Seam rippers - O-ring or Spring

[woodwzrd]

I have used up and sold all of the seam ripper I had and need to order some more and am looking for pros and cons on the o-ring style versus the spring style. The ones I had were the spring style. Which do you prefer and why. Thanks!

 

[Drewby108]

The few o-ring style that I made had one primary issue that was resolved with a good deburr and polish: the tube can cut the o-rings enough that they break.

A few spins with the deburr tool and some 2000 grit cloth after knocked the sharp edges down and fixed the problem.

 

[MTViper]

I have made both and each has its charms and challenges. The older PSI kits had a spring that was about 1/2 inch long. It would occasionally slip down into the tube when you pushed the seam ripper in and would be lost. Now that they have the longer springs - about 1", I like them better. The PSI kits seem to have more options, too - seam ripper (2 sizes), needle threader, stiletto. Just made a pair last week with both sizes of seam rippers, a needle threader, and a stiletto for a cousin.

I had no tried Drewby's suggestion on the ones with the O-ring but definitely will. Instead, I bought replacement O-rings and fixed the ones that wore out. I think the O-rings give a more positive feel when they are seated than the springs do, but for a guy with fat fingers then can be a challenge to install.

 

[Todd in PA]

The kits I made with the o-ring were so tight that they were hard to pull out. I had a lady not buy one because she couldn't operate it. I'll stick to the springs, and definitely dual ended.

 

[Woodchipper]

Todd, where did you get the kit?
I gave my late BIL a seam ripper from Woodcraft. He said it was the sharpest he had used. I don't recall he said anything about it being hard to pull out.