Restoring snap to old slipjoints

[CJZ]

I have a few slipjoints that I'd like to carry, but the blades have no snap whatsoever. How do I go about fixing this? Can I fix it?

Do I need to get new backsprings made?

Thanks!

Chris

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Some very old or very, very worn folding knives will have 'sunken' springs. This can be seen if the backspring comes to rest well below the frame or liners of the knife when the blade is fully opened or fully closed, and results from friction and wear between the contact surfaces of the spring and blade pivot (end of the tang). The steel will be worn away from the inside face of the spring, or the blade's tang, or often both. When enough steel is worn away, there's no longer anything to exert spring pressure between the two surfaces, and the snap is gone. In those cases, new springs would be the only fix, and maybe even new blades if the pivot wear is excessive.

Some old knives are just oily/gummy/dirty in the pivots, and those can be cleaned up to restore smoother closing and better snap. Flushing out the pivot with solvent/oil, such as WD-40, can work well. Some here use ultrasonic cleaners (usually used for jewelry) to do the same task.


David