Nail breakers any remedy?

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HAKnPocket

HAKnPocket

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Well I got two new ones this week; Dan Burke small barlow and a Northwoods Indian River Jack. Both are great, a few minor gripes but nothing too bad. Now why did I title the thread "Nail Breakers"? The barlow's warnie blade is amazingly tight. It has half stops and I was thinking of leaving the blade open between the half stop and full open. Think it will help? I love the size of the two knives and look forward to carrying them, but I really don't care for the pull on that blade. I can wrap my mind around the need for stiff springs but WOW. Now I have two, the barlow and my furtaker trapper that have unnecessarily stiff springs. Are customs the same way? It may be time to delve into a new realm of knives. I can see my wife steaming right now.
 
I had a knife that was so stiff I had to send it back. The vendor I bought it from agreed and replaced it immediately. When I called him to tell him, he told me that I could send it back to the manufacturer myself and they could adjust the pull, or I could send it to him. He told me he would probably send it back to them as well after he inspected it.

It happens. Hopefully you bought from a reputable vendor. They should fix you right up.

On the other hand, I did buy a Queen small soddie that was quite difficult to open. Actually, hard. I lubed the liner/blade joint and backspring well, wrapped a rag around the blade and worked it back and forth while watching TV. I didn't send it back to the vendor because it was never intended to be more than just a good work knife when manufactured. About 1,000 openings and closings later, it is still stiff, but acceptable.

I'll never have to worry about it coming open in my pocket!!

Robert
 
The blade is almost scary to open to half stop but really scary to full open. There has been a lot of talk about the DB Barlow and only one person commented on the pull of that particular blade. Anyone else having the same problem? I did buy from a reputable vendor and may contact him but I am more likely to contact Queen first since I really don't see it as his problem.
 
you can always get a pick for it, but if you'd rather not have to carry around extra hardware just e-mail, or phone, queen. I have no idea what their CS is like, though, so hopefully someone who's dealt with the company directly will chime in.

james
 
Nail breakers - ah, yes. Short of sending it back to the factory for fine-tuning, there are a few things that you might consider trying, I've had some success with all three.

1. Give it a real thorough cleaning ( to make sure there's no polishing media gunking things up ), oil thoroughly, and work it a few dozen times (or more).

2. Leave it part way open ( it sounds like you're considering this ) to try to weaken the spring a tad.

3. With a jeweler's file, very, very carefully smooth down the point on the non-business end of the blade that makes contact with the spring when you first start to pull the knife open. Happily, that li'l guy is smiling up at at you from between the liners when it is open, so it's a cinch to get to. Just don't take off too much metal.

Good luck!
 
din said:
you can always get a pick for it, but if you'd rather not have to carry around extra hardware just e-mail, or phone, queen. I have no idea what their CS is like, though, so hopefully someone who's dealt with the company directly will chime in.

james
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Where can a "pick" be purchased?
 
A.G. Russell has several picks in varying 'handle' materials if you are looking to buy.
 
My poor thumb nail is becoming quite the tool itself. I open / close more knives than most and I go around with my nail tore to the meat most of the time. Not only GEC knives and the occasional Queen; but also most of the older Case, Remington, etc.. I thought GEC's were the worst I had seen, but then I got a couple old Remington Bullets and they were ttttight.

I think most people end up getting accustomed to it more than the knife ends up getting easier to pull. But there are some good recommendations here. The worst I have ever seen were the pen blades on GEC's first runs of barlows and their pioneer models. But the Queen small barlows and folding hunters have been tight as of late as well. Also that ATS Saddlehorn is a nail killer to open and a thumb killer to unlock... Half the people I hear from say that they love a hard snapping blade and don't mind the pull; and the other half would sacrifice a little snap for an easier pull.

I doubt that Queen would fix anything, they would just pick out another one that seemed a little lighter. But most sellers that have stock in them will pick out one that closes meets your expectations if you shoot an email at purchase time.

Mike Latham
CollectorKnives.Net
 
I have not had too much success with the "leave part way open" method of lessening the pull.

I have hammererd a small nail between the blade tang and the spring and then opened the knife on a number of GECs and others.

This helped with the spring tension, as I guess it bends the spring out a tiny bit more than normal to adjust the tension. The bigger the nail (must fit between the liners) the more it will loosen, but I would go small first. It may also lessen the closing tension by the same amount, so that is a concern. I happen to like easy open and harder close :)

Doing this may push the edge against the backspring so put something between the blade and the backspring, like a rag.

It didn't seem to damage or scratch the blade or the spring any, but YMMV. Perform at your own risk. It can be done on a users.

Filing the tang slightly might work. I can't remember if I have tried this successfully.
 
I have a solution for the nailbreakers in my collection. Let my Wife figure out what to do with them after I'm dead! I won't carry them if they aren't what I perceive as convenient. Too many other nice knives in the collection to worry about breaking a nail, getting cut or being afraid to let someone borrow the knife.
 
I personally like my EDC slipjoint knives extremely tight. The truth is like anything else with moving parts they will 'break-in' with use over time. I am much more opposed to medium or weak back-spring tension. I like my knives to have a very aggressive snap so when they are open and I put them to hard use tasks I know they will get the job done as long as I operate them with common sense.

Anthony
 
sunnyd said:
I personally like my EDC slipjoint knives extremely tight. The truth is like anything else with moving parts they will 'break-in' with use over time. I am much more opposed to medium or weak back-spring tension. I like my knives to have a very aggressive snap so when they are open and I put them to hard use tasks I know they will get the job done as long as I operate them with common sense.

Anthony
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Right up my street:D:thumbup:

Use will certainly free them up a bit. I'm not sure about filing the tang down, it carries risks and if overdone can mess up the knife. Best thing is to try and ask your supplier to send a softer sprung knife next time you buy. Barlows I have do tend to have heavier springs it could be a pattern feature?

You could try increasing your calcium and vitamin B intake, that builds a stronger nail! Wish I knew of a way of toughening up some of my wimpier sprung knives:D:eek:
 
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Best thing to do is to not buy knives from boutique-makers and expect to actually be able to use them. Face it, most of those knives aren't made for people to use, they are made and marketed for collectors. If you have to carry a special tool to open a folding knife, why not just carry a fixed blade?
 
coffeecup said:
Best thing to do is to not buy knives from boutique-makers and expect to actually be able to use them. Face it, most of those knives aren't made for people to use, they are made and marketed for collectors. If you have to carry a special tool to open a folding knife, why not just carry a fixed blade?
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Disagree with this 1000% (with respect to all the 3 sentences above). Not really sure how else to respond.
 
coffeecup said:
Best thing to do is to not buy knives from boutique-makers and expect to actually be able to use them. Face it, most of those knives aren't made for people to use, they are made and marketed for collectors. If you have to carry a special tool to open a folding knife, why not just carry a fixed blade?
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What? I am pretty sure that the knives mentioned are meant to be used. Practical designs that have stood the test, made with modern materials, nothing too fancy or showy just practical. And who would be the boutique makers? Queen? Case? GEC? Now all have their showy stuff but it is all user grade if you want to use it. :D
 
cnas122 said:
Disagree with this 1000% (with respect to all the 3 sentences above). Not really sure how else to respond.
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Well, you could try showing me how I'm wrong--I'm willing to be convinced. But it might take a bit of work: I've spent much of this year and a fair chunk of change trying to find a GEC on the Scout frame that I could conveniently open without needing a pick or pair of pliers.

The Remington 1173 is one of my all-time favorites, and while I've seen some with stout springs, the worst was better than the best of the GECs that I've handled this year.

HAKnPocket said:
What? I am pretty sure that the knives mentioned are meant to be used. Practical designs that have stood the test, made with modern materials, nothing too fancy or showy just practical. And who would be the boutique makers? Queen? Case? GEC? Now all have their showy stuff but it is all user grade if you want to use it. :D
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"Boutique makers"=marketing targeted primarily at collectors. You know, primary production is numbered limited editions in about every possible handle material under the sun.

Practical designs? Sure, but in many cases the execution leaves something to be desired. How many threads are there here that discuss the heavy springs on GECs knives? How practical is a knife you have to use another tool to open?
 
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coffeecup said:
Best thing to do is to not buy knives from boutique-makers and expect to actually be able to use them. Face it, most of those knives aren't made for people to use, they are made and marketed for collectors. If you have to carry a special tool to open a folding knife, why not just carry a fixed blade?
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I most of the time don't say nothing when things like this are said but this time I will.

Have you fallen off the wagon and bumped your head?

Slippies where around way before tactical/modern knives. That's why they are called traditional knives. Respect your roots. :mad:
 
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