Vintage Mint condition but nailbreaker

[JC972]

Here lately I’ve got several older but near mint condition knives off the Internet. Couple Camillus electrician knives. I’m not sure if they’re considered TL-29s because they have the black plastic scales instead of wood, I don’t know if that matters. I also got a very nice minty Remington 9501 stockman and a couple Buck 307 stockmans. I have a thing for 4 1/4” stockman knives. All very nice condition and all have the factory edges. Great right?

Well. It seems to me that they’re all in such minty shape because they’re all very difficult to open, for me anyway. And this is after flushing them out with warm soapy water and flooding the joints with WD40 or Kroil oil and working the blades open and shut repeatedly. I have successfully fixed this problem before by bending the back springs a couple thousands of an inch but i reckon that procedure would probably be best suited for another form on tinkering. If me describing this procedure is in fact allowed in this thread please let me know and I will include it here.

I’m pondering that the reason these particular examples and numerous others over the years are in such good shape is because previous owners couldn’t open them either and tossed them in a drawer somewhere and carried something easier to open until the nailbreakers wound up in an estate sale or some such.

I’ve known guys over the years with nails seemingly made of steel that could open knives like these with no issues, however I’m not one of them. I like the pull on a garden variety 91mm Victorinox or say a Case trapper for example. There’s some patterns I don’t fool with because I have such a hard time opening them. Probably the following doesn’t matter, and I know it doesn’t, but I find it kind of ironically funny. I’m in my late 30’s, 6’2”, and I have very strong hands and forearms. So much so that I’m careful when I shake hands with people. A favorite pastime of mine is using captains of crush grippers while I watch TV with my other half. I say that not to boast, but because I see that overall strength has nothing to do with opening nailbreakers it seems to me.

I reckon my question to y’all is what do you do with your nailbreakers? Sell or trade them off? Fix them? I won’t carry one that I can’t open with wet hands. I’ve always just kept them but don’t carry them but I wonder what everybody else does in this situation.

 

[Chui]

- you have my sympathies, as I've gotten older my thumb nails are less robust.

Here in UK there's a large sector of guys who prefer nailbreakers (we can only legally carry slipjoints) so they feel 'safer' using them.

Now, I go for pinch~pull where I can. Sure, do like a snappy pull, one with real good walk n talk too, but when I get afraid o' bending that nail back..........the knife gets sold or traded.

Recently had a new custom from your side of the pond, a most stunning 2-blader, and I'd specifically asked for a not-too-strong backspring. I cried. But, hey, I traded it straight for an Amber Stag Chamblin Remington Bullet - not all bad

 

[afishhunter]

I've never felt the desire to fight with my knife to open it, or carry a "steel fingernail" tool or a church key bottle opener, pliers, or other tool to open my knife.
If/When I get one that I consider too difficult for me to open, I check blade clearances/blade rub, tang shoulders, and so on, to see if a little judicious use of a stone and/or file will cure the problem blade(s). (It is amazing how much difference a slight radius on a tang shoulder that WAS a sharp 90° angle makes, when you don't have to instantly flex the possibly/potentially over strong backspring all at once.)

If I don't see anything I can do to lighten the pull, I'll hold on to it until I find someone who likes an excessively heavy pull and give it to them.

Concerning the Buck 307's:
Have you contacted Buck about sending them in for repair under warranty?
If memory serves, even though the 300 series knives were made by Schrade, and later by Camillus, Buck did warranty repairs in-house. They did not have the buyer send the knife to them, forward it to Schrade (Swindon Key knives) or Camillus (later pin construction knives) for repair, then send the knife back to the owner, after receiving it from Schrade or Camillus, as applicable.
Perhaps there is a metal chip or chips somewhere that can't flush out, and can only be removed by taking the knife apart?

I would specify repair, not exchange, since the closest currently in production is the (comparatively) "Medium" size 301, at 3 7/8 ~ 4 inch closed.

I agree the old mint/near mint knives with hard pull(s) most likely were put in a drawer or something, and forgotten (aside from "DON'T get that brand again!") in favor of a knife that they did not have to fight/battle with to open.

I'm with you. I like a pull around a 91/93mm SAK, or a bit less. To be honest, I personally,  like the quote/unquote "soft" pull of the Buck 301. IMHO it is "ideal"
A backspring's only job is to keep the blade from flopping partly open when in the pocket, and flopping partly closed between cuts/slices in use. The backspring is not intended to "lock" a slipjoint's blade open. The 301's springs are plenty strong to do their job, and the blades can't be flicked open, which is a "no - no" in several jurisdictions.

 

[JC972]

- you have my sympathies, as I've gotten older my thumb nails are less robust.

Here in UK there's a large sector of guys who prefer nailbreakers (we can only legally carry slipjoints) so they feel 'safer' using them.

Now, I go for pinch~pull where I can. Sure, do like a snappy pull, one with real good walk n talk too, but when I get afraid o' bending that nail back..........the knife gets sold or traded.

Recently had a new custom from your side of the pond, a most stunning 2-blader, and I'd specifically asked for a not-too-strong backspring. I cried. But, hey, I traded it straight for an Amber Stag Chamblin Remington Bullet - not all bad

I’m with you there. Mine have gotten some better the older I’ve got but still not good enough it seems like. In a knife I can pinch and open I love an alligator spring. Not because I’m afraid of it closing on me, but because I can’t have strong springs in many other patterns. I have some Case sodbusters from the 1970s and I think their springs came out of bear traps. No big deal with them because they’re so easy to pinch open. I’m glad you were able to trade off that nailbreaker for an easier opening one!

 

[JC972]

I've never felt the desire to fight with my knife to open it, or carry a "steel fingernail" tool or a church key bottle opener, pliers, or other tool to open my knife.
If/When I get one that I consider too difficult for me to open, I check blade clearances/blade rub, tang shoulders, and so on, to see if a little judicious use of a stone and/or file will cure the problem blade(s). (It is amazing how much difference a slight radius on a tang shoulder that WAS a sharp 90° angle makes, when you don't have to instantly flex the possibly/potentially over strong backspring all at once.)

If I don't see anything I can do to lighten the pull, I'll hold on to it until I find someone who likes an excessively heavy pull and give it to them.

Concerning the Buck 307's:
Have you contacted Buck about sending them in for repair under warranty?
If memory serves, even though the 300 series knives were made by Schrade, and later by Camillus, Buck did warranty repairs in-house. They did not have the buyer send the knife to them, forward it to Schrade (Swindon Key knives) or Camillus (later pin construction knives) for repair, then send the knife back to the owner, after receiving it from Schrade or Camillus, as applicable.
Perhaps there is a metal chip or chips somewhere that can't flush out, and can only be removed by taking the knife apart?

I would specify repair, not exchange, since the closest currently in production is the (comparatively) "Medium" size 301, at 3 7/8 ~ 4 inch closed.

I agree the old mint/near mint knives with hard pull(s) most likely were put in a drawer or something, and forgotten (aside from "DON'T get that brand again!") in favor of a knife that they did not have to fight/battle with to open.

I'm with you. I like a pull around a 91/93mm SAK, or a bit less. To be honest, I personally,  like the quote/unquote "soft" pull of the Buck 301. IMHO it is "ideal"
A backspring's only job is to keep the blade from flopping partly open when in the pocket, and flopping partly closed between cuts/slices in use. The backspring is not intended to "lock" a slipjoint's blade open. The 301's springs are plenty strong, to do their job, and the blades can't be flicked open, which is a "no - no" in several jurisdictions.

Same here. I refuse to carry one that I have to use a tool to open when there are so many out there with easy springs/geometry. I’ve filed some tangs before and honestly hadn’t thought about it in this case, I appreciate the reminder! I’ll have to dig out my needle files next time I’m at my parents where most of my tools are. I’ve had knives with blade rub so severe that I’ve filed the shoulders of blades and then when they could be opened individually instead of in a certain sequence, I polished where I’d filed and stoned and all was well. I like to use a magic marker to color the blades and then open and shut the blades several times to see where the rubbing is going on.
As far as sending the Buck 307 in to be checked out, I didn’t think of it to be honest. And like you said I’d have to be really specific because I already have a handful of 301s and like them but I’d never trade a minty 307 for one. That is a good option though I think. I’ll probably give them a call and see what they say if they’ll look at them or not. Even if they won’t, them 307s ain’t going nowhere.
I messed with the TL-29s earlier and really didn’t make any headway and I didn’t do my drastic tricks either because I realized that I’ve never even carried one of them. So I put them up for sale. I’ll use those funds to acquire more 300 series Bucks

 

[sf fanatic]

Yep, sell them or gift them. I’ve had only two knives that I’ve done that for. The first was. GEC Whaler that was a total nail breaker which I sold. The second one was a mint Case Split Back Whittler which I gifted to a very talented porch member who in return made me one of his awesome ornaments. Mine being one of Jerry Garcia. Thanks again to Jiki !
View attachment 2083244

 

[Ace Rimmer]

I have an old TL-29 like that! I have a nice Case 1977 Texas jack with pinned shield that I've wanted to carry for a long time but it's really difficult to open. I finally found a couple of these online and put one on my key clip. I've also found that a large nylon washer (maybe an inch or inch and a quarter diameter) works pretty well for engaging the nail nick on a stiff knife and is light and easy to carry in your pocket.

 

[screened porch]

I have another stockman to cut a bit of a notch in so I can push with my nail at a steeper angle. If my nail has to be lifting at 90 degrees, it had better be against a very soft spring.

I try to have something to pry with when I go shopping for old knives, but I don't like to need a tool to open the knife I'm carrying.
Pinchables are great, but I doubt I'll ever see a pinchable spay on a stockman.

 

[bayouace]

Well, this not the solution, but I keep my thumbnail just long enough for the nail nick. Doesn't always work.

 

[Prester John]

To be honest, I personally,  like the quote/unquote "soft" pull of the Buck 301. IMHO it is "ideal"

I have not been thrilled with the "soft" pull of the 301, preferring the pull of the Case Trapper, for example. But I LOVE the Buck steel (beats Case's "Tru-Sharp" easily), and the ergonomics of their stockman. Come to think of it, I have not had a problem with the 301 closing on me. Maybe I will carry it tomorrow.

 

[gruntmedik]

I have no use for a nailbreaker. Knives shouldn't be painful or difficult to open, nor be so easy to open that they become a hazard.

I'll sell, trade, or simply give them away.

 

[jackknife]

I have not been thrilled with the "soft" pull of the 301, preferring the pull of the Case Trapper, for example. But I LOVE the Buck steel (beats Case's "Tru-Sharp" easily), and the ergonomics of their stockman. Come to think of it, I have not had a problem with the 301 closing on me. Maybe I will carry it tomorrow.

Just think, John, of all the real working peasants doing farm work, day labor on construction sites, using plain old friction folders like Opinel's before the lock ring was added. They kept all their fingers. A Buck 301 with soft springs would be like a gift from God to them.

Use the ever lovin dog poo outa the Buck. As long as your practicing good knife handling habits, should be no problem. Every knife should be treated like a friction folder. I've seen locks fail.

 

[Prester John]

Just think, John, of all the real working peasants doing farm work, day labor on construction sites, using plain old friction folders like Opinel's before the lock ring was added. They kept all their fingers. A Buck 301 with soft springs would be like a gift from God to them.

Use the ever lovin dog poo outa the Buck. As long as your practicing good knife handling habits, should be no problem. Every knife should be treated like a friction folder. I've seen locks fail.

Love the steel on this thing, Carl, and it feels better in the hand because the sheepsfoot sits low. And I love the straight, non-krinked blades.

 

[jackknife]

View attachment 2085824
Love the steel on this thing, Carl, and it feels better in the hand because the sheepsfoot sits low. And I love the straight, non-krinked blades.

A 301 was my full time and only one of two pocket knives I EDC's in the days long past before I became a knife nut. For 25 years, that Buck did 98% of what cutting I needed to do. Family picnics, backpacking, fishing trips, canoe camping trips, at work in the machine shop. The only other knives I used was a beat up Ontario machete for yard work, and a Wenger SI.

Great pocket knives!

 

[jackknife]

I’m pondering that the reason these particular examples and numerous others over the years are in such good shape is because previous owners couldn’t open them either and tossed them in a drawer somewhere and carried something easier to open until the nailbreakers wound up in an estate sale or some such.

I think you're exactly right as to the reason so many are found in mint condition. People just tossed them in a drawer and forgot about them.

I will never forget the advise of our scoutmaster when I was a kid; Never, NEVER, carry a knife that is hard to open. Its an accident waiting to happen. That someday, you may have to open that knife in less than perfect conditions. You may be wet. You may be cold, or both. And if its an emergency, you may be in hurry. Wet cold hands and an emergency is an accident looking for a place to happen.

Far, far better is a knife that may be too easy to open. With proper knife handling, there will be no problem. The dynamic forces of cutting will keep the blade open, just like a friction folder. If you need a strong backspacing to feel safe, maybe you should not be handling a sharp object.

 

[dsutton24]

Camillus Electrician's Knives are notorious nail busters. I'd guess it's by design since it's so common in these knives. Maybe to try to keep the blade from folding accidentally?

 

[JC972]

Well, this not the solution, but I keep my thumbnail just long enough for the nail nick. Doesn't always work.

It definitely does help though. I can tell with some of my knives because if my thumb nail gets a bit too long, barely any white at the tip, I’ll find out real fast when I open it

 

[Nexus-6]

Here lately I’ve got several older but near mint condition knives off the Internet. Couple Camillus electrician knives. I’m not sure if they’re considered TL-29s because they have the black plastic scales instead of wood, I don’t know if that matters. I also got a very nice minty Remington 9501 stockman and a couple Buck 307 stockmans. I have a thing for 4 1/4” stockman knives. All very nice condition and all have the factory edges. Great right?

Well. It seems to me that they’re all in such minty shape because they’re all very difficult to open, for me anyway. And this is after flushing them out with warm soapy water and flooding the joints with WD40 or Kroil oil and working the blades open and shut repeatedly. I have successfully fixed this problem before by bending the back springs a couple thousands of an inch but i reckon that procedure would probably be best suited for another form on tinkering. If me describing this procedure is in fact allowed in this thread please let me know and I will include it here.

I’m pondering that the reason these particular examples and numerous others over the years are in such good shape is because previous owners couldn’t open them either and tossed them in a drawer somewhere and carried something easier to open until the nailbreakers wound up in an estate sale or some such.

I’ve known guys over the years with nails seemingly made of steel that could open knives like these with no issues, however I’m not one of them. I like the pull on a garden variety 91mm Victorinox or say a Case trapper for example. There’s some patterns I don’t fool with because I have such a hard time opening them. Probably the following doesn’t matter, and I know it doesn’t, but I find it kind of ironically funny. I’m in my late 30’s, 6’2”, and I have very strong hands and forearms. So much so that I’m careful when I shake hands with people. A favorite pastime of mine is using captains of crush grippers while I watch TV with my other half. I say that not to boast, but because I see that overall strength has nothing to do with opening nailbreakers it seems to me.

I reckon my question to y’all is what do you do with your nailbreakers? Sell or trade them off? Fix them? I won’t carry one that I can’t open with wet hands. I’ve always just kept them but don’t carry them but I wonder what everybody else does in this situation.

This S&M was a complete nail ripper. It didn't seem so at first, and then a point came when I couldn't get either blade open. I was immensely frustrated. I started working the joints with mineral oil and flushing out any debris that could be found. In time, I just decided to leave it (as shown in the picture) half open, to see if I could get the spring to soften. I probably left it in a case like this for months, possibly a year. And, well, it worked. Still pitbull tight, but I can now get both blades open, comfortably.

 

[JC972]

I have no use for a nailbreaker. Knives shouldn't be painful or difficult to open, nor be so easy to open that they become a hazard.

I'll sell, trade, or simply give them away.

I wish I could LIKE this more’n once

 

[JC972]

View attachment 2085824
Love the steel on this thing, Carl, and it feels better in the hand because the sheepsfoot sits low. And I love the straight, non-krinked blades.

That’s a very nice one. I prefer the non krinked blades as well, and the softer springs of the Buck made Bucks. I have some of the older Camillus mfg.’d 300 series and I personally prefer the Buck brand Buck 300’s. Nothing at all wrong with the Camillus made ones though