Leek question

raindog101

raindog101

Joined
Jan 22, 2007
Messages
3,130
Are the new Leek torsion bars weaker than the old ones? I just got a new Leek from a forum member (it's NIB), and the Speedsafe seems decidedly wimpier than I remember. I have the mini-cyclone, and that opens with authority. But I can't even get the Leek to open far enough to engage the framelock, when opening it from a tip-down position. Even with gravity assisting the opening process, it still barely gets all the way open. And this with a moderately aggressive push on the flipper. And before anyone asks, I did loosen the pivot screw as much as I dared (no blade play at that point), and lubed it up pretty good. Is this normal functioning of the Leek anymore?
 
Those who are smarter than me will chime in, but the Leek should snap open with authority. :thumbup:
 
My experience with leeks is they always take a little while to break in and start snapping with a lot of authority. Keep flipping it for a while and it should start to get faster.
 
raindog101 said:
I did loosen the pivot screw as much as I dared (no blade play at that point), and lubed it up pretty good. Is this normal functioning of the Leek anymore?
Click to expand...

No it's not normal. You may just have a bad torsion bar.
Go to Kershaws home page and shoot them an email.
They'll send you a couple of replacement torsion bars.
If you don't feel up to doing it yourself, just send it in
to the warranty department and Kershaw will get it fixed
up for ya.
 
svrider3 said:
No it's not normal. You may just have a bad torsion bar.
Go to Kershaws home page and shoot them an email.
They'll send you a couple of replacement torsion bars.
If you don't feel up to doing it yourself, just send it in
to the warranty department and Kershaw will get it fixed
up for ya.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I think I'll do that. It certainly doesn't snap open with authority, like Powernoodle was saying. I think I just got a bad one.
 
Now wait just a gig dangded minute here...before yall go runnin off botherin them good folks over to the Kershaw factory, I just got a new one the other day, an it was just like rd said. First dozen flicks wouldn't open it far enough to get the (frame) lock to engage. Well, after bout an hour or so I rekon it was, she started firin faster than ol Doc Holiday's 6 shooter an lockin up tighter than Wayatt Earp's jail.

Don't fret it son. Work it some, then ifn it ain't what you figure it outta be, give em Kershaw folks a holler!
 
SPXTrader said:
Now wait just a gig dangded minute here...before yall go runnin off botherin them good folks over to the Kershaw factory, I just got a new one the other day, an it was just like rd said. First dozen flicks wouldn't open it far enough to get the (frame) lock to engage. Well, after bout an hour or so I rekon it was, she started firin faster than ol Doc Holiday's 6 shooter an lockin up tighter than Wayatt Earp's jail.

Don't fret it son. Work it some, then ifn it ain't what you figure it outta be, give em Kershaw folks a holler!
Click to expand...

Funny you should say that, pad'ner. I've been workin it a bit over a few hours, and it's gettin better. Still seems a bit weak, but I've already sent an email off to Kershaw, so I'm afraid they're going to be bothered just a little bit by me. I'll see what they say, but maybe by the time I hear from them, everything will be hunky-dory...
 
raindog101 said:
Funny you should say that, pad'ner. I've been workin it a bit over a few hours, and it's gettin better. Still seems a bit weak, but I've already sent an email off to Kershaw, so I'm afraid they're going to be bothered just a little bit by me. I'll see what they say, but maybe by the time I hear from them, everything will be hunky-dory...
Click to expand...

Another thing I have found on some leeks is that they seem to have too much grease in them, I usually take them apart and lube them with tuf-glide and that fixes the problem a lot of times.
 
riffraff said:
My Dam Leek was that way. I backed the pivot screw out just a skosh. Then it fired fine.
Click to expand...

As I mentioned, I've already backed it out as far as I dare. Even to the point where the blade is now noticeably off-center. Didn't improve performance more than a little. Needless to say, I can't leave it this way, so any tightening from here will bring me right back to where I started. I'm at the point where I'm considering taking it apart, to see what's what. Will disassembly void the warrantee or something?
 
Antihero17 said:
Another thing I have found on some leeks is that they seem to have too much grease in them, I usually take them apart and lube them with tuf-glide and that fixes the problem a lot of times.
Click to expand...

That may be the problem. But I have this feeling that it's the torsion bar. It just seems to be active during only a small arc of the total blade motion. In fact, if I push the flipper slowly, I can get it to come flush to the frame, without activating the assisted-opening feature. I would think the assisted-opening would kick in at that point, no?
 
raindog101 said:
That may be the problem. But I have this feeling that it's the torsion bar. It just seems to be active during only a small arc of the total blade motion. In fact, if I push the flipper slowly, I can get it to come flush to the frame, without activating the assisted-opening feature. I would think the assisted-opening would kick in at that point, no?
Click to expand...

Sounds like it probably the torsion bar then. Have kershaw send you a few, its a free and easy way to replace. Which leek is it? Because my Random tanto leek was very sluggish and it took a long time for it to "break in" for some reason, now it opens as fast or maybe faster than the rest of my leeks.
 
Antihero17 said:
Sounds like it probably the torsion bar then. Have kershaw send you a few, its a free and easy way to replace. Which leek is it? Because my Random tanto leek was very sluggish and it took a long time for it to "break in" for some reason, now it opens as fast or maybe faster than the rest of my leeks.
Click to expand...

It's just a plain old 1660, the one in 13c26. I think I'm going to bother Kershaw (sorry SPX) to send me a few torsion bars, see if that helps any. I'll post the results here, if anyone's interested.
 
rd, ya go right ahead and holler at them Kershaw folks. They're finer than the inside hair on a sow's ear. Why i ain't never talked with them folks what I ain't not been happier n a rooster in a new hen house. They'll take mighty fine care or ya, ya hear?

Once ya get done with them a fixin your knife, or a sendin ya some new innards, let us folks hear know how it went!
 
SPXTrader said:
Once ya get done with them a fixin your knife, or a sendin ya some new innards, let us folks hear know how it went!
Click to expand...

I sure will. I've always had great experiences with Kershaw products, I'm sure this'll be ironed out soon. Thanks to everybody for their help.
 
raindog101 said:
I'm at the point where I'm considering taking it apart, to see what's what. Will disassembly void the warrantee or something?
Click to expand...

Not at all. Kershaw wouldn't send ya torsion bars to fix it yourself
if taking it apart voided the warranty. When you take it apart, make
sure the blade is about 3/4 of the way open so there isn't any tension
on the torsion bar. Lay a towel out when you get ready to take it apart.
Those small screws are a biatch to find if you drop them on the carpet.
Once you get it opened up, you'll see just how simple it is. It's so simple,
even Offsetlover can do it. ;)
He has a hard time walking and chewing bubble gum at the same time.
 
Thanks for the tips, SV. Sounds like it could be fun. BTW, all, I just got an email today from the nice folks at Kershaw. 2 torsion bars are on their way.
 
Well, all, just wanted to let you know there was a happy ending to my Leek woes. Got the torsion bars from Kershaw today, all 3(!) of them, and they included an extra pocket clip with screws, also (I love Kershaw!). Replaced the torsion bar, and WHAM, it was firing off crisply, like every other Kershaw AO I've ever had. Thanks for all the advice, guys. And just for the record, it WAS easy, and kinda fun, to take that thing apart.
 
Awesome!! I love happy endings. :D

Glad you gotter all back together and firing like a rocket. :thumbup:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top