Buck 110LT sold at Walmart - any known issues with weak closing pull?

[Obsessed with Edges]

Bought one of these Buck 110LT models at Walmart a while back. At $20 or so at the time - they're priced at around $25 these days - it seemed a great deal with a lot of pluses. Very simple, lightweight & strong build with a blade that takes a great edge. I loved carrying it and using it. But over some time, I've noticed its persistent tendency to fall a bit short when closing the blade, and for failing to KEEP it closed. It was a minor nuisance at first, until one day, I noticed the tip of the blade had snagged in my pocket (right front pocket) and then sliced through the pocket liner, leaving the tip of the blade exposed in dangerous proximity to you-know-where. That was an alarming eye-opener and left me not trusting it for in-pocket carry anymore.

I've repeatedly cleaned and re-lubed the pivot many times, and the weak closing pull persists. Even when snapping the blade shut a little more assertively, it still occasionally 'bounces' a bit, leaving the tip still exposed above the handle (pic below, post-bounce).

I'm trying to find out if this is a known issue as experienced by other buyers of this model, or if it's just a one-off fluke. At $20-$25 for the knife, I'm also debating if it's worthwhile sending it in for a warranty fix, or just replacing it. As I mentioned above, the blade has taken a great slicing edge and I'd hate to sideline this knife for this issue, if at all possible.

 

[jmh33]

I would send it in for warranty repair.
That is if you are here in the USA.
John

 

[BuckShack]

I have a bunch of these and haven't had that trouble, but I can see it happening and having few options to fix it myself. I too would send it in even for the price it costs, they will pay to send it back. The other option is using the nylon sheath it came with (which I use and love) or finding a sheath for pocket carry to keep it closed.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I have a bunch of these and haven't had that trouble, but I can see it happening and having few options to fix it myself. I too would send it in even for the price it costs, they will pay to send it back. The other option is using the nylon sheath it came with (which I use and love) or finding a sheath for pocket carry to keep it closed.

I'm REALLY hoping to make it safe for pocket carry again. Lately, in lieu of the LT model, I'm now back to carrying my 111 in the same right front pocket (pic below, alongside my 301). It's a great knife and obviously heavier. But I still prefer carrying it that way, as opposed to using the sheath. I use a safety pin in the pocket to keep the knife vertical (tip down). With the LT carried that way, it was light enough that I almost forgot it was in there. I got pretty spoiled on that and it was actually the motivation for buying that knife in the first place.

 

[Bastler]

My 110LT has the same issue, but my 112LT does not. If you send it in for warranty repair, please let us know the result.

 

[Ruari]

I reckon it is the result of the spring rod coming loose in it's mounting, the mounting area degrading or weakening, under the lock bar.
I noticed this when I reassembled my Buck 186. If the part holding the base of the spring rod wasn't correctly attached (ie simulating a loosened or weakened spring rod), then the blade would not close or stay closed and was 'floppy'.
Correctly realigning the part holding the spring rod rectified the issue.
Below is a crude illustration of what I'm trying to say above.

 

[Bastler]

I reckon it is the result of the spring rod coming loose in it's mounting, the mounting area degrading or weakening, under the lock bar.
I noticed this when I reassembled my Buck 186. If the part holding the base of the spring rod wasn't correctly attached (ie simulating a loosened or weakened spring rod), then the blade would not close or stay closed and was 'floppy'.
Correctly realigning the part holding the spring rod rectified the issue.
Below is a crude illustration of what I'm trying to say above.
View attachment 1906785

Since the back spacer on the LT is integral to the handle, a repair may not be possible.

 

[Bastler]

I just got my 110 LT from the truck to see if I could detect a spring malfunction. It seemed to have some friction when the blade was nearly closed, the point where the tang rotates into the handle. I pried the handle slabs apart with modest force and now it closes like any of my other Buck knives. It's worth noting that mine wouldn't close completely with only the spring force, but it never bounced back open after closing, like the OP is experiencing.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

My 110LT has the same issue, but my 112LT does not. If you send it in for warranty repair, please let us know the result.

OK, so maybe it's not entirely a fluke. Thanks for relating your experience here - that's what I was wondering, if I was alone in seeing this.

 

[plb]

I'll take a stab at it, thinking the blade pivot pin was overtightened at the factory. If it were mine, I would use soft jaws in a vise (or wrap the blade in leather) and clamp down tight, fully to the tang and them move the handle side to side, gently at first, increasing the force trying to spread the rivet until the blade closes and stays closed on its own. Remove and test frequently to prevent too much blade play. This is what old timers called blade "slackening". Another method involves opening the blade half way and striking the tang, angled slightly up on an anvil, effectively spreading the handle apart just enough to free the pinched blade. Both methods involve applying force to the thickest part of the knife and it's very rare to see a 110 blade that has snapped off at the tang.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I just got my 110 LT from the truck to see if I could detect a spring malfunction. It seemed to have some friction when the blade was nearly closed, the point where the tang rotates into the handle. I pried the handle slabs apart with modest force and now it closes like any of my other Buck knives. It's worth noting that mine wouldn't close completely with only the spring force, but it never bounced back open after closing, like the OP is experiencing.

^That's EXACTLY what I've noticed as well. Seems like the fit is very, very snug at that transition, as the blade tang slips into the handle.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Since the back spacer on the LT is integral to the handle, a repair may not be possible.

I'd also wondered about the workings of the spring tensioning the lockbar, and its possible involvement with this problem. Sinced the whole thing is also pinned & not screwed together, that's what had me wondering if the knife was worth trying to disassemble and repair in the first place.

 

[Lesknife]

One of mine was like that and I just lightly tapped the pivot pin on each side. That let it have some room to freely close but not enough to make it wobble.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I'll take a stab at it, thinking the blade pivot pin was overtightened at the factory. If it were mine, I would use soft jaws in a vise (or wrap the blade in leather) and clamp down tight, fully to the tang and them move the handle side to side, gently at first, increasing the force trying to spread the rivet until the blade closes and stays closed on its own. Remove and test frequently to prevent too much blade play. This is what old timers called blade "slackening". Another method involves opening the blade half way and striking the tang, angled slightly up on an anvil, effectively spreading the handle apart just enough to free the pinched blade. Both methods involve applying force to the thickest part of the knife and it's very rare to see a 110 blade that has snapped off at the tang.

I might eventually resort to that 'slackening' method, in the vise, if no other avenues of repair are practical for this knife. I'd tried this to a very light degree already, just using some lateral pressure to the blade, applied by hand only. But it'll need a little more than that, as my light effort so far didn't change anything.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

One of mine was like that and I just lightly tapped the pivot pin on each side. That let it have some room to freely close but not enough to make it wobble.

I assume the premise here, in tapping the pin end from each side, is to lightly compress the handle material underneath it and create some miniscule gap that way? I could theoretically see that working, if the FRN/glass-filled handle material allows for a little compression and holds it. Might experiment with that as well, Thanks.

 

[Bastler]

I'd also wondered about the workings of the spring tensioning the lockbar, and it's possible involvement with this problem. Sinced the whole thing is also pinned & not screwed together, that's what had me wondering if the knife was worth trying to disassemble and repair in the first place.

The butt end of the LT doesn't have any pins, it seems to be glued together. I don't think it will disassemble fully.

 

[GPyro]

If it's because the pins are too tight on the blade, wouldn't it have been that way from new?

I would have simply exchanged it for another at that point.

 

[MolokaiRider]

My 110 slim does the same. It's a shame, as I can only carry it in the pocket after the clip snapped twice. I think the very gritty action exacerbates the issue.

I still use it, but not as pocket carry.

I checked my only other nylon-scaled Buck, the Smokejumper, and it seems fine.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

The butt end of the LT doesn't have any pins, it seems to be glued together. I don't think it will disassemble fully.

Agreed. I was thinking in terms of accessing the pivot end to check for something messing up the works there, as I tend to believe the fit is just a hair too snug there, for the relatively weak pull otherwise. There may or may not be an issue at the spring end as well, but I had pretty well written off trying to fix that for the reason you mention.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

If it's because the pins are too tight on the blade, wouldn't it have been that way from new?

I would have simply exchanged it for another at that point.

It's been like that from near-new. Seemed fine when I bought it. But as I began using it at home in the first few weeks, it started acting up occasionally. With any other knife I've owned, that's usually just been an issue of something gumming or gritting up the pivot, which eventually gets fixed with a few cleanings and/or lubrication. But this one hasn't responded the same way to that approach and has become more persistent since then.