Stiff Pull on Knives

[boykinlp]

I read often of members complaining about the stiff pull of a new knife. I was wondering if this is something that would be easy to rectify while the knife has been taken apart. In other words, if I was getting a knife rehandled, would it be easy for the knife mechanic to also make the pull lighter? Thanks.
Larry

 

[Jack Black]

I like a stiff pull, but it can be eased in a number of ways, and fairly easily I think

 

[Ernie1980]

You can shave the backspring a little to lighten the pull, but it is easy to take it too far and you can never put metal back! Unless the knife cannot be opened I would leave it as is and it will lighten as you use it.

 

[Jack Black]

There's some excellent info on breaking in a new knife, and lightening the pull a little in the Guardians of the Lambsfoot thread. You can find them easily via the index: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/guardians-of-the-lambsfoot.1406735/page-172#post-17681582 (Please note that thread is only for discussion about the Lambsfoot pattern)

 

[mrknife]

It depends on the quality of the workmanship and how they put it back together. Several of my @glennbad modded knives had excellent workmanship and was returned with a slightly heavier pull and stronger snap, from all my blade deletes. then I had one ivory mod where the modder screwed up the knife, weaker pull, shaved off too much of the knife profile, doesnt have the same feel as the other 15s.

 

[Reitwagen]

I removed a very small amount from the tang on a modern lock back with a screw pivot. The fact that the knife was easy to repeatedly reassemble to test my progress was the only reason that I attempted this with my limited experience. On a traditional slip joint, I would defer to someone with greater skill.