# of springs vs quality

[dogstar]

All else being equal: same manufacturer, materials, size, etc.

Do you think a single spring design will generally have better quality than a double spring design, by virtue of simplicity? In other words, the fewer springs, the better?

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Do you think a single spring design will generally have better quality than a double spring design, by virtue of simplicity? In other words, the fewer springs, the better?

Simpler? Yes.
Slimmer carry? Definitely.
Better quality? Not necessarily.

Some of the most beautifully-crafted knives are multi-spring designs. In particular, a split-spring whittler can be a stellar example of quality. Two springs, side-by-side, functioning as one for the main blade, and independently for the two secondary blades.

And any number of Victorinox/Wenger SAKs could serve as an example of multiple springs AND high quality (taken to huge, ridiculous extremes, in some cases). A lot of makers have produced massive, multi-blade, multi-spring 'display' knives as examples of what they're capable of building, as an example of attention-to-detail, on the part of the maker. So long as the emphasis is on quality and attention to detail, from start to finish, the number of springs/blades shouldn't matter. If a more complex design is done right, I think it further enhances a maker's reputation for skill & quality.

 

[cnas122]

No. Can't say much more than that. good 3 blade knife should be made to the same quality as a good single blade knife

 

[Will Power]

As they both wrote.

Also, single spring could perhaps present more problems in terms of blade-rub. If the frame is thin and there is not much 'room' there.

 

[Cisco Kid]

Everything else being equal, the only difference that could impact quality is that a single spring gets worked more than two springs: it bends twice as much and bends more often. I don't think that this matters in practice.

P.S.- I wrote the above assuming one spring per blade vs. one spring with a blade on each end.