Replacement spring for vintage leverlock
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- Panzerfaust
- Posts: 1345
- Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:23 pm
Replacement spring for vintage leverlock
I just got in a vintage leverlock that has a broken kickspring. The spring is a slip-in type. The only ones I have been able to find are Hubertus springs. Anyone have a source for these or will a Hubie spring work? Here are some pics of the knife. The only marking on the tang is SOLINGEN GERMANY.
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Re: Replacement spring for vintage leverlock
Hi if the spring is the correct thickness and correct length (after seated) yes it will work great. just a heads up though the hubertus springs are known in the past to break after a year or 2 or sooner , not sure if they got a weak batch of metal or didnt harden them right or what but i had one closed in my case and it broke just from sitting closed , Bill D makes super nice springs but i dont think he sells just the springs you would have to send knife to him then he would fix it for you, you may want to try Tank from TbarK custom knives he make you a spring also if Bill is too busy.
- Vagrant
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Re: Replacement spring for vintage leverlock
AT LAST, someone else states the obvious and undeniable - "just a heads up though the hubertus springs are known in the past to break after a year or 2 or sooner"METALGOD wrote:Hi if the spring is the correct thickness and correct length (after seated) yes it will work great. just a heads up though the hubertus springs are known in the past to break after a year or 2 or sooner , not sure if they got a weak batch of metal or didnt harden them right or what but i had one closed in my case and it broke just from sitting closed , Bill D makes super nice springs but i dont think he sells just the springs you would have to send knife to him then he would fix it for you, you may want to try Tank from TbarK custom knives he make you a spring also if Bill is too busy.
- Panzerfaust
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- Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:23 pm
Re: Replacement spring for vintage leverlock
I too am aware that Hubertus springs break way too soon. This happened on one my Hubies when it was less than two years old. Is there anyone else who makes replacement springs? I have already removed the old spring and I don't want to send the knife off. I did replace the spring in my Hubertus and it was no problem to get the new spring in. The hardest part was getting the old one out, but even that was not too difficult.
- Bill DeShivs
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Re: Replacement spring for vintage leverlock
The spring in your knife should be installed from the side. This requires disassembling the knife.
Hubertus springs are fitted loosely, so they can be installed after the knives are assembled. The reason they break, is that they begin to creep out of the slot because they are loose. When these springs slip forward, they can put undue stress on the backspring-breaking it.
I'll make you a spring, or repair your knife, for the same price. If I make the spring, you won't be able to "slip" it in. You'll have to open up the knife. I will not guarantee the spring unless I install it.
If you drove the broken spring out without disassembling the knife, you likely have damaged the backspring already.
Hubertus springs are fitted loosely, so they can be installed after the knives are assembled. The reason they break, is that they begin to creep out of the slot because they are loose. When these springs slip forward, they can put undue stress on the backspring-breaking it.
I'll make you a spring, or repair your knife, for the same price. If I make the spring, you won't be able to "slip" it in. You'll have to open up the knife. I will not guarantee the spring unless I install it.
If you drove the broken spring out without disassembling the knife, you likely have damaged the backspring already.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
- Panzerfaust
- Posts: 1345
- Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:23 pm
Re: Replacement spring for vintage leverlock
Bill,
I did remove the old spring, but it came out with a gentle "tap."
I did remove the old spring, but it came out with a gentle "tap."
Re: Replacement spring for vintage leverlock
Hi Panzer,
That's a nice knife. It's worth sending it off to be repaired correctly or if you have the skill and tools I'm sure you can replace it without a problem. It does have a nail nick so I guess you can always use it as a folder.
John
That's a nice knife. It's worth sending it off to be repaired correctly or if you have the skill and tools I'm sure you can replace it without a problem. It does have a nail nick so I guess you can always use it as a folder.
John
Your friend on the web's most friendly community on knives and blades,
John
Massachusetts Where Everything is Illegal or Taxed
John
Massachusetts Where Everything is Illegal or Taxed
Re: Replacement spring for vintage leverlock
Every knife that Hubertus sends to the US has had the spring factory installed, and then removed for shipping. My guess is most of the dealers now a days don't know how to properly seat the springs. I never had any problems with broken springs or them falling out, but this was over 10 years ago and maybe they were made better back then.Bill DeShivs wrote:The spring in your knife should be installed from the side. This requires disassembling the knife.
Hubertus springs are fitted loosely, so they can be installed after the knives are assembled. The reason they break, is that they begin to creep out of the slot because they are loose. When these springs slip forward, they can put undue stress on the backspring-breaking it.
I'll make you a spring, or repair your knife, for the same price. If I make the spring, you won't be able to "slip" it in. You'll have to open up the knife. I will not guarantee the spring unless I install it.
If you drove the broken spring out without disassembling the knife, you likely have damaged the backspring already.
No, I'm not happy to see you, that's my 12cm "Red Rose" in my pocket!
- Bill DeShivs
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Re: Replacement spring for vintage leverlock
They were!
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
- Panzerfaust
- Posts: 1345
- Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:23 pm
Re: Replacement spring for vintage leverlock
My Hubertus was bought in Germany in 1991 and the spring broke a little more than a year later. I saw no evidence of it being loose. I think it was just poorly tempered.
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Re: Replacement spring for vintage leverlock
I have Hubertus springs in two leverlocks I have repaired for myself. As an experiment mostly, one in a shellpuller, I installed from the side as Bill has mentioned and "staked" it. The other in a smaller Bonsa which I did not stake. I can tell you it walked out once on me in the Bonsa but did not break. Both needed minimal modifying to fit. If you're on a budget and adventurous (in my opinion) you can use a Hubertus spring, but you will still need to install it from the side. Will it break? I don't know, maybe, maybe not. Mine haven't and they cost around five bucks also. If you want it done right and want a guarantee the spring won't break please send it off to Bill and have it done by a pro.
This is just my opinion and I only have a drop in the bucket as experience goes compared to Bill and others.
This is just my opinion and I only have a drop in the bucket as experience goes compared to Bill and others.
- whippersnapper
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- Location: Michigan
Re: Replacement spring for vintage leverlock
Since you just got the knife, Panzerfaust, and it came with a broken spring, the first thing I would check before putting alot of money into it was if it was going to peek with a spring installed.
Close the knife and gently pull up on the blade without pushing down the lever (as if there was spring pressure pushing the blade open). If the tip of the knife comes above the liners, it is probably going to peek, and maybe not be worth putting a spring in, unless you are willing to pay to try to get that fixed too. Again, jmo because I hate peeky knives.
Close the knife and gently pull up on the blade without pushing down the lever (as if there was spring pressure pushing the blade open). If the tip of the knife comes above the liners, it is probably going to peek, and maybe not be worth putting a spring in, unless you are willing to pay to try to get that fixed too. Again, jmo because I hate peeky knives.
Re: Replacement spring for vintage leverlock
Me too; in my experience at least, a peeky blade eventually equals a cut finger, when you reach into your pocket and snag the tip.whippersnapper wrote:Since you just got the knife, Panzerfaust, and it came with a broken spring, the first thing I would check before putting alot of money into it was if it was going to peek with a spring installed.
Close the knife and gently pull up on the blade without pushing down the lever (as if there was spring pressure pushing the blade open). If the tip of the knife comes above the liners, it is probably going to peek, and maybe not be worth putting a spring in, unless you are willing to pay to try to get that fixed too. Again, jmo because I hate peeky knives.
Tom
Is it...Tomorrow....Or just the end of time?
- Panzerfaust
- Posts: 1345
- Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:23 pm
Re: Replacement spring for vintage leverlock
tr4252 wrote:Me too; in my experience at least, a peeky blade eventually equals a cut finger, when you reach into your pocket and snag the tip.whippersnapper wrote:Since you just got the knife, Panzerfaust, and it came with a broken spring, the first thing I would check before putting alot of money into it was if it was going to peek with a spring installed.
Close the knife and gently pull up on the blade without pushing down the lever (as if there was spring pressure pushing the blade open). If the tip of the knife comes above the liners, it is probably going to peek, and maybe not be worth putting a spring in, unless you are willing to pay to try to get that fixed too. Again, jmo because I hate peeky knives.
Tom
Yes, the blade will peek, and although I agree with both of you guys, that is not a deterrent to fixing it because I won't be carrying it anyway. I have decided that I am going to try a slide-in spring, and if that does not work, or it causes too much peekage, I will just leave it as is. I don't mind having a non-functional vintage knife.
- Bill DeShivs
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Re: Replacement spring for vintage leverlock
Why the reticence to have this knife properly repaired? It's worth it, and the cost is very reasonable.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.