# Benchmade Griptilian springs breaking, #4 and counting



## BBL (Nov 11, 2012)

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?


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## Minibear453 (Nov 18, 2012)

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.


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## Greatwhite (Nov 18, 2012)

I had the same problem, twice. Had to send it back for repair. Also the main reason it now lives in a junk drawer.


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## Minibear453 (Nov 18, 2012)

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.


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## dano (Nov 19, 2012)

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?


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## loonybin (Dec 19, 2012)

Greatwhite said:


> 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


dano said:


> 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.


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## [email protected] (Dec 29, 2012)

dano said:


> 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.


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## phoneguy (Dec 29, 2012)

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


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## bnemmie (Dec 30, 2012)

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?


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## [email protected] (Jan 9, 2013)

bnemmie said:


> 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.


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## bnemmie (Jan 10, 2013)

[email protected] said:


> 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.


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## Spherediving (Jul 26, 2013)

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


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## lintonindy (Jul 26, 2013)

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


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## Kingfisher (Aug 3, 2013)

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.


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## SouseMouse (Sep 11, 2013)

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.







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.


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## DrafterDan (Sep 11, 2013)

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...


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## GunnarGG (Oct 17, 2014)

Spherediving said:


> 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.
> ...



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.


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## TerranM (Jul 28, 2017)

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!


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## Croquette (May 25, 2018)

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.


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