SAK blade closing

[Nhoj]

Hello there ChefRichie...another snapper here. For Victorinox Swiss Army Knives, I don't have any worries snapping thta blade til kingdom come, but I take a gentler approach when it comes to my Wengers. It feels like the backsprings of wengers are not as strong as Victorinox's... but that maight just be me. Welcome to MTO!

It's not just you, I believe Wengers are made to have a spring not as strong

[PTRSAK]

  For God's sake, don't let Australian Customs see these one-hand opening videos. 

OHO knives are a prohibited import into Nannystralia and this just made all SAKs OHO.

[Monrogue]

Yeah I'm definitely a member of the snappers club   I love the sound and feel of opening and closing the tools on my SAKs

[Aloha]

The OHO SAK video was killer tho I wont be trying that myself.  I just got into SAKs and love that SNAP so I let mine SNAP. I do however lower my scissors and my saw for some reason. I may have to rethink lowering the blades on my Wengers,  thanx Goatlord.
Welcome CHef 

[J Mackrel Jones]

"The repositioning and touching the blade twice in the first video was cause I was doing it while filming myself with the cell phone in the other hand."

OK  enki_ck.    Glad to know your skin is intact.
After seeing your arm-shaving video -- Can I send you my SI for sharpening?

[tattoosteve99]

I've owned a sak since I was 14 now 41. I've always let it snap back, I still have it and it still works flawlessly.

[kkokkolis]

Juices aren't as good snappers as SAKs are.

[Monrogue]

Juices aren't as good snappers as SAKs are.

No they're not unfortunately   It's funny though, because they are almost like a cross between a regular Leatherman and a SAK. 

[nervium]

Sorry about that again.

But...
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i agree

[ICanFixThat]

Great Thead! We need to move it to the Swiss forum.

[enki_ck]

Great Thead! We need to move it to the Swiss forum.

 

I meant to do it when I first saw it but forgot. 

[firiki]

Nice video, I won't be trying that though!

For God's sake, don't let Australian Customs see these one-hand opening videos. 

OHO knives are a prohibited import into Nannystralia and this just made all SAKs OHO.

  Not funny, I know.

I seldom snap shut the blades, rarely did ever but after I've had two main blades hitting the liner I think I've developped an aversion. I do snap shut the rest of the implements on the regular. That sound/feeling has an appeal I simply can't trace 

[qwotchi]

I tend to pinch the blade and just let it snap for the shortest distance possible.

[Storky]

Another SAK snapper here 

... in hand opening and closing the blade listening to that SNAP... chewing gum for the hands...

Great definition  I love it 

Best regards

Markus

[RoboYeti]

How about restoring that famous 'snap' to a used knife? I acquired a used Vic Tourist and all the tools have great snap, except for the main blade. I've tried spraying it with WD-40, washing it with hot water, and oiling it, but there has been no improvement. Are there any super secret SAK expert techniques I could try?

[stressmaster5000]

How about restoring that famous 'snap' to a used knife? I acquired a used Vic Tourist and all the tools have great snap, except for the main blade. I've tried spraying it with WD-40, washing it with hot water, and oiling it, but there has been no improvement. Are there any super secret SAK expert techniques I could try?

You could check to see if there be some crud stuck to the sides of the main spring as it opens. When you open the blade half way look at the protruding spring area and check the sides. Sometimes crud build up there can cause your loss of "snap". I will see if I can find a photo showing what I am talking about.

Here is another thread dealing with maintenance of your Swiss Army knife;
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,24067.msg440539.html#msg440539

[BradGad]

I'm a snapper.

For me, one of the tests of a pocket knife that's worth carrying is if it "walks and talks" ... I won't carry one that doesn't.

As defined on All About Pocket Knives... "Walk and Talk: This describes the actions of a pocket knife when opened and closed. The walk describes the feel of the tang as it moves along the spring when the blade is opened. The talk refers to the sound of the knife when the blade is closed. A well adjusted knife 'walks and talks' (has a nice strong snap and has blades that slide smoothly across the springs)." (http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/research/knife_definitions.php)

Fortunately, SAKS are consistently great in this respect.

I say, let 'em talk!

[J Mackrel Jones]

One way to close the knife is to hold the knife with Fingers Clear Of The Slots and press the back of the blade against your leg. This will snap the blade closed, damage the edge of a cheap knife, and scare your mother.
The SAK Owner's Manual

[MacGyver]

Just read this topic and decided to revive it as it looks like an interesting subject. I haven't actually ever thought of that as an issue or any kind of potential problem... 

I've always snapped the blades shut on all my sak's (and non sak's) and never had a problem, never occurred to me some guys might take some extra care in closing it because of that.
 Yes they always kiss the spacer for the small blade slightly, no matter how well adjusted they are, it's just the elastic nature of the material's (back spring) and inertia of the blade at stop point. Yes it may kiss the blade edge just a bit, but nothing even remotely close to damage though. But if one it bothered by it, a couple of passages with the Vic V sharpener takes care of that (very small) dull spot 

And besides that "snap" is part of the attraction on Vic Sak's 

[Ron Who]

On the non-locking SAKs I close the main blade by pushing the spine against my leg and let it snap. (Snapte?)

[El Corkscrew]

Howdy! I let them snap back into the knife. As long as the blade was correctly made the spring should stop it before it bottoms out. The only problem I have ever seen with a Swiss Army knife is when you have a Bail then it is important to make sure it is folded out of the way before you close the blade. If not it will damage both the bail and the blade. 

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Exactly.  All of my SI's have tried unsuccessfully to rid themselves of their bail on numerous occasions.