Your Omega Spring Story

M

Mibuswolf

Joined
May 31, 2013
Messages
35
Hi Guys, first post here. Long time knife lover rediscovering the hobby after a few years.

I picked up my first Benchmade 2 months ago, the 15030-2 Mini Bone Collector and I love it. It's a solid knife and the size is perfect for EDC. Earlier in the week I was flicking it when it suddenly opened but didn't lock shut. It gave me a scare but I closed it and opened it again and it held up. No problems I thought. Kept on carrying it throughout the week when today I was looking at the rear handle and noticed the spring was out of place. Oh gosh I thought.... and upon closer inspection, sure enough the rear handle spring had snapped.

Kind of bummed. I was aware these springs could break but only after 2 months of light duty use? Well, I chalk it up to being a lemon. It's going to be sent out to Benchmade this week and I've requested for both springs to be replaced entirely.

If this has happened to one of your Benchmades, what's your Omega Spring story?

 
That rarely happens. I've heard accounts of them going out after a long life of use, but I carry my 707 often and obsessively flick it constantly. The poor axis lock is seeing a years worth of openings every day. It's never failed to lock. It's been fine since day one.
 
My omega spring/Axis story is this: I bought one of the very first 710 knives in 1998 o r 1999. It has at least hundreds of thousands of cycles on it. I have a 710T that is in the same position. I have a literal pile of other Axis lock knifes.

I have never had an omega spring happen. It happens, but people also get struck by lightning.
 
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I've broken 2, both on the same knife. Was on a presidio actually, which I believe is the same knife as the bone collector. First time it broke, I cannibalized a spring from another knife. Second time it was the other original spring that broke, so I cannibalized the same knife. Now I just have to send the springless one back to benchmade.
 
It is rare indeed, and I wonder if it is not caused by rough machining of the stainless liners or other parts' "chewing" of the springs when actuated.

Either way, few products are perfect, and BM will diagnose and fix the problem for you. It stinks to be without your blade while it's at the Motherland, but it'll be worth it.

Great EDC choice by the way. That's what I carry also. :)

Prof.
 
My story or experience is no problems at all.

I own or have owned the below AXIS lock models and subjected them to everything ranging from EDC / light carry to heavy use & extended carry to a couple I don't use at all but just take out to admire from time to time (Safe queens) but in all cases I've never had a problem with the AXIS lock in any way.

I have had a couple that were a bit sticky at first but smoothed right out after a bit of use. One Contego after a couple of day's and one Contego after a few opening's and closing's, But that's it.

710 x 2
Gaucho
Rift
AFCK x 2
Rukus x 2
Onslaught
Adamas
Contego x 4 if I include 2 I bought as gifts for friends but inspected prior to giving away and haven't heard of any problems since I gave them away.
 
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Glad to hear your stories of Axis lock reliability. It's nice to hear how a lot of your models have held up very well over time. A lemon is a lemon no doubt. Mine shipped to BKC today and I hope it all goes well and will post an update when it returns.
 
I've never paid enough attention to even begin to draw conclusions, but I really do wonder whether some models are more likely to have this problem than others.
 
I've carried a 550 for about 6 years with no problems. Can't imagine how many times the omega springs have been cycled.
 
I have three Axis lock knives ...940, 950 and a mini grip. My story is simple. I have never had an issue and have opened/flicked these knives many, many times.
 
Mibuswolf said:
Hi Guys, first post here. Long time knife lover rediscovering the hobby after a few years.

I picked up my first Benchmade 2 months ago, the 15030-2 Mini Bone Collector and I love it. It's a solid knife and the size is perfect for EDC. Earlier in the week I was flicking it when it suddenly opened but didn't lock shut. It gave me a scare but I closed it and opened it again and it held up. No problems I thought. Kept on carrying it throughout the week when today I was looking at the rear handle and noticed the spring was out of place. Oh gosh I thought.... and upon closer inspection, sure enough the rear handle spring had snapped.

Kind of bummed. I was aware these springs could break but only after 2 months of light duty use? Well, I chalk it up to being a lemon. It's going to be sent out to Benchmade this week and I've requested for both springs to be replaced entirely.

If this has happened to one of your Benchmades, what's your Omega Spring story?

Click to expand...

Is that my old Bone Collector? I remember getting a Satin clip from Benchmade and putting it on mine and thinking how awesome it looked (I can't tell from that pic if your clip is satin or coated). Man, I miss that knife.

Benchmade has great customer service and will take care of you.
 
Haha nope this one's mine EZ, had it shipped from Amazon and it's got the stock clip. Hear a lot a good things about Benchmade customer service and am definitely looking forward to the knife's return.
 
I have owned 6 different axis-lock models with no problems whatsoever.
My 707 also has a few MILLION openings over the years and still goes strong.
I am pretty rough on the mechanism too.
 
I've owned tons of Axis based knives and have not had one failure of the springs.
 
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I've had the springs break on two knives I think.

I bought them on the forum so I don't know what kind of hell they might have been trough before I got them.
 
I haven't had hundreds of axis locks, the ones I've used over the years... No breaks, only parts ever broken are the coil springs in my 3550's and a few stripped screws.
 
I know alot of people say they have never broken one, but I have in a 940. Had to send it in to get fixed. I dont understand why they can send out all the free clips in the world, but cant send out omega springs. If I had to guess it has to do with disassembling the knife.

I have heard certain guitar strings can be fashioned to work.
 
My story? I woke up one morning, grabbed my mini onslaught, flicked it open and thought "wow that was smooth" looked and I had a broken omega spring....on a side note it's even smoother now:p
 
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