Scissor spring for Gerber suspension

[Mercury]

Ok, I will not admit to owning this tool, but it really does belong to a friend from work.  He bought it about 8 months ago and he said that the scissor spring never worked.  I took it out and after messing with it for an hour, it shot into the stratosphere and has yet to land.  I decided to fabricate a spring that mimicks LM or wenger.   I started with a Vic small blade, and it would have worked except I overground it and it, well, didn't have any spring.  I am a little frustrated right now so I took a break.  I would love to hear any tips.  I need to have a pivot hole that is about .290, and the max thickness is around .050.  I am thinking of using another small vic blade but I really don't have a spare ATM and my friend needs this thing back.

[Sazabi]

Random question, but can't Gerber just send you a replacement spring? 

[Mercury]

I thought of that, but the design is crap.  I was going to fabricate a spring but I was able to get the old one to work by grinding down the nub on the thumb lever so that it was less aggressive as it engaged the spring, that and I bent the spring towards the scissor.  It works great now, my friend is pleased and I don't owe him a new suspension!

[J-sews]

Oh good, you found the old one then?

[Mercury]

Oh good, you found the old one then?

Yep, it landed in a box of SAK parts.  I was actually starting a new SAK mod and got halfway through it when I saw the Gerber spring.  I was really relieved because I was grinding small Vic blades down and making springs out of them.  FYI, it is really easy to work harden Vic steel and it retains no springyness whatsoever.  It would have worked if I hadn't made the steel so brittle.

[cubbyleader]

What did you do to the suspension to get the spring to stop slipping off the scissors elbow? I have the same problem and would like to fix it. Any help would be appreciated.

Cubby

[Mercury]

Wow this is an old thread! 

I ended up taking a fine file and removing the outward edge of the nub so that the lowest portion of the nub slid a bit behind the spring when the scissor was depressed, therefor somewhat wedging it in place.  It worked pretty well.  I've noticed that the spring on these tends to be haphazardly fabricated, meaning there is a large tolerance for side to side gaps at the end of the spring.  I just bent this one back a bit toward the scissor body so it would engage the modified nub.

[cubbyleader]

I did what you said and it works great now...THANKS so much!!!

[Mercury]

I did what you said and it works great now...THANKS so much!!!

Glad I could help, and welcome to the forums!