What's up with the G-Clip on the Rock Salts

[dsmegst]

I've been playing around with several kydex sheath designs that incorporates a G-Clip. I've done a number of twisting, pulling and generally abusive tests to find weak points of the design. I've bent, cracked and otherwise damaged the kydex sheaths in question but never broke the G-Clip on these sheaths. They're surprisingly strong. I would think this was a fluke.

[Michael Janich]

I've been playing around with several kydex sheath designs that incorporates a G-Clip. I've done a number of twisting, pulling and generally abusive tests to find weak points of the design. I've bent, cracked and otherwise damaged the kydex sheaths in question but never broke the G-Clip on these sheaths. They're surprisingly strong. I would think this was a fluke.

Dear Dan:

Thank you very much for your post and the feedback on the performance of the G-Clip in your tests. We track our warranty returns very closely to identify any consistent issues, but it's always great to have other insights. I'm glad the G-Clip is performing well for your needs.

Stay safe,

Mike

[THE PUNISHER]

good service,i have several g clips on the hossum series knives never had one snap and they get tugged on alot...

:spyder:

[Agent Starling]

dang, I was starting to worry there for a second. this incident seemed a bit out of character for the spyder factory.

[Dr. Snubnose]

Thanks for your post Michael...I will be sending the broken G-Clip back to Spyderco for Inspection, no need to post any pics...broke is broke..we should let Spyderco determine if there exists any production problems. Like I said before I love the clip and the original that was on my Rock Salt (which I gave to that customer) never gave me any problems...Gee lighten up everybody...I'm not that frustrated over this...just concerned and a little inconvenienced...The reason for my original post was to find out if this was a two time fluke or if anyone else was having this problem with the g-clip...Michael you make a good suggestion about using a different style other than the G-clip for IWB carry of the Rock Salt...but I just like the position it holds my Rock Salt and it allows my to place a smaller fixed blade (The Wharning or Ronin) right down by it's side...so for now I'll stick with the G-clip....Doc :D

[224477]

Doc. I think that things like that simply happen, the more important is how the owner of the issue /company/ is taking care of it. Spyderco never had a problem to stand behind their products. :cool:

[Iris223]

I've been playing around with several kydex sheath designs that incorporates a G-Clip. I've done a number of twisting, pulling and generally abusive tests to find weak points of the design. I've bent, cracked and otherwise damaged the kydex sheaths in question but never broke the G-Clip on these sheaths. They're surprisingly strong. I would think this was a fluke.

Been using my G-Clip on my ESEE Izula for a little while now, other than being amazingly tough to get off my belt (which is a pretty good thing, I guess), I havent noticed any signs of weakness or failures.

On a side note, I'm not using the rubber spacers provided, are they really necessary?

[The Deacon]

Been using my G-Clip on my ESEE Izula for a little while now, other than being amazingly tough to get off my belt (which is a pretty good thing, I guess), I havent noticed any signs of weakness or failures.

On a side note, I'm not using the rubber spacers provided, are they really necessary?

Think that's the point Mike addressed. Combination of a new CS person and an item that's been in the field a couple years with little or no history of breakage issues caused the mix up.

As for the rubber spacers, I would imagine that's a function of the sheath design. If the side to which you're attaching the clip is flat, or near flat, there's probably no need for the stand offs. If both sides of the sheath are more heavily molded for the blade it would be a different story.

[Iris223]

Think that's the point Mike addressed. Combination of a new CS person and an item that's been in the field a couple years with little or no history of breakage issues caused the mix up.

As for the rubber spacers, I would imagine that's a function of the sheath design. If the side to which you're attaching the clip is flat, or near flat, there's probably no need for the stand offs. If both sides of the sheath are more heavily molded for the blade it would be a different story.

Indeed indeed, just thought I'd throw my 2 cents and experience in.

Thank you for your input on the spacers, that makes total sense. The More You Know, eh?

[dsmegst]

Thanks for your post Michael...I will be sending the broken G-Clip back to Spyderco for Inspection, no need to post any pics...broke is broke..we should let Spyderco determine if there exists any production problems. Like I said before I love the clip and the original that was on my Rock Salt (which I gave to that customer) never gave me any problems...Gee lighten up everybody...I'm not that frustrated over this...just concerned and a little inconvenienced...The reason for my original post was to find out if this was a two time fluke or if anyone else was having this problem with the g-clip...Michael you make a good suggestion about using a different style other than the G-clip for IWB carry of the Rock Salt...but I just like the position it holds my Rock Salt and it allows my to place a smaller fixed blade (The Wharning or Ronin) right down by it's side...so for now I'll stick with the G-clip....Doc :D

Hi Doc,

I'd like to ask how the clip is attached on your sheath. For my sheaths, I'm using the top 2 holes to attach the clip to the sheath using some Chicago screws. In between the clip and the sheath, I insert flat rubber washers I found in the plumbing section at the hardware store. The washers are wider than the screws and around 1/8 inch thick. They're very dense and not as rubbery as the ones that come with the G-Clips from the factory.

My guess is that this configuration takes up a lot of the up and down force that's applied while sheathing and unsheathing the knife. And it doesn't add too much flex to anything but increases the durability of the attachment point between the G-Clip and sheath.

[dsmegst]

Indeed indeed, just thought I'd throw my 2 cents and experience in.

Thank you for your input on the spacers, that makes total sense. The More You Know, eh?

I've actually cracked the kydex sheath where the clip attaches to the sheath. I'm guessing that first, I torqued it too tight and second, the solid plastic to plastic junction had no give what so ever. The added stress from normal use was enough to crack the sheath.

So like I said in the previous post, I started adding wide rubber washers in between the two surfaces. It's still pretty solid and also prevents me from over torquing the screws.

[Dr. Snubnose]

Hi Doc,

I'd like to ask how the clip is attached on your sheath. For my sheaths, I'm using the top 2 holes to attach the clip to the sheath using some Chicago screws. In between the clip and the sheath, I insert flat rubber washers I found in the plumbing section at the hardware store. The washers are wider than the screws and around 1/8 inch thick. They're very dense and not as rubbery as the ones that come with the G-Clips from the factory.

My guess is that this configuration takes up a lot of the up and down force that's applied while sheathing and unsheathing the knife. And it doesn't add too much flex to anything but increases the durability of the attachment point between the G-Clip and sheath.

Pretty much how I attached it, cept I'm using the soft rubber spacers supplied with the clip....Doc :D

[Mike Sastre]

As someone who has a lot of experience using and making G-clips (about 20 years) and a little bit with the design of the Spyderco version, I've been keeping an eye on this thread and maybe should have weighed in a little earlier. Nothing wrong with Spyderco's G-clips. I'm using them a lot more than my handmades now. A lot of what causes problems with clips and sheaths cracking or breaking, is overflexing the material. Ever take a thin piece of metal and bend it back and forth 'til it breaks? Same principle. Now the G-clips are made to flex a little, as in ciiping them over pant, sweats, shorts, etc. and using them beltless (one of their advantages over TekLoks), but if you continuously overflex them (opening the clip too much), you'll get the same result. While you can clip it over thin, smaller width belts, I'd advise against clipping it over a double thickness 1.5" gun belt instead of threading the belt through the G-clip. Too easy to open the gap more than should be. I've got a little more bottom lip on my handmades to force people not to be lazy. As to washers, that's more a matter of preference, thickness of sheath material, and how the clip lays against the sheath. Some blade shapes are better with, some without. Too much of a gap between sheath and clip invites an opportunity for flexing to occur. When I use G-clips, I have the screw an post going through an eyelet rather than just a hole in the sheath material - reinforcement. Most of the time the washers aren't necessary, though I usually include them. If you want to carry IWB with a belt on, use the IWB loops as Mike Janich suggested. You can set and then keep whatever carry angle you want by adding a little clear nail polish or Loctite to the threads of the screw and post; also get the easy on/off without undoing your belt.

[sal]

Mike Sastre designed our G-clip for us so his advice is probably sound.

sal

[alexcue]

well just to add my 1.5cents..

I actually received a cracked g-clip from a source that i believe does work for Spyderco. When i brought it to his attention he was as surprised as i was that it cracked. It happened during shipping i assume right where the bend on top is for belt. As a matter of fact the plastic looked very fragile from this unit, like it was too hard for the job and broke rather than flexed.

He replaced it and the my other G-Clips seem pretty reliable. Must have been the lemon in the bunch, but i got it.

[HotSoup]

Good to see the issue being resolved.

I've only ever tried on a Rock Salt IWB once, through a customer who brought in his personal collection for me to look at.

Rock Salt is a very nice knife BTW.

G clip seemed solid, but I can see how over flexing it would compromise its strength.

Probably best to jut thread a regular size belt through it, instead of snapping it over one.
A thinner belt is best, like Mike said.

[Dr. Snubnose]

As someone who has a lot of experience using and making G-clips (about 20 years) and a little bit with the design of the Spyderco version, I've been keeping an eye on this thread and maybe should have weighed in a little earlier. Nothing wrong with Spyderco's G-clips. I'm using them a lot more than my handmades now. A lot of what causes problems with clips and sheaths cracking or breaking, is overflexing the material. Ever take a thin piece of metal and bend it back and forth 'til it breaks? Same principle. Now the G-clips are made to flex a little, as in ciiping them over pant, sweats, shorts, etc. and using them beltless (one of their advantages over TekLoks), but if you continuously overflex them (opening the clip too much), you'll get the same result. While you can clip it over thin, smaller width belts, I'd advise against clipping it over a double thickness 1.5" gun belt instead of threading the belt through the G-clip. Too easy to open the gap more than should be. I've got a little more bottom lip on my handmades to force people not to be lazy. As to washers, that's more a matter of preference, thickness of sheath material, and how the clip lays against the sheath. Some blade shapes are better with, some without. Too much of a gap between sheath and clip invites an opportunity for flexing to occur. When I use G-clips, I have the screw an post going through an eyelet rather than just a hole in the sheath material - reinforcement. Most of the time the washers aren't necessary, though I usually include them. If you want to carry IWB with a belt on, use the IWB loops as Mike Janich suggested. You can set and then keep whatever carry angle you want by adding a little clear nail polish or Loctite to the threads of the screw and post; also get the easy on/off without undoing your belt.

Thanks for your reply Mike S. I do wear a gun belt but it's not that thick, and the G-clip shouldn't have the problem clipping over it...but when I get my new one I'll start threading it through the belt instead of clipping it. All my IWB holsters are made by a NY Company called Alessi Holsters, They all come with a clip called the Talon, with is very similar to the G- Clip. In twenty some odd years of wearing their holsters everyday clip on clip off several times during the day, in twenty years I have only broken two clips, and they were from catching the clip on a car seat while seating down so all my body weight went into breaking the clip. Never had a problem clipping them over the belt in a natural fashion. Currently I am using a belt loop set up like MJ suggested on my Rock Salt...I'm not happy about it but it will do till the new G-clip arrives. My thinking is...there must be a way to make these great clips a little stronger and still have the ability to flex a tad...like the Alessi Talon Clip found on their IWB holsters.....I have seen two of these clips break over the last 6 months and a can longer think it's just a rare circumstance, I sent the clip back to Spyderco for inspection, maybe you should have a peek at it and help determine what is going on....Doc :D

[Dr. Snubnose]

I just received the replacement G-clips from Spyderco in the mail today. Thanks Kristi for the speedy reply....from here on in I will thread the G-clip through the belt as Mike S. suggests, I 'm guessing I won't have this problem again...Thanks to you all for your support and posts in this thread....I do appreciate it.....Case Closed!......Doc :D :D :D

[rah408]

Please understand this. I did not contact Spyderco about this broken clip..I have it, and if they want to see it I'll be more than happy to ship it out to them. The hand written note from Spyderco was sent to me with the replacement clip that broke on the brand new model I was selling in my store. ....Doc :D

I just signed up, how do i get in touch w/ Doc regarding his Rock Salt EDC techniques?
I just got a new Rock Salt and am thrilled with it. Disheartening about the G-clip, but I'm learning what I can...
not sure if this reply will go to him as intended, or just post on the wall...
any leads?
thanks,
Rad

[jabba359]

I just signed up, how do i get in touch w/ Doc regarding his Rock Salt EDC techniques?
I just got a new Rock Salt and am thrilled with it. Disheartening about the G-clip, but I'm learning what I can...
not sure if this reply will go to him as intended, or just post on the wall...
any leads?
thanks,
Rad

If you click on his name in one of his posts, a drop down box will appear. The second option is to send a personal message (PM), which will go directly to him. He'll probably look at this thread, but you may want to send him a PM just in case.