When you close a blade....

[Gee.B]

... do you let it snap or do you try to lead the blade as much as you can inside ?

I mean I'm a little bit concerned that letting it snap by itself with affect the sharpness of the blade by knocking again the internal spring

[Poncho65]

... do you let it snap or do you try to lead the blade as much as you can inside ?

I mean I'm a little bit concerned that letting it snap by itself with affect the sharpness of the blade by knocking again the internal spring

I may be different than some people (whose kidding I am different than a lot of people ) but I usually just let it snap closed and I never seem to have a problem with a dull blade

The exception is if I know it is gonna hit as it close and I do have a few blades that do this then I ease it down

[metasyntax]

Let it snap, that's half the fun! The blade's edge is not supposed to hit anything when it closes. The only exception for me are the wood saws, which sometimes are liable to hit the internal liners and make dents with the teeth.

[T14]

I recently let my father play with my new Vic Bantam. 

He opened both ends at once, let the combi opener stand at 90 degrees and let the blade snap closed.

But the blade snapped INTO the open combi opener, damaging the edge near the tip

*expletives omitted*

I am not letting him anywhere near my alox Vics...

[Subterranean]

The blade's edge is not supposed to hit anything when it closes. The only exception for me are the wood saws, which sometimes are liable to hit the internal liners and make dents with the teeth.

+1
The blade's edge doesn't hit the spring when closing, it's the "kicker" / "kick" of the blade (the part where the SAK blade stamping is).

[NetsNJ]

I recently let my father play with my new Vic Bantam. 

He opened both ends at once, let the combi opener stand at 90 degrees and let the blade snap closed.

But the blade snapped INTO the open combi opener, damaging the edge near the tip

*expletives omitted*

I am not letting him anywhere near my alox Vics...

 

Yeah I am pretty protective of my knives.  I have some beat up users that I let people handle, but most, no. 

[Guardian]

I'm a snapper, but I'm having treatment for it

[Gee.B]

Well on my Alox, the blade is as wide as the kick so if the latter hits the spring isn't the blade supposed to hit it as well. ?

I do recognize, however, the fun of the snap

The blade's edge is not supposed to hit anything when it closes. The only exception for me are the wood saws, which sometimes are liable to hit the internal liners and make dents with the teeth.

+1
The blade's edge doesn't hit the spring when closing, it's the "kicker" / "kick" of the blade (the part where the SAK blade stamping is).

[Subterranean]

Well on my Alox, the blade is as wide as the kick so if the latter hits the spring isn't the blade supposed to hit it as well. ?

I do recognize, however, the fun of the snap

The blade's edge is not supposed to hit anything when it closes. The only exception for me are the wood saws, which sometimes are liable to hit the internal liners and make dents with the teeth.

+1
The blade's edge doesn't hit the spring when closing, it's the "kicker" / "kick" of the blade (the part where the SAK blade stamping is).

Nope, the kick is a bit wider and it hits the spring first. Because of that, the blade's edge stops before the spring. Also, look at the blade angle relative to the spring, when closed, it is not completely "parallel" to the spring. Precision is the key, as with everything in SAKs. 

Maybe someone here has the picture of the closed SAK with transparent scales, that would show the geometry nicely?...

And yes, the Victorinox snap sounds awesome... therapeutic sound

[Subterranean]

Just a minute...

[Subterranean]

Well, this is a mod, not an original SAK, but nevertheless, look at the kick portion of the blade:



Maybe someone has a better picture?..

[metasyntax]

And yes, the Victorinox snap sounds awesome... therapeutic sound

If I remember right, there was a video where somebody at Victorinox (can't remember if it was Mr. Elsener or someone else) was talking about how the walk & talk is a key part of their knife identity and a great way for normal people to tell a fake. If you want perfection, get an alox Solo and a SwissTool, just sit there and open and close them all day long.

[Subterranean]

And yes, the Victorinox snap sounds awesome... therapeutic sound

If I remember right, there was a video where somebody at Victorinox (can't remember if it was Mr. Elsener or someone else) was talking about how the walk & talk is a key part of their knife identity and a great way for normal people to tell a fake. If you want perfection, get an alox Solo and a SwissTool, just sit there and open and close them all day long.

Yep, it was mr. Wyss showing the "klick/klack" signature sound. 

[Steinar]

I prefer control when I have that luxury, so no snapping shut the knife here. I used to shut the knife by simply pressing the back of blade against the outside of my leg before dropping the knife back in the pocket in my younger years, but I'm a grumpy, middle aged man now.

[Poncho65]

Well, this is a mod, not an original SAK, but nevertheless, look at the kick portion of the blade:

(Image removed from quote.)

Maybe someone has a better picture?..

That is a cool knife you have there I like the see through scales

[Subterranean]

Well, this is a mod, not an original SAK, but nevertheless, look at the kick portion of the blade:

(Image removed from quote.)

Maybe someone has a better picture?..

That is a cool knife you have there I like the see through scales

The picture is not mine, it is taken from here - http://www.instructables.com/id/Victorinox-pocket-knife-repair-rebuilding/ - to illustrate the closed blade.

Here is original patent drawing for the Victorinox Classic - notice how the blade precisely closes, with only the kicker touching the spring.

[Subterranean]

OK, that isn't Classic, it has ony one layer... maybe the "Princess" model?. 

[glenfiddich1983]

Nice thread 

I also like to let them snap 

[NetsNJ]

@Subterranean:





I actually think in the Vic picture, the blade is riding lower down than it should, as the tension in the spring bar isn't correct (as the phillips is slightly misplaced).

[Subterranean]

@Subterranean:

(Image removed from quote.)

[Subterranean]

P.S.: this is a very nice article regarding the SAK springs.

http://www.sakhome.com/305357085

This whole site (www.sakhome.com) is very interesting, it has a ton of interesting information for the SAK lovers. Someone has put a lot of effort into that site. Congrats to the site owner 

[shibafu]

Although only the kick touches the spring in the resting position, you can press the back of the blade down further against the resistance of the spring.  On some knives the clearance between blade and spring is so small that the momentum of the blade snapping closed can take it far enough past the normal closed position to strike the spring.  Laguioles and similar French knives are apparently prone to this.  I have a Spanish-made Nieto knife that does it every time too.  On SAKs there is a pretty good amount of resistance when you press down on the back of a closed blade, and snapping them closed doesn't seem to be a problem... good engineering.  In any case the blade tip hits the liner before the edge contacts the spring, on 91mm and 93mm at least.

[Gee.B]

Thank you for all those very interesting replies  I do appreciate.
 It's actually a question that I've had for a long, long time. Love the patent picture !
Now I can snap away without stress

[metasyntax]

Thank you for all those very interesting replies  I do appreciate.
 It's actually a question that I've had for a long, long time. Love the patent picture !
Now I can snap away without stress

Snap away, and if you want to make sure, check the edge periodically under a bright light. If you keep seeing a glint in the same place, even after you sharpen a few times, then you know to be more careful. I have a Buck knife I can't let snap, it didn't take too long to notice.

[enki_ck]

P.S.: this is a very nice article regarding the SAK springs.

http://www.sakhome.com/305357085

This whole site (www.sakhome.com) is very interesting, it has a ton of interesting information for the SAK lovers. Someone has put a lot of effort into that site. Congrats to the site owner 

That's Trond's aka North Man's page, and as you might have guessed, he's a long time member here and one of if not the most knowledgeable person on Wengers we have. I learned a lot from him.

Hope he visits us back soon.

[Captain Howdy]

Call me a snapper head. I almost always let the blade snap in on its own. Usually I close them one handed. I do this on all my SAKs, just habit it seems.i have never seen any evidence damage to the blade edge from doing this.

[JamesJ]

I close to a sensible distance, then let go, for a quieter snap. If others are sleeping sometimes I do a ninja close. I'm more careful with full length tools, the phillips, openers, etc generally I let those fly closed.

[jerseydevil]

When at work, I tend to just close the blade one handed against my leg. The only problem I've ever had with that is catching the bail on a Wenger SI with the blade.

[Scoon]

Yes, every time!

The first thing you learn in marketing is "You sell the sizzle, not the steak". To me, that sound of the blade snapping closed is the "sizzle"; the surprise and delight I get from that snap every time really makes me love SAKs.

It's the sound of precision engineering.
It's the sound of a well made object.
It's the sound of a finished job.
It's the sound of trust in your tools.
It's the sound of being Johnny-on-the-spot.
It's the sound of form meeting function.
It's the sound of beauty and engineering that you can carry in your pocket.
It's the million dollar sound.

 

[Subterranean]

Yes, every time!

The first thing you learn in marketing is "You sell the sizzle, not the steak". To me, that sound of the blade snapping closed is the "sizzle"; the surprise and delight I get from that snap every time really makes me love SAKs.

It's the sound of precision engineering.
It's the sound of a well made object.
It's the sound of a finished job.
It's the sound of trust in your tools.
It's the sound of being Johnny-on-the-spot.
It's the sound of form meeting function.
It's the sound of beauty and engineering that you can carry in your pocket.
It's the million dollar sound.

 

Exactly! Very nice description!