough nail.

GEC has gotten themselves in a bad spot; because now if they eased the backsprings the hard core steel fingered customers would throw a fit. Something about having a knife in open position that you can put full faith in the fact that it is not going to slip closed on you (unless you are being really silly); appeals to many.

If you can't get to where you like it, let GEC fix it for you. But be warned that you sure don't need to chance picking up any more older (maybe even newer) scouts or pioneers. I have a Bradford Bullet made by GEC that is like a bear trap and they were just made last year.
 
Well, I struggled to get my two blade #73 to get manageable, it was northfield long pull one aswell. I think long pulls in #73's should be few mm's more towards the tip, making it easer to open. I finally maade it loose enought to use without knife pick: I oiled it well. I stored it 3 week semi opened and then I used duct tape to make "safe pulls" (i.e. I taped piece of duct tape on blade and used that to pull blade open) and I opened and closed both blades about 200 times. It softened springs aswell.

On the side note: My #36 sunfish northfield double pull: you can open't that using long pull but with nail nick that is way more towards the tip you can open it far easier. I do love long pulls but, when it comes to big knives, I rather have nail nicks on my big GEC's as they make big knives springs tad more sturdier.
 
The stories about hard springs on the 73 led me to pick up a 72 lockback. It is easy to open.
 
This is why i know i'll like GEC...I LOVE a tight back spring, after a while it eases off as the mating surfaces burnish up. At least it did with my RR slipjoints, my sunfish came with a spring so tight i broke my thumb nail first week...good effort considering my nails are very thick.

Now it is very smooth and looking at the tang of the blade the surface that rubs against the spring is a mirror shine (when i got it, it was the ground finish).
 
I've read a few times regarding this issue. My guess is they try to make a folder that wont develop that annoying wiggle many slipjoints exhibit after years of use. It is a quite striking knife though :)




RyanW said:
Crazy that it is that tight, when I was 6 I asked my dad for a knife he said no. a few days later I asked again... No you are too young! finally after much pestering on my part he gave in and handed me an inexpensive single bladed Buck folder (I thought it was the best thing in the world) I tried to open it and couldn't for the life of me, he then said when you can open that knife you are old enough for one of your own... I eventually lost interest in the knife and lost track of it. I have the sneaking suspicion it was glued shut. I think I just found the knife for my Son!

Sorry for the Rant! Hope it loosens up for you
Click to expand...

Think that's bad ? I wanted to help my Pop do some work around the garage once , so he hands me a can of black spraypaint and tells me to shake it. I ask " for how long ?"
His answer... "Until the ball stops rattling".

I shook that can for quite a while.

Ball never stopped rattling. :)

Tostig
 
All my GECs have pretty stiff springs. I have a River Valley greenbone 73 that I swear was quenched in a Viagra solution:eek: In all honesty it did smooth up a bit after 100 thumbnails:D Haven't given up on this one as she is a real pretty color.
 
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