Is Cleaning Also the Solution for "No Snap"?

AFAustin

AFAustin

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Recently, I read with interest a thread where a member had problems with a difficult to open GEC Barlow: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/927876-Problems-with-Northfield-25-Barlow One of the main suggestions was a good cleaning.

I have a different problem, which is a bought new GEC whose blades open just fine---a nice, medium pull. But they have very little snap--- a steady push is needed to fully open or close, on both the master and secondary blades.

When I got the knife I oiled it, but didn't do a full hot water & dish soap cleaning. Is a good cleaning likely to help my knife walk the walk and talk the talk?

Thanks,

Andrew
 
it CAN help
i've had this problem, got a knife, really weak springs...washed it out real good and SNAP!

think the joints can get some gunk/residue that causes enough friction to slow the spring down
certainly it cannot hurt to try
 
^^That pretty much sums it up.

On some knives, the combination of slightly weakish springs and a pivot that's just a little bit gummy/gritty can aggravate the problem. If the springs are weak, you'd still notice the very light pull after cleaning, but the knife should still open & close fully without assistance. I have a knife or two like that; they're more 'sensitive' to a little grime in the pivot, so I have to pay closer attention to make sure they're kept clean.

The upside, for you, is this is a new knife. If you're still a little uncomfortable with the pull after cleaning it, I'm sure GEC will do what's necessary to make it right.
 
Thanks, gents, for the comments. David, I liked your instructions for slipjoint cleaning in the referenced thread so much that I've copied them for future use. Looks like I'll be following them soon on this knife!

I'll report back on the results.

Thanks again,

Andrew
 
Well, I gave it a thorough cleaning, as per David's instructions in the other thread, and it did help---a little better snap (not to mention a very clean knife :D).

Thanks to all.

Andrew
 
AFAustin said:
Well, I gave it a thorough cleaning, as per David's instructions in the other thread, and it did help---a little better snap (not to mention a very clean knife :D).

Thanks to all.

Andrew
Click to expand...

Awesome, glad it worked.
 
A good clean will do no harm. As long as you use some common sense. Mineral oil is always useful. I find.
It can sometimes cure a gummed up joint.
 
AFAUStin, your mentioned post is mine. I followed David's adcise fully and found that the bigger blade is easier to open and close. Sadly, I now cannot open the small blade at all.

I did the cleaning and oiling around 3-4 times in a week. Including a few 'open and close' sessions during TV time and got 2-3 cuts along the process (my clumsiness). At first it seemed better on both blades. But after stored it for 2-3 days, it now can open only the bigger blade.:(

Also impossible for me to return since I live in Thailand, the shipping cost is too high.

Also got an 2008 Case xx selected snakwood barlow. This one also hard to open but when clean and oil, it is better now. Small blade still stiff but I hope it better because now I use it everyday.

Notice that both of my knives was made in 2008. Is it possible that it was kept for a long time without proper maintenance leading to the causes of very stiff opening?
 
While dirt or gummed up is the most common, and possibly a weak spring, if the drop coming off
a half stop or cam end isn't steep enough going into the closed position it will definitley slow them down.
Just a sronger spring won't always solve the problem, unfortunatley this requires dissassembly of the knife
and a rework from the kick to the back corner.
Ken.
 
kc custom said:
While dirt or gummed up is the most common, and possibly a weak spring, if the drop coming off
a half stop or cam end isn't steep enough going into the closed position it will definitley slow them down.
Just a sronger spring won't always solve the problem, unfortunatley this requires dissassembly of the knife
and a rework from the kick to the back corner.
Ken.
Click to expand...

Ken,

Have you ever heard of, or seen specific issues with the way barlow knives are designed/made, which might make the blades much stiffer to open? This is more related to jk13542's thread, linked in the OP; he has one with a very stiff-opening pen blade. I've noticed, over a long period of time, barlows seem to get a lot of specific notice for this problem. Your mention of the design/shape of the tang makes me wonder if there's a connection specific to the tang/pivot construction on barlows, which would make the pull much stiffer on them. I have long assumed the barlow's 'beefed-up' bolsters (often made of iron/steel), were intended to strengthen the pivot in general, so I'm also wondering if that same heavy-duty construction is somehow contributing to the hard pull on so many of them.

Just curious, thanks. :)
 
David I can't say that its more Barlows for sure, I'll draw it and take a pic that should
explain it better
 
Here's a quick sketch in #1 you will have a quicker snap and also a more "holding it closed" situation.
In #2 the more drawled out radius is slower and does not have the "hold closed power of #1. In either
case this can be very slight and make a big difference. As far as tight it usually has to do with side
pressure from the liners. Lets take a scenario where theres side to side play in the blade in other words
loose, the knife can only close as fast as the bottom geometry allows combined with spring power.
Hope this helps
Ken.
102_0639-1.jpg
 
Here's the TB method to get one more loose, granted not everyone will have one of these laying around.
Ken
102_0642-1.jpg

102_0644.jpg
 
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