Lynch clips not the same as they used to be

S

steelhead seeker

Joined
Aug 1, 2014
Messages
519
I got some newer lynch clips for mine and my wifes spyderco para 3lw's. They seemed ok but my shirt caught my clip at home and pulled the knife out of my pocket. The inside seam of my button up work shirt caught it. I chalked it up as a freak thing and ignored it. Then at work last night it happened again. My knife got pulled out of my pocket by my shirt and hit the ground and opened. Not a huge deal. These clips just seemed "loose" and not as secure on the jeans. While discussing this with my wife she mentioned hers seemed super loose too. I looked at her knife and the clip was bent out and not even touching the scale. Also not a huge deal. She must have just caught it on something. I removed it and bent it back. Now I've had a few other older lynch clips and have had like my seat belt catch it and pull the knife out of my pocket but I've never bent one. These newer ones I thought were maybe just "slick" because of the frn on the para 3lw's. Well I looked at my old lynch clips and compared them to the new ones and the newer ones are only half as thick as the old ones. Thats why I've never bent an old one. Kinda sucks to see someone who had such awesome clips cheap out and get thinner stock titanium for them. Wont be buying any more. They were always a huge improvement on grip while also adding deep carry that I like. Now the grip just isn't the same. To flimsy.
HkBO2FM.jpg
 
The new ones that you show actually look more refined, finished if you will. I think any clip will catch and pull if not careful. I actually have 3- Lynch clips-one for Delica-one for Endela and one for Chaparral, the Chaparral actually has the tightest of the 3. I don't have any experience with the older ones as I have only had these a short while, I will be buying more. I like the name you chose, I chase surfperch. Have a good weekend.
Troy
 
OP…take a couple of minutes and email Casey Lynch with your issue please. Casey, IMO is one of the true genuine “good guys” in the knife business. I’ll guarantee you that you’ll receive a response and I, for one, would like to hear his take on your issue.
 
elde66 said:
OP…take a couple of minutes and email Casey Lynch with your issue please. Casey, IMO is one of the true genuine “good guys” in the knife business. I’ll guarantee you that you’ll receive a response and I, for one, would like to hear his take on your issue.
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I did email him. Haven't heard back yet but im sure he'll get back within a few days. Either way something changed. Its clearly a thinner stock of titanium. Either way its not really "my issue". I just thought I'd point this out and show people. If you've bought clips before and liked the older ones just know you may not be getting the same solid product you used to.
 
Your photo looks like a wire clip replacement (Para 3, left) vs. a standard clip replacement (PM2, I think?). Is it not possible that those two clips are built to be different thicknesses.

(Genuinely curious. I've only ever replaced standard Spydie clips and BM clips with Lynch versions; they've all been great.)
 
elde66 said:
You wrote a paragraph, took a detailed photo & emailed the manufacturer and it’s not your issue? Whatever. :rolleyes:
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Can't comprehend that? Its cool ive met a few like you before. There's not a crayon option here but ill do my best to explain it for you to understand. its not an issue I'm having like I got a defective product. Its just a different product than what I've got in the past.
Dadpool said:
Your photo looks like a wire clip replacement (Para 3, left) vs. a standard clip replacement (PM2, I think?). Is it not possible that those two clips are built to be different thicknesses.

(Genuinely curious. I've only ever replaced standard Spydie clips and BM clips with Lynch versions; they've all been great.)
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Yes this one is a wire clip replacement but I also recently ordered a benchmade clip from him to replace the one on my hogue ritter and while it is leaps and bounds better than the stock hogue clip it too is thinner stock than the older clips.
 
I have Lynch clips on a GB2 and I think on a Griptilian. They have been great. I wonder if they went with thinner material due to the ultralight nature of the para 3 LW? It will (in theory) require less clamping force on your pants to keep it from getting away. Sometimes stuff like this doesn’t work as well in real life as it does in theory.

Either way, I am sure Casey will take care of your issue. Please let us know what he says.
 
If there was a change I'm curious, some materials have been harder to come by recently due to everything going on. Either way I replace factory clips when I can with lynch.
 
Did you buy the exact same model clip and notice a difference or purchase two different clips?

I’d echo the comment to contact Casey. Design change. Different thickness for different models. Whatever. I’d be shocked if he didn’t give you the straight details.
 
I have had same problem on 2 different knives, 3 clips in total in the past couple of years. First time clip bent I bent it back and continued on. I bent it again like a week later IIRC. This time I contacted Casey and had it replaced. Excellent customer service, got new clip soon after. Second knife goes into rotation and same thing happened again, (different clip, not the replacement) catching on something. So I didn't want to be a PITA, and just chalked it up to user error. This one I put the stock clip back on and went on with life.

When I put that first knife back into rotation with the new (replacement) clip, I ended up bending that again after it caught on something. I didn't want to bother Casey in this matter either, as it is me bumping into things, etc to make this happen.

I had read about MXG Gear clips here on the forum in the past and tried one of those. These seem to work better for me, and as always YMMV. I have them on 3 different knives now and I have not had any issues to date.

IMG-0274.jpg

IMG-0275.jpg
 
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Hi fellas, thanks for the feedback.

Shawn (the OP) had emailed me on July 9, and I'd replied to him on the 10th. I always want to make things right if I can. As of today, I haven't heard back, but I know people are busy.

I've been buying the same material since I started making clips. The target tolerance is between .040" and 043". If the material is less than .040", I'll send it back to the supplier. If it's over .043", I'll do the same.

I've played with a lot of thicknesses, and right around .041-042" is what I prefer, for a few reasons. The main reason I don't like to go thicker is because we still bend all the clips one-at-a-time, and the thicker material is harder to form in a repeatable manner, so there can be tolerance issues. The thicker material is also more prone to cracking or stress fractures at the 'U' bend when forming. In addition, when I tried the slightly thicker material (.044-.045"), I heard from quite a few guys who had trouble getting the clips on, the issue mostly being not able to get their screws started. Clips will bend for sure - an .041" piece of metal (about the same thickness as 10 sheets of printer paper) is no match for a 190 lb guy vs a seat belt. But I've found that the thickness of material I like has proven to be durable.

In the pictures above, the thicker clip is one from probably 3 or maybe even 4 years ago. I've been cleaning up the edges of the clips for around 3 years, so ones with rougher edges are most likely 2018 or older. I'm always playing with designs and changing details, and I had decided to try some slightly thicker material, but decided it wasn't the best solution, for reasons I mentioned above. If those clips in the photo were mic'd with a pair of calipers, my guess is that one would likely be around .040" or .041" and the other around .043" or .044". I could be wrong, but that's my best guess looking at the image.

As an aside, a sheet of printer paper is roughly .005-.006" thick, so the difference between an .041" thick clip and an .044" thick clip is roughly half the thickness of a sheet of paper. I bring that up because there is no cost savings for me when using .041" material vs .044" or .045" material. From my titanium supplier, it's the same price. In I the end, I just like the .041"-.042" because I think it's a better end product.

Like I mentioned to Shawn in the email, part of my deal is a lifetime warranty. If you bend a clip, I'll replace it, no charge, and if it happens again, I'm happy to replace it again. And if someone buys something from me and decides they don't like it, for whatever reason, I'm always happy to refund them in full. You don't need to send the bent clip back to me; just let me know where it was purchased from. I don't want anyone stuck with a part they don't like or won't use.

Casey
 
I freely admit i have never heard of these clips before. I don't know if it's because i am in the UK, or that ive just never looked for spare clips before.

All i do know is that LynchNW LynchNW , after reading his post, sounds like a decent stand up guy.
 
LynchNW said:
Hi fellas, thanks for the feedback.

Shawn (the OP) had emailed me on July 9, and I'd replied to him on the 10th. I always want to make things right if I can. As of today, I haven't heard back, but I know people are busy.

I've been buying the same material since I started making clips. The target tolerance is between .040" and 043". If the material is less than .040", I'll send it back to the supplier. If it's over .043", I'll do the same.

I've played with a lot of thicknesses, and right around .041-042" is what I prefer, for a few reasons. The main reason I don't like to go thicker is because we still bend all the clips one-at-a-time, and the thicker material is harder to form in a repeatable manner, so there can be tolerance issues. The thicker material is also more prone to cracking or stress fractures at the 'U' bend when forming. In addition, when I tried the slightly thicker material (.044-.045"), I heard from quite a few guys who had trouble getting the clips on, the issue mostly being not able to get their screws started. Clips will bend for sure - an .041" piece of metal (about the same thickness as 10 sheets of printer paper) is no match for a 190 lb guy vs a seat belt. But I've found that the thickness of material I like has proven to be durable.

In the pictures above, the thicker clip is one from probably 3 or maybe even 4 years ago. I've been cleaning up the edges of the clips for around 3 years, so ones with rougher edges are most likely 2018 or older. I'm always playing with designs and changing details, and I had decided to try some slightly thicker material, but decided it wasn't the best solution, for reasons I mentioned above. If those clips in the photo were mic'd with a pair of calipers, my guess is that one would likely be around .040" or .041" and the other around .043" or .044". I could be wrong, but that's my best guess looking at the image.

As an aside, a sheet of printer paper is roughly .005-.006" thick, so the difference between an .041" thick clip and an .044" thick clip is roughly half the thickness of a sheet of paper. I bring that up because there is no cost savings for me when using .041" material vs .044" or .045" material. From my titanium supplier, it's the same price. In I the end, I just like the .041"-.042" because I think it's a better end product.

Like I mentioned to Shawn in the email, part of my deal is a lifetime warranty. If you bend a clip, I'll replace it, no charge, and if it happens again, I'm happy to replace it again. And if someone buys something from me and decides they don't like it, for whatever reason, I'm always happy to refund them in full. You don't need to send the bent clip back to me; just let me know where it was purchased from. I don't want anyone stuck with a part they don't like or won't use.

Casey
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Welcome to BladeForums LynchNW LynchNW . That was the best opening post I’ve ever read here, you nailed it! Love your clips too.
 
I am in France . I have purchased direct from Casey Lynch some clips for my PM2 , Wolfspyder and Para 3 Spydies.
No problems with fit or bending. My knives are EDC and just plain work. Great customer service . Speedy delivery.
Thank you.
 
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