Benchmade Griptilian springs breaking, #4 and counting

BBL

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 19, 2004
Messages
770
Location
eu/at
Hi everyone.

The omega springs on my benchmade griptilian keep breaking, i just had spring #4 break. Does someone have an idea what could be the cause of this?
 

Minibear453

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Dec 28, 2011
Messages
10
Omega springs break quite a bit. One of the reasons I'm not very fond of Benchmade. But the thing is, they just break. Unless they're breaking really quick, I think it just depends on your luck. I've heard of people where none of their springs have broken in 10 years, and people who have had springs break with a day of receiving the knife. That said, some people have luck making their own springs from guitar strings or piano strings, if I remember correctly. Might be more durable for you.
 

Minibear453

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Dec 28, 2011
Messages
10
Pretty much the reason I won't buy a benchmade. And the whole Spyderhole controversy. Anyways, I've been reading up more on the omega springs, since I'm not very familiar with Benchmade, and over on Bladeforums, one of the main gripes is that benchmade won't sell omega springs and you have to send the entire knife in for the measly springs. Anyways, they say that the low E string on a guitar is the one to use. Don't know if you want to try it, but I think it's useless to not use a knife, and I'd either repair it and then sell it, or try to fix it and use it, otherwise it's pretty much lost money.
 

dano

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 11, 2000
Messages
3,881
Location
East Bay, Cali.
I own 20+ Axis lock knives, no spring breakage. Oldest is a prototype 710 (from 1998). My most used is an old 710, M-2 bladed model. Used daily, and no spring breakage.

How many opening/closings are you doing in order to break four springs?
 

loonybin

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 1, 2005
Messages
24
Location
KS
I had the same problem, twice. Had to send it back for repair. Also the main reason it now lives in a junk drawer.
PM sent
I own 20+ Axis lock knives, no spring breakage. Oldest is a prototype 710 (from 1998). My most used is an old 710, M-2 bladed model. Used daily, and no spring breakage.

How many opening/closings are you doing in order to break four springs?
This. I have owned Axis lock knives since 1999 and never had one break. One of them I owned for 11 years and never had a spring replaced. If you have a habit of flicking the knife open/close repeatedly just for the heck of it to keep your hands busy (the way some folks twirl pencils), then you're basically causing the springs to wear out prematurely. Heck, I do that on occasion and still don't have issues with my springs.
 

jimbo@stn23

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 13, 2009
Messages
91
Location
Alberta Rockies
I own 20+ Axis lock knives, no spring breakage. Oldest is a prototype 710 (from 1998). My most used is an old 710, M-2 bladed model. Used daily, and no spring breakage.

How many opening/closings are you doing in order to break four springs?

I've got 5 Benchmades with omega springs (all are long since discontinued) and haven't broken one yet.

Three things that may/or may not help, I've taken the scales off and lightly lubed the spring and where it rides as well as the spring pocket with a very small amount of light grease. And I always pull both Axis studs back with thumb and forefinger when unlocking. I use TuffGlide with the needle style tip and lube the omega where it rubs at the studs as well as pivot. Sparingly.

Hope this may help anyone with that grief.
 

phoneguy

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 23, 2003
Messages
242
Location
St Louis area
i have a 530 Pardue pre-production that I have beat on for years every day and have never had a failure. I think I would have a talk with Benchmade if I would have had 4 failures.
Good luck

Bryan
 

bnemmie

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 13, 2010
Messages
226
Location
The UP
Is this spring breakage a known issue with Benchmade in general? I have carried a 2550 for years and never had a problem. Perhaps it's a quality control issue?
 

jimbo@stn23

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 13, 2009
Messages
91
Location
Alberta Rockies
Is this spring breakage a known issue with Benchmade in general? I have carried a 2550 for years and never had a problem. Perhaps it's a quality control issue?

It certainly has been mentioned by some users. I'm not sure if it would rate, "known issue", but some folks seem to have unusually poor luck with some of the Axis Benchmades as it's been discussed occasionally on the knife forums.
 

bnemmie

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 13, 2010
Messages
226
Location
The UP
It certainly has been mentioned by some users. I'm not sure if it would rate, "known issue", but some folks seem to have unusually poor luck with some of the Axis Benchmades as it's been discussed occasionally on the knife forums.

Good to know. Thanks.
 

Spherediving

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Dec 29, 2011
Messages
5
If anyone needs some Omega springs, I can easily make some for you.
I had one of my 940's that I was playing with suddenly seem really sticky (broken spring) looked everywhere, and tried to get one sent to me (im in Thailand, and the knife would cost too much to send back and forth if it was insured etc)
So I bought some Piano wire here, and made a few for myself.
It's not too hard at all, just a "Finicky" sort of job.
Anyway, long story short, if not too may people respond, and you want a set, I can easily accommodate you.
Cheers
Duke
 

lintonindy

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jul 5, 2012
Messages
149
I have only one benchmade knife, a griptilian, and have no such problems either. My brother in law on the other hand, who is a knife nut, a LEO, honest, and very respectful of his tools has had three break on him and is the main reason he doesn't like or carry a Benchmade anymore. We have both moved on to ZT, but it is something I've always wondered about. Why are his springs breaking? What is Benchmade going to do about it? I DO like to flip my knives quit often, why aren't mine breaking? Is it model specific? Spring specific? Geographic? The care or lack there of for the knife? Or is it just a design flaw present in only a very few knives that will keep reoccurring if something is not fixed or adjusted properly? A burr in a certain place that rubs it wrong and causes it to break for example. I've often wondered about this but never opened up both knives to take a look for myself. I would think the technician replacing the springs would take notice if it something that can be seen about certain knives. Maybe that guy never looks inside a "healthy" knife. I don't know but it has bugged me for a while even though I'm not even having any breakage problems! LOL
 

Kingfisher

Enlightened
Joined
Oct 31, 2005
Messages
292
Location
UK
I'm not sure the springs "break" - I think they may just come out of their slot....unless someone can post a pic of one actually broken.
 

SouseMouse

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Sep 11, 2013
Messages
1
Yeah, they can break. Even broken the half that's attached to the locking bar hangs on tenaciously. The other end is captured by the scale, so unless that comes loose that end of the spring can't escape either.

broken530-901omegaspring.jpg


This broke on me after about a year of EDC carry and use, right in the middle of attempting to show off the Axis lock. It failed to impress.

I'll admit that I did tend to flick it open and closed a lot. It's just so fast and easy that I'd open and close it several times during many cutting tasks, because there's no need to leave the blade exposed while not actively cutting something.

Love the Axis lock, hate the omega spring and stubborn warranty policies.
 

DrafterDan

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 28, 2013
Messages
1,317
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Interesting, I've had my Osborne axis for several years without issue. It is ALWAYS with me, and I sure don't baby it. I think I lubed it a couple years ago...

2013-08-19202834.png
 

GunnarGG

Enlightened
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
861
Location
Sweden
If anyone needs some Omega springs, I can easily make some for you.
I had one of my 940's that I was playing with suddenly seem really sticky (broken spring) looked everywhere, and tried to get one sent to me (im in Thailand, and the knife would cost too much to send back and forth if it was insured etc)
So I bought some Piano wire here, and made a few for myself.
It's not too hard at all, just a "Finicky" sort of job.
Anyway, long story short, if not too may people respond, and you want a set, I can easily accommodate you.
Cheers
Duke

The springs on my mini Grip broke and as you I didn't want to send it to Benchmade (I live in Europe).
I emailed them once and got an auto response that they would get back to me soon.
When I hadn't heard anything for 3-4 weeks I emailed again but didn't get any response at all. :shakehead

So, I bought a guitar string for $2 and fixed it. :)
Works fine but is a little bit stiffer than before when I pull back the lockbar.
But I would have preffered to get original springs from Benchmade.
 

TerranM

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Sep 9, 2016
Messages
9
It's not just you; I think I'm on spring #6? I got some piano wire and started making my own, because they won't just send you a new spring; they think you're too stupid to open the knife and replace it. Other than the spring problem, I love the knife. I think it's just a bad design with the springs. and they had the nerve to raise the prices from $60 to $90!
 

Croquette

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 9, 2012
Messages
519
Location
Belgium
I know I 'm late but there is a german knife maker who made highest quality springs for you benchmade. Take a look at Wilkins knives.

Regards.
 
Top