Slip joint question blade tang vs. backspring. Need advice

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d.weglarz13

Joined
Jun 4, 2008
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1,944
Okay quick question. I'm gonna try to explain this the best I can.
Lets say you have a traditional slip joint that the backspring is flush in the open and closed position, everything works nice.
Now, lets say when the knife is in the open position, the blade spine is just shy of being in line with the handle. As in, it looks like it "wants" to open just a hair more, in order for the handle and blade spine to be in line. The way it looks now, it is a bit cantered down, towards the closed position, but only a hair, enough to bother me.

So, if I am explaining this right, it looks as if one could take a very slight bit of material off either the back spring or the blade tang, in order for the knife to open up just a hair more. Now, I know that this may be a stupid question, and perhaps messing with any bit of metal removal at this point in the knife will cause up and down blade play. But, its been bothering me for a while now, and really curious if anything can be done.

Also, when the blade is closed and you can see and look at the blade tang, the contact point where it meets the back spring in the open position, I can see that it is not perfectly square on the tang. Its hard to explain, but the spring is square, but the tang where it meets is a bit curved, and looks like it could almost use a tiny bit of tampering with to get her square. But again, I fear this will cause blade play, and this is a very expensive knife for me.

So, any advice or suggestions would be appreciated. If I can't do anything about it, I will live with it but admittedly it does bother me that when open, the knife looks like the blade is bent down just a bit, and doesn't look right.


Thanks guys for any help.

dave
 
Removing metal from the blade (just a little) will allow the knife to open further. Remove just a little and try it, then more until you have what you want.
 
Your choice is simple- try to modify the knife to get it the way you want, and possibly screw it up and make it worse in some way. Or, leave it alone and be nagged by it the rest of your life.

If you take the gamble it could go either way. If you try to mod it you might succeed and be thrilled with both the results and your own success. Or, you might screw up the knife and hate yourself for doing it and wish that you had left it alone.

You say it's an expensive knife for you. And if you aren't completely confidant that you know exactly how to achieve the result you want, and if you have any doubts about your modding ability, I think you might be better off leaving it alone and learn to live with it the way it is.

Trying ones hand at modding an expensive or irreplaceable knife could very easily lead to heartache.
 
Thank you guys but really what I'm after is, can this be done in general or will taking any material off at all cause some sort of play. If it's possible to take a bit off of the tang or spring, I can do that. Again, only it would only need a hair off.
 
Do this with a small stone. Do it a tiny bit at a time checking for blade play as you go. If you get any blade play then you'll get a tiny bit. I'll do stuff like this while relaxed in front of the TV.

You can't tinker with a knife unless you are not afraid to screw it up though, as has been said. Not that you will, but you have to be OK with it if you do.

Personally, I would leave it. It might be a known wear point where a little extra is there to add life. You might make it perfect now and have blade play due to wear in the future. Analogous to tinkering to bring your lock up later on a liner lock when you already had %20.
 
Dave, here's my own experience, and outcome, with a traditional slipjoint:

pertinux said:
...I believe it can be "normal and acceptable," and more characteristic of some makers than others.

I have no idea if the following might apply to anything you have in front of you, and lack the knowledge of whether or not to recommend anyone else try this, BUT---

On this particular knife, "normal" or not, this bugged me:

Barlowopenbladeangle.jpg~original


I carefully sanded away material from the tang areas circled here, going slowly and checking things frequently...

Here.jpg~original



... bringing the blades more in line with the handle/springs when open:

Better.jpg~original


IMG_3610.jpg~original


I have not noticed any negative change in the knife's action or other characteristics, and think it looks much better now.
Click to expand...

Hope this helps. :)

~ P.
 
Thanks a lot guys for the help. I may give it a go.
@Pertinux thanks, that pic is exactly what I am describing. And those contact areas you circled are exactly what could use a bit of removal. And, its also a barlow so those pics really hit the mark. Thanks again guys.
dave
 
I doubt you'll get any additional play. Just go slowly. If you detect play starting, stop.
 
Last question guys, before I go for it. Someone told me that another thing that could happen, is that the back spring might not sit flush anymore, after I do this. So, I ask because I'm wondering the best way to go about this to try to avoid anything like this. Should I still try to take a hair off the blade contact point? Or the back spring? Again, just want to be sure. Thanks again

dave
 
Cut the blade, not the backspring.If you go slow, you will be able to see problems before they get bad.
 
pertinux said:
Dave, here's my own experience, and outcome, with a traditional slipjoint:



Hope this helps. :)

~ P.
Click to expand...

It is one of my pet peeves with slipjoints and it is one of the first things I fix to align the spine to the back springs an make the knife mine
Then sharpen it
 
@neeman could you tell me how you go about this? Do you do it the same way as above or are you referring to a different method? Thanks
Dave
 
It's pretty easy to do by taking some metal off the blade's tang, and not the backspring. As mentioned though, take a TINY bit at a time. I've done one of my knives, a Case Peanut, and liked how it worked. Shouldn't have any play issues; but you MIGHT notice afterward, the backspring may sink or drop a little further below flush with the liners, as removing metal from that junction will cause both the blade and spring to travel a tiny bit further to full-open position. I used a Fine DMT credit card hone on mine; it's thin enough to get behind the blade and aggressive enough to work fairly fast.

David
 
Adding to my earlier post (editor isn't letting me save another edit to that post, for some stupid reason):

Opening the blade to ~1/3 or so should give access to the portion needing filing. I also used a wine cork 'stuck' sideways on the sharp edge of the blade to support it against the handle and keep it from snapping shut as I worked.


David
 
Wine cork. Thats genius. Thanks. I think I will start with some sandpaper first. I do have a very flat ignition file, that would work great but may take off more than I want to quick. I'll post my results when I get the time to give it a try.
dave

Obsessed with Edges said:
Adding to my earlier post (editor isn't letting me save another edit to that post, for some stupid reason):

Opening the blade to ~1/3 or so should give access to the portion needing filing. I also used a wine cork 'stuck' sideways on the sharp edge of the blade to support it against the handle and keep it from snapping shut as I worked.


David
Click to expand...
 
Sandpaper will round the joint. Use a file. Check the fit after every two strokes.
 
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