Weak snap on one blade on an 8OT.

[The Fort]

Hi everyone! I picked up a Schrade Walden 8ot recently with the 1946-1973 tang stamp. Overall, it's in pretty nice condition. The clip blade and the sheepsfoot blade are still very full with great walk and talk. However, the pen blade must have been the blade of choice. It's been sharpened extensively and does not share the same snap when opening and closing it. That strikes me as a little peculiar because it shares the same spring as the snappy sheepsfoot blade. What is the reason for this? is there any way to correct, or improve, this? I really like this knife. The handles are in great shape, it has a really dark gray patina everywhere, a matchstrike pull and a long swedge on the main blade. I'm new to Schrades, but this one just called out to me and I had to have it, even with the pen blade issue. Any advise or general information on this particular knife would be appreciated.Thanks!

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

You might look at the tang of the pen blade (ordinarily a spey on the 8OT), where it rotates against the inside of the spring end. If that blade was the most used, there might be extra wear on either of the two surfaces (tang or spring), or maybe on both. If so, the radius of the rounded tang decreases with wear, and the end of the spring will be ground a bit narrower; both of these kinds of wear can reduce the tension between the two, and weaken the closing snap on that end of the spring. If it is heavily worn, there's no easy fix for it, which would require replacement of the spring or the blade, or maybe both. Look for a 'sunken' spring (below flush with liners) as well on that end, as that is often a sign of heavy wear between the two.


David

 

[The Fort]

Thanks David! I think that may be the case. You are also correct about the blade shape, Spey, not a pen.

 

[deltaboy]

Yep that sounds about right who had it used that blade the most.