Traditional Help Request

E

Effnin

Joined
May 4, 2010
Messages
40
I love the look of a more traditional folding knife and am slowly making my way back to carrying these classy knives instead of my more "modern" flickers but I'm having issues with some of the newer ones I'm picking up. I figured I'd start wearing in some new blades so that one day I can pass them along like the ones I got from my dad, my grandfather and my wife's grandfather. The problem I'm having is the blades are so tough to open that I literally have to use pliers. I've tried oiling them and opening and closing them repeatedly but they're still really hard to open. Is there any way to loosen them up other than carrying them and a set of pliers around for a few years?
 
What makes and models? How many knives are we talking about? All of mine open without pliers... except the vintage plier knives. ;) I assume that you've oiled the joints. If mineral oil didn't help, you might try Militec-1. ...but if it's a major problem, it might be a warranty issue. If it's a matter of not being able to get leverage with the nail nicks, you might also try a "knife pick"

Here's a photo of a custom knife pick from Kerry Hampton.
kh-stagpick2-1.jpg
 
you might also try leaving the knives open at the halfway mark for a while (say a week) this will help ease the tension on the spring and hopefully lighten the pull.
 
supratentorial said:
What makes and models? How many knives are we talking about?
Click to expand...

I'd also be curious to hear the answer. I don't have any traditionals I can't open.

By the way, Buck's slipjoint knives are noted for having a pretty light pull.

Lastly, welcome to the coolest knife (sub)forum on the web, and to the wide world of old school knives! :thumbup:

-- Mark
 
If you're used to modern folders, your feelings are absolutely normal. Stiff pulls are a real turnoff to me as well.
But, as others have pointed out, not all traditionals are nailbreakers. So, don't give up that soon on old timers :)

Fausto
:cool:
 
For the beginning a backspring on traditional knives is not unusual. While opening and closing (and for sure using ;) ) the knife will weaken the spring a little more, so that the knife can be opened easier. When you have a completelly new knife, you should clean the knife in bath of handwarm water and some soap. Then oil the joints a little and the result will soon be alright. Why oiling the joints? In a new knife is always a little dust or dirt from production inside the knife. Oil is transporting this outside. When the knife is older also dust and dirt will be there, which have to be removed. Oil is never a bad idea :)

Hope this could help a little!

Kind regards
Andi
 
I'd buy a new knife. Nailbreakers make you think twice about actually pulling out the knife and using it.
Glad you like traditionals. Bucks, Opinels, and many newer Case knives are pretty easy to open.
 
sometimes if you open the blade all the way, grab it with say a pair of gloves, and wiggle it hard side to side, as if it has a little wiggle in the blade. does this while openng and closing a few times in between wiggles, loosens everything up.
 
As for which makes and models, the two I'm having the most problems with are a Case Butterbean (Pocketworn Red) and a Buck Trio or 373. And don't worry I am not letting these two turn me off of traditionals (much to my wife's chagrin). I've tried all of your suggestions already except for buying a knife pick (seems wrong to me to need a tool to open the tool I need to use) and leaving them open half-way. I'm going to try that one and continue to open/close them whenever I'm in front of the t.v. for more than 5 minutes.
It's funny though that these "better" knives are more difficult to open then the opinels, kissing crane and winchester knives I've picked up for far less.
 
If nothin works, get yourself a sodbuster. At least that blade is pinchable. I have a Buck 501 lockback, it has the least tension of any of my knives.
 
Effnin said:
As for which makes and models, the two I'm having the most problems with are a Case Butterbean (Pocketworn Red) and a Buck Trio or 373. And don't worry I am not letting these two turn me off of traditionals (much to my wife's chagrin). I've tried all of your suggestions already except for buying a knife pick (seems wrong to me to need a tool to open the tool I need to use) and leaving them open half-way. I'm going to try that one and continue to open/close them whenever I'm in front of the t.v. for more than 5 minutes.
It's funny though that these "better" knives are more difficult to open then the opinels, kissing crane and winchester knives I've picked up for far less.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear of your trials. A knife which is hard to open is not my cup of tea. I have several knives which don't get much pocket time because they are quite difficult to open.

Haven't tried any of the Chinese Buck traditionals, so I can't comment on those. I have several 301's and 303's. Those were and are US-made (some of mine were made in El Cajon, CA and some in Post Falls, Idaho). Every one of them is quite easy to open.
 
One thing you may try is to give them a good bath. Seriously, a hot-HOT water and dishsoap bath. Let them soak for a few minutes, then scrub them out around the pivot with an old toothbrush, opening and closing while doing this, then rinse with HOT water. The reason for the hot water is you want to warm up the knife a bit, to help the drying. Then, flush the pivots with WD40, opening and closing. Then wipe down, and maybe a drop of mineral oil in the pivot. Sometimes knive will get gunk and lint stuck in the pivots, and this can make them hard to open. A good cleaning and flush with WD40 can un-gunk them, and might help with the opening.
 
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