Ok, now I am getting a little exasperated with GEC!

surlyman

surlyman

Gold Member
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Aug 18, 2009
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Because of all you enablers ;-) I have been spending more time lately focusing on traditional patterns, selling off many of my blades that have been collecting dust. I purchased a Case Mini-Trapper Wharncliffe (love it!). I recently (today) scored a Queen Half Whittler (love it!), but I also bought a GEC White Owl that I posted about yesterday. I am sending that to a forum member to be reprofiled because of uneven beveling. Oh well, I can live with that. Today, though, I just received a 2011 Forum knife from another member who had never used it. It is THE pattern I have been looking for. I unwrapped the package, oohed and aahed at how beautiful and stout it was. I folded open the blade and admired its snap. Tested the edge with my thumb and thought, oh well, I can sharpen that up with my sharpener; at least the bevels look even. But then I tried to open the cap lifter. I cannot open this thing without folding my thumbnail back. It's ridiculous! Finally I pried it open with a key, dropped some mineral oil in the hinge and worked it back and forth. It is still impossible to open with a thumbnail and I refuse to buy one of those after market nick openers I have seen before. Not to mention mine looks like it is one of those that will need the dremel modification. What gives??!!

During my cursory forum search to see if anyone else had this problem, I didn't see any references to this knife, specifically. Anyone else have this problem? What were your solutions? Is the "Easy Open" moniker an insider's joke that I missed out on?

Ok, vent over. If anyone has a solution I'd love to hear it.

Tal
 
I'm pretty certain they didn't make the snap weaker on the screwdriver because it's a prying tool so it would have to be pretty stout, otherwise it wouldn't be as useful. Mine was quite hard to open at first but I left mine with the screwdriver 3/4 open to stretch the spring a bit and its just fine now. The spring should ease up a bit over time as well.
 
Thanks 3/4 open suggestion. I will try that. By golly I will figure out some way to make this work because it is the perfect tool--cutting and drinking. Both bases covered.

Tal
 
I know what you mean, I use the screwdriver on mine more than the knife, its just so handy for so many things. The caplifter gets used quite often too.

I actually sent mine back to GEC because the blade was hitting the backspring when it was closing. I got it back with everything fixed up, I am quite happy with it now.
 
Easy open refers to the main blade only. Pinch the spear blade between thumb and forefinger and pull the blade open. As to the caplifter, I had no problem with mine. Did the person you got the knife from mention the problem (at least to you) with the caplifter?
 
I hope you get it worked out and also improve your sharpening skills as time goes on. Traditionals are great to learn on, especially the 1095 from GEC. Anyhow, do you think maybe you just have weak fingernails? Not being a jerk, just being realistic?

Good luck getting it worked out.

Kevin
 
also another thought...did you happen to wash your hands just before opening the knife? I know after I wash my hands or shower its much harder to open slipjoints because my nails are soft from the water and so I usually wait a bit until my hands dry completely.
 
Thanks for all of the suggestions. For the last several hours I have been watching today's stage of the Tour de France and absent mindedly working the cap lifter back and forth, back and forth. After touching up the edge--it is nice and sharp now--I left the cap lifter open 3/4 for an hour. Already I am seeing improvement. Now, if I am very deliberate and push in while lifting, I can get the cap lifter open without a tool. Tonight I am going to a barbecue, and I am leaving tomorrow morning for a six day fly fishing trip with several guys, so I will give the cap lifter quite a work out over the next week.

Once I am back--and have my White Owl back from sharpening--I will post my latest acquisitions. They really are a beautiful collection of knives.

Thanks again for all of your help.
 
Good stuff, avoidspam. It looks like Wiggins and his team have Evans and BMC quaking in their boots. OK ... back on topic ;-)
 
How come none of the guys on my cycling team collect traditionals? My cap lifter still makes me cringe. I will also try the 3/4 open method. Thanks!
 
I'll bet it's not your fingernail that is the problem here. I've never heard of the 3/4 solution, I've not had success working a nail breaker into submission, but I admit I may lack patience.
 
The dremel mod is deepening the notch in the cap lifter to give it more "bite" on the bottle cap. A round file works fine too.

Like this:
lifter.jpg
 
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