Queen Mountain Man retired

At least the flying spring didn't catch you in the eye. You wouldn't want to go around looking like this all the time ---> ;)
 
jujigatame said:
At least the flying spring didn't catch you in the eye. You wouldn't want to go around looking like this all the time ---> ;)
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you aren't kidding nate :D

I am going to send an email to queen and as soon as I find a free minute to hit the post office will send the knife back to see what they can do. in the meanwhile I am digging through the boxes to find something else to use. I have a Buck 110 kicking around somewhere I might put on my belt while I look for something to replace the mountain man. if anyone has any suggestions feel free to offer them :D I prefer carbon steel and bone (or stag) handle scales.
 
pinnah said:
What are the springs made of?

Lobster boats. Salt water. Corrosion?
.
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Obsessed with Edges said:
I asked them that question some time back, after a thread discussion here raised the question (D2 or otherwise?). Via email, I was told they are 420HC. Should be more corrosion-resistant than the D2 blades themselves.


David
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Springs, being under stress as they bend, are less corrosion resistant than other steel objects. An amount of corrosion which would go unnoticed in other objects can cause failure in a spring.

This is because, for steel under stress as a spring is, it only takes a bit of corrosion to create an initiation point for stress corrosion cracking. Stress corrosion cracking causes catastrophic failure, which is pretty much what Pete's knife spring experienced.
 
knarfeng said:
Springs, being under stress as they bend, are less corrosion resistant than other steel objects. An amount of corrosion which would go unnoticed in other objects can cause failure in a spring.

This is because, for steel under stress as a spring is, it only takes a bit of corrosion to create an initiation point for stress corrosion cracking. Stress corrosion cracking causes catastrophic failure, which is pretty much what Pete's knife spring experienced.
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No argument there. I was just pointing out there should be at least some decent corrosion-resistance in 420HC, as compared to something else, like D2 or carbon springs. Salt water, all bets are off. :)

David
 
Frank might be right. I looked at the underside of the broken piece of spring and there was a dot of rust and looking at the broken edge that rust extends about a millimeter into one corner of that broken edge. That may have been all it took for the strain on the spring to cause it to break all the way through. It is what it is. :D I found a little Appalachian Trail lockback with bone handles and a surprisingly decent stainless steel blade that I got about 7 years ago. Amazingly for the mystery stainless in the blade it takes a very very sharp toothy edge and holds it very very well. It will fill in until I drop a line to Queen and arrange to send the Mountain Man back.
 
They might make a movie out of that knife,

Brokeback Mountain...man knife ;)

seriously though, it is fortunate that you were not on the receiving end of that flying piece of steel, could have been a lot worse and sounds like you had some good years with it and as others mentioned, nothing lost in trying to see if Queen will come to your aid and help you out, as it's not your fault a back spring broke!
G2
 
Did you prefer the traditional over a modern serrated folder for your line of work?
 
cchu518 said:
Did you prefer the traditional over a modern serrated folder for your line of work?
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Kinda wondering the same thing myself. There are a few very well respected knives that are designed and made as industry specific tools that seem to working well in the fishing industry. Not appropriate to post them here, but there are some great options out there.

Robert
 
Dendritic Cobalt?


If so, how close does D2 get to that?


Pete, would a fixed blade work for you? I'm wondering if the Queen Drop Point Hunter in D2 would be a better traditional option. Toothy edge. Nothing to fail. Maybe grind the tip down more to more blunt tip? Matched with hanging Scandinavian style sheath?
 
Yeah I had the same thing happen to my old Queen Mountain Man... twice. Queen fixed it the first time but after the second time I knew I'd never trust it enough to carry it into the woods again. So I put it up with its broken spring and it will sit there from now on I suppose. Great blade and a very handy hunting knife but you have to trust your equipment.

Will
 
Gary W. Graley said:
They might make a movie out of that knife,

Brokeback Mountain...man knife ;)

seriously though, it is fortunate that you were not on the receiving end of that flying piece of steel, could have been a lot worse and sounds like you had some good years with it and as others mentioned, nothing lost in trying to see if Queen will come to your aid and help you out, as it's not your fault a back spring broke!
G2
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It's funny you mention movies...I was supposed to do a shoot with Wicked Tuna this evening with my lobster boat but they cancelled it. :D And I was lucky. The spring took off pretty fast. I wear glasses though and it happened pretty fast. I didn't know what the heck it was at first until I saw the blade swinging freely in the handle.

cchu518 said:
Did you prefer the traditional over a modern serrated folder for your line of work?
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I carry a modern one hand opening serrated folder clipped to my pocket. I like using traditionals though. They can do much more than open letters and cut fruit and are much stronger than the tactical crowd gives them credit for.

midnight flyer said:
Kinda wondering the same thing myself. There are a few very well respected knives that are designed and made as industry specific tools that seem to working well in the fishing industry. Not appropriate to post them here, but there are some great options out there.

Robert
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I have several dedicated knives that I use when I am actually lobstering. They are all fixed blades, serrated or part serrated and inexpensive Moras and Victorinox deck knives.

pinnah said:
Dendritic Cobalt?


If so, how close does D2 get to that?


Pete, would a fixed blade work for you? I'm wondering if the Queen Drop Point Hunter in D2 would be a better traditional option. Toothy edge. Nothing to fail. Maybe grind the tip down more to more blunt tip? Matched with hanging Scandinavian style sheath?
Click to expand...

I don't like having a sheath knife on my person when I am on deck. The boat is small and there are a lot of things a sheath knife would catch on. I keep a serrated one hand opening folder clipped to me in case I get tangled up in the trawl lines and pulled over. I have a bunch of inexpensive serrated fixed blades within reach. I use a Dexter serrated knife for cutting rope if there is a gear conflict.

I mainly used the Mountain Man for cutting the knots out of my ground and buoy lines. Splices go through my pot hauler much easier. I do the work in a workshop if it is cold or rainy and out in the yard or on the boat if the weather is nice. And I'm a knife guy. I like seeing what pocket knives can do and saw first hand that traditional knives can stand up to a lot more work than they get credit for.
 
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