"Ping of Doom", Traditional knives please

Peregrin

Peregrin

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Well I guess it had to happen sooner or later. I took this little Ohta Camper out last night and put it aside to carry today. I opened it up this morning to peel an apple and was greeted with the dreaded "Ping of Doom". The knife was rarely carried and is about 9 years old now. I'll have to see what Mr. Ohta can do for me regarding a repair etc.
Bummer, a nice little knife!
If you have one lets see some pics and hear the story.
PRTqNZX.jpg
 
- very sorry to see, Gary...........classic break on the pivot hole

I don't know Mr Ohta's rep., but something tells me you'll have it sorted pretty soon :)
 
Oh, man that's devastating. I've really admired that knife when you've posted it in the past. It's sad to see it in such a state!

I haven't heard the ping, but I've had 4 backsprings break on me!
1. Rough rider, when I opened the blade for the first time it just went limp.
2. Case '18 Stockman. I was trying to dye the scales, opened the spey and sheepsfoot 1/2 open (whoops!), let it sit in some sort of dye solution. It came out broken
3. Case Peanut, just got limp over time
4. Buck 309, same, just got limp over time.

Both the peanut and 309 broke midway between the pin and the tip of the spring. The 309 had seen very light use. It surprised me too, one time I tried to break the spring on a busted up 303 I had and I literally could not break any of the springs...

The nice thing about all of these are that they were cheap... and I know Buck and Case will take care of me when I send them in (although the 18 stockman is probably just parts, because I see that as user error). That gorgeous Ohta would hurt.
 
Chui-888 said:
- very sorry to see, Gary...........classic break on the pivot hole

I don't know Mr Ohta's rep., but something tells me you'll have it sorted pretty soon :)
Click to expand...

Paul, It surprised me but it's not the end of the world. Hopefully it can be repaired.

Ebbtide said:
Terrible feeling and result.
I'm sure you'll be treated well.

ATS 34 backspring?
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Thanks. The blade is ATS 34. I expect the back spring is also.
 
OUCH!!
Gary, when you look at the broken ends, do you see changes/variations in color/texture??
 
I hate seeing that Gary. I've had it happen on production knives but not on a custom. (fingers crossed) I have heard that sound before!
 
Condolences. Heard it twice on the same knife. Custom with D2 blade / spring, same place both times, not the pivot. Local maker fixed it the first time but second time he moved (didn't know) and his ex-wife (who got the house where I sent it) probably threw it in the trash. As I recall the surface that snapped was not uniform in color, making me think it started weakening by rusting. Good thing about it breaking is it pointed me towards this forum. Sure miss it after carrying it for 10 years. Have a couple other of his knives with zero issues, they are D2 as well. He no longer makes knives :(

brokenslipjoint.jpg
 
Peregrin said:
Well I guess it had to happen sooner or later. I took this little Ohta Camper out last night and put it aside to carry today. I opened it up this morning to peel an apple and was greeted with the dreaded "Ping of Doom". The knife was rarely carried and is about 9 years old now. I'll have to see what Mr. Ohta can do for me regarding a repair etc.
Bummer, a nice little knife!
If you have one lets see some pics and hear the story.
PRTqNZX.jpg
Click to expand...

Chief said:
Condolences. Heard it twice on the same knife. Custom with D2 blade / spring, same place both times, not the pivot. Local maker fixed it the first time but second time he moved (didn't know) and his ex-wife (who got the house) probably threw it in the trash. As I recall the surface that snapped was not uniform in color, making me think it started weakening by rusting. Good thing about it breaking is it pointed me towards this forum. Sure miss it after carrying it for 10 years. Have a couple other of his knives with zero issues, they are D2 as well.

brokenslipjoint.jpg
Click to expand...
Dang guys, that's really heartbreaking. Such beautiful knives too.
 
I love that knife and hope all turns out well, Gary.

I had a Case peanut do it to me and its a sound you never forget.
 
The Stuff of Nightmares!!:eek::eek:
Not happened to me yet...better buy a few more knives to cover myself:D:D
I rather think Mr Ohta will want to fix that, it's a beautiful knife.:thumbsup:
 
That's a really bad break, Gary! What a nice knife. Hopefully Mr. Ohta will repair it or replace it for you.
 
Sorry about your knife, Gary. That one's always caught my eye. I'm sure it will be made whole again soon.
Only slipjoint I've ever had that happen to was a 1973 all Stainless Camillus demo knife (as have many). On the other hand, I have an old Kershaw Black Colt II lockback, and had the little triangle on the blade pivot, that the lockbar holds onto, break off. I just cut a new slot with me Dremel, and it works again.

-Ken
 
Chief said:
Condolences. Heard it twice on the same knife. Custom with D2 blade / spring, same place both times, not the pivot. Local maker fixed it the first time but second time he moved (didn't know) and his ex-wife (who got the house where I sent it) probably threw it in the trash. As I recall the surface that snapped was not uniform in color, making me think it started weakening by rusting. Good thing about it breaking is it pointed me towards this forum. Sure miss it after carrying it for 10 years. Have a couple other of his knives with zero issues, they are D2 as well. He no longer makes knives :(

brokenslipjoint.jpg
Click to expand...

I wouldn't think that D2 would be subject to rust to the extent of causing a fracture of the spring what with D2 being very rust resistant as it's properties almost reach stainless standards.

I think some makers use exotic materials for their back springs that make great blade steel but are not proven for say use as a spring where tension/bending forces have not been thoroughly tested for those particular steels.

Just my thoughts, nothing scientific here.

Peregrin said:
Well I guess it had to happen sooner or later. I took this little Ohta Camper out last night and put it aside to carry today. I opened it up this morning to peel an apple and was greeted with the dreaded "Ping of Doom". The knife was rarely carried and is about 9 years old now. I'll have to see what Mr. Ohta can do for me regarding a repair etc.
Bummer, a nice little knife!
If you have one lets see some pics and hear the story.
PRTqNZX.jpg
Click to expand...

That's to bad Gary. I'm sure Ohta will make it right. It hasn't happened to me yet but I'm sure it will sometime down the road.
 
I've it happen had three times. A Puma Prospecter in the early 70's. And a Gene Ingram front pocket that broke twice. He made me a new knife the last time.
 
CASE/BOSE stag dogleg jack. Opened my desk drawer to put it in my pocket and BOTH springs were snapped in half. I guess it was dark in there and they were struggling to get out. Case made it right.
 
Queen spalted maple slim stockman. One spring broke from a closed position all by itself. I sent it back asking them to replace both springs because if one was too hard they probably both were. They sent it back with a replacement spring so mushy it barely kept the blade in place. Then the other spring broke by itself from a closed position. I got no reply to my next e-mail.
 
I didn't hear this one "ping" but you could hear a pin drop when I excitedly opened up this mint looking Schrade Cut Co pen knife and figured out quickly why the seller's description said "... not much snap in the blades." :confused: Beautiful knife nonetheless with "Stainless Steel" etch on the blade.

Books2.JPG
 
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