Thoughts on weak springs

Alex.Y. said:
My recent 15 has a solid 5 pull. 2022 14 is a 6 which I actually consider perfect - strong but not too hard, and the snap is melodic, if I can say so.


Of course. I bet that of all non-knife Titusvillians who happened to randomly drop by, one or two (given the prices, remember, I am talking about non-knife people) actually bought themselves a nice user. Everybody else - collectors. If they were ~$60 in every hunting &fishing store anytime then things would be different, but that's not the case, as we all perfectly know.
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My observation is centred around the possibility that turning out knives with weak springs is not a concern to GEC due to their captive market status. It's not about the change in availability of their knives from a product you could mull over to one snapped up in a bot's nano second ;) I was just disappointed to hear that some people had encountered a run of 15 Barlows with weak springs, not something one expects, or wants.
 
I have four #15 Barlows, and a couple non-Barlow 15's and the snap/pull are fine. Maybe 5 or 6 on all of them. Same with my #77 Barlows. They're all over six years old though. My two #66 stockmen though........The main blades are fine, but the snap on the secondary blades on both are pathetic! That's a shame, because I really like the pattern.
 
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Ironbut said:
My two #66 stockmen though........The main blades are fine, but the snap on the secondary blades on both are pathetic! That's a shame, because I really like the pattern.
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I agree... Such a great pattern but the pull/snap on the secondary blades was pathetic.
I've been years waiting for them to re-release the pattern with a better build quality... not that I'd be able score one nowadays anyway.
 
321Bandaid said:
I prefer a 5-7 pull range... maybe an 8 on a GEC. Anything less is considered WEAK/INFERIOR and just doesn't suit me. On the flip side, my favorite Case knives are a 5 at best. 🤦‍♂️ Is knife logic suppose to make sense? If so, we'd all have Moras, Swiss Army Knives and maybe a Spyderco. Just my $0.02. 🤷‍♂️
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Chris, I'd answer "No" to your question. I've made plenty of illogical decisions in my "knife life."

Regarding your preferred pull range for knife springs, I imagine many of us would claim to be right in that ballpark; for me, I'd probably go 4-7. But I'll bet there is still a lot of variability among us even if we claim almost identical ranges because of the subjectivity of assigning a "pull strength number" (even if we all agree a SAK is a 5).

- GT
 
Maybe a little off topic, but I hear all the time about quality control issues, or inconsistencies between different batches of knives, from GEC, Case, and others. But has anyone ever gotten a Victorinox SAK that wasn't good to go? I haven't paid that much attention, but I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing. Maybe it's because they're Swiss. I dunno.
 
Ironbut said:
Maybe a little off topic, but I hear all the time about quality control issues, or inconsistencies between different batches of knives, from GEC, Case, and others. But has anyone ever gotten a Victorinox SAK that wasn't good to go? I haven't paid that much attention, but I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing. Maybe it's because they're Swiss. I dunno.
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I agree, they tend to be very consistent out of the box.

Victorinox are almost entirely machine-made, with very little in the way of natural materials, in a design that by good fortune accommodated the transition from hand-made to machine-made extremely well.

If you're going to make a traditional American- or English-style slipjoint, there's going to be a fair amount of hand work, and therefore a higher probability of variation.
 
Tyson A Wright said:
I agree, they tend to be very consistent out of the box.

Victorinox are almost entirely machine-made, with very little in the way of natural materials, in a design that by good fortune accommodated the transition from hand-made to machine-made extremely well.

If you're going to make a traditional American- or English-style slipjoint, there's going to be a fair amount of hand work, and therefore a higher probability of variation.
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I can understand that. And as for quality control, some stuff will slip by sometimes. But something like weak springs, for instance, on a whole run of knives? No! That's not acceptable. Make a few test knives, and work out the bugs, before running a whole batch that are just so-so. Especially if you're charging what GEC charges.
 
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I don’t mind a lighter pull as long as it keeps the blade tucked in the well and doesn’t wonder out in pocket . I sure don’t like bear traps. I prefer about a 5, 6-7 would be my max. I would say most of my knives are about a 4 and one or two around 3.

I did have an older imperial Schrade that had a light pull maybe a 2.5 and it would not stay in the well in my pocket. After a couple times of reaching in to my pocket to get it and coming back out with bloody fingers I purposely destroyed that knife. It was no great loss , it would go dull pretty quickly.

I learned over time that, that particular knife probably had some build up in the springs that kept it from closing all the way snugly. I guess it did teach me to keep my knives clean.
 
I am in the strong spring camp- like mentioned above I view it as part of the overall quality of the knife. If I knife is otherwise “perfect” but has less than 4 snap I won’t keep it.
I have not sampled the latest run mentioned by the OP, but my GEC-made forum knifes from the past two years have almost perfect “5” snap.
 
I prefer light to medium springs, I hate nail breakers and bear traps unless it has a big pinchable blade. I’m a mechanic and as such many times I need a knife my hands are a bit greasy or slippery with engine oil, lighter springs make it a bit safer for me to deploy without wrenching the knife out of my grip to take a fall on concrete, or slipping on oil between my fingers.

Obviously I’m not talking lazy light springs, SAKs are perfect IMO, I don’t mind the Buck 301 springs either though they are just a little light, it’s better than too heavy for me.
TL-29s are nearly always too heavy, but once the back springs are sanded flush they lighten up enough to be about right, and they almost always need sanded flush, at least the Camillus I tend to find do.

Case usually has springs just right for me, and they match spring tension to the pattern sizes well, the full size trappers and stockman are stouter and about a 6-6.5, the medium frames 5, and small frames a 4.

Boker has often felt light to me, at least in their large stockman and congress patterns, I don’t recall what they were like on the full size trappers, but I think they a bit light as well though adequate. The Barlows are spot on at around a 5-6. They really do the barlows well.

GEC historically has been way too stiff IMO, but some of the more recent examples have been better like the Bunny knife. The 2023 forum knife was too stiff, especially the pen blade, that little blade feels dangerous to open for big fingers that aren’t as sensitive as they used to be.

Queen is another that typically had springs heavier than I like, some of them were bear traps like the country cousin sodbusters, and I have probably seen more queens with broken springs than any other manufacturer, not common, just moreso given the smaller sample size.

Schrade nearly always got the spring tension right, never had one with weak snap or a nail breaker. I miss them being available everywhere for cheap. Great users.
 
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BJE said:
Case usually has springs just right for me, and they match spring tension to the pattern sizes well, the full size trappers and stockman are stouter and about a 6-6.5, the medium frames 5, and small frames a 4.
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I've noticed this as well. Maybe due to so many years of getting their patterns dialed-in.
 
I'm not sure why but It's probably wrong but I associate weak springs with lack of quality ,like I said that is probably not the case,yet that is my personal feelings toward it,i like everything to feel stout for the most part.it was mentioned that for those with arthritis they could have an option for the weaker springs,but having strength issues in my hand from disk troubles in my knech compounded by arthritis it is probably why I prefer a heavier pull,I'm asking the knife to compensate for my weakness.
 
I hate em, actually I hate both weak springs and nail breakers equally as much.
I have some knives that I almost cannot get open without grabbing the blade with a pair of pliers, or sticking a screwdriver into the nail nick, at the risk of stabbing myself with the screwdriver, and trying to get the blade open with out gouging or scratching the knife. Anything that is that hard to open, or that it literally makes my thumb sore after opening and closing it about 10 times, I do not carry.
I have also had some that were too easy / soft that they almost feel like a friction folder. If I can just slightly open the knife and let go and it stays in that position instead of the spring pulling it closed, then that is a fail in my book.
As far as the strength of the pull, I guess that is a matter of preference. It must be really difficult to tune a slip joint and make the action good. I am really getting close to the point where I am skeptical about ordering slip joint knives for this very reason, I am thinking I want to see it and check the action before I buy.
 
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