I have heard a few opinions from some that they dont think the axis lock is that safe. I have heard that if you wack it hard on the spine it will release. In defense of these claims I have heard others say that you shouldnt be using your knife like a hammer. Well I wanted to see for myself...So....I fabricated a protection devise for my hand and opened up my knife. I started kinda slow, giving it a few tapps on the edge of my desk. Then increasing the force of the wacks gradually. Before I was done, I was wacking the everliving piss out of that knife. IT DID NOT BUDGE!!!! (I put some nice marks in the edge of my desk though.) I cant see how this lock could fail unless you totally abused your knife and damaged it somehow. I would be very curious to hear anyones comments on how this lock has actually failed them.
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Axis-Lock Failure????????????????
- Thread starter Slimman
- Start date
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- Feb 25, 2007
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- 738
I had a similar reaction to the questions about the axis lock a few months ago. I too got similar results. I bet the crap out of my know (a 705) and my lock didnt budge.
Another cool feature about the axis is that if you were ever in a survival situation and your lock did fail, then you could just jam a twig or a piece of rock in there and lock it open, essentially making it a fixed blade.
Another cool feature about the axis is that if you were ever in a survival situation and your lock did fail, then you could just jam a twig or a piece of rock in there and lock it open, essentially making it a fixed blade.
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I've seen a video, too. But there is no telling what was done to the knife before recording the failure. No folding blade is ever going to be as secure as a fixed blade. Abuse it enough and any lock can eventually be overcome.
In threads about lock failures, there are far fewer reports of axis failure than any other type of lock.
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- Oct 5, 1998
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IIRC, there are some threads where the failure of Axis locks are reported. The only type of failure I have personally experienced is a failure to open. If you use your Axis lock in a sandy environment or in a pocket with lots of lint/debris you will likely see the knife jam closed. Blow out the lock button area and you are back in business. Probably not the best choice of lock for a self-defense knife, but I don't think of the knife in that way. I have a few Axis locks and am happy with them.
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- Mar 11, 2007
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I work in a cutlery shop and in my 1 1/2 years there I have seen one axis lock folder with issues, and that particular knife had a problem straight out of the box it was just a factory defect.
Amen. Key words here: "Spine-whack test - go away"
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- Mar 7, 2003
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I´ve seen the video too. It´s a 520 i have seen. I have done the same with mine. If you know, how to do it really goes like that.
The 550 if tried after that was like Slimman said. You would breake the knife, but not the lock. Same the 806.
Well, i guess, there has been some modifications on the axis ramp considering "old models" like the 550 and new ones like the 520, maybe, i don´t know.
Maybe it all is past and gone. A few years ago, someone started with the " I can release an 520 by whacking near the tip!" Well, i did so and followed. I have send mine in and got a new one. Never really tested it again (feared truth?) but surely that thing is noticed and cleared by BM today.
The 550 if tried after that was like Slimman said. You would breake the knife, but not the lock. Same the 806.
Well, i guess, there has been some modifications on the axis ramp considering "old models" like the 550 and new ones like the 520, maybe, i don´t know.
Maybe it all is past and gone. A few years ago, someone started with the " I can release an 520 by whacking near the tip!" Well, i did so and followed. I have send mine in and got a new one. Never really tested it again (feared truth?) but surely that thing is noticed and cleared by BM today.
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I know of guys using the HK14200 and another axis lock folder for a leg up on at least two occasions that I read about. Try that with another folder lock. No when the lock works as its supposed to its about as good as it gets. I know in my own testing they hold an incredible amount of free weight hanging off a cord through the lanyard also. However no lock is 100% all the time. Once a knife is in the hands of end liner users there is no accounting for what it may go through before its in the hands of another and another and another after that.
Usually the reports of a defeat of the lock are on a new knife based on what I have seen in print and its most always related to the lock bar not moving up far enough to secure the blade properly so that it sits closer to the rim or ledge off the end of the contact that enables it to roll off when tapped or smacked suddenly. These need immediate attention and should be either replaced or repaired by the maker. Once done, other than the small diameter omega springs that are responsible for making the lock work the lock is quite good.
Because of the lock strength it makes many of the BenchMade folders some of the strongest most reliably balanced systems in the industry where all parts of the make up of the system come together and stand pretty much on equal ground. For example, when the lock works as it should, the lock is as strong as the stop pin, which is as strong as the pivot which is as strong as the body and liners and so on and so forth. It all ties in so well that its not been seen before in any other folder lock system other than maybe the heaviest duty beefcake lockback folders like the Fulcrum II maybe. The old saying that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link pans out in any folder system though so the one weak link if you want to really seek it out is the small omega springs but these seem to be holding up in most cases for a good while so its not that weak when it works and as someone else already pointed out in a survival situation it would be quite easy to still make use of the knife even if the springs broke or corroded away and this is effectively done by jamming a stick or small rock up in behind the lock bar.
STR
Usually the reports of a defeat of the lock are on a new knife based on what I have seen in print and its most always related to the lock bar not moving up far enough to secure the blade properly so that it sits closer to the rim or ledge off the end of the contact that enables it to roll off when tapped or smacked suddenly. These need immediate attention and should be either replaced or repaired by the maker. Once done, other than the small diameter omega springs that are responsible for making the lock work the lock is quite good.
Because of the lock strength it makes many of the BenchMade folders some of the strongest most reliably balanced systems in the industry where all parts of the make up of the system come together and stand pretty much on equal ground. For example, when the lock works as it should, the lock is as strong as the stop pin, which is as strong as the pivot which is as strong as the body and liners and so on and so forth. It all ties in so well that its not been seen before in any other folder lock system other than maybe the heaviest duty beefcake lockback folders like the Fulcrum II maybe. The old saying that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link pans out in any folder system though so the one weak link if you want to really seek it out is the small omega springs but these seem to be holding up in most cases for a good while so its not that weak when it works and as someone else already pointed out in a survival situation it would be quite easy to still make use of the knife even if the springs broke or corroded away and this is effectively done by jamming a stick or small rock up in behind the lock bar.
STR
I never thought of spine whacking as a test of strength or of toughness. It is simply a test to see if the lock has been designed correctly as far as the interface of the lock to the blade tang. You can also test for this by applying pressure to the blade spine with your hand and then letting off, and then applying pressure and then letting off. Do this several times in succession to see if you are walking the liner off the blade (works best for a liner lock). You might be surprised how effective this works. The spine whack test does much the same thing, and should NEVER be confused for a test of lock strength or toughness.
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- Nov 26, 2006
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I hated the axis lock when it first appeared and stated so, I thought it was a crap design...I was wrong and love it now its the best lock system out there along with the lock on the Manix its a great design, especially for lefties!
I own 4 Axis locks. Never had a failure. Heck, I've never had a failure with ANY locking knife.
I've racked my brain trying to figure out a real world scenario of a 'spine whack'. The only time I could see a knife folding inadvertantly would be if one were pushing the knife tip into something very hard. Long ago, before lockbacks, I experienced this on occasion. But as far as hitting the spine of a knife hard enough to fail the mechanism? Can't see it ever happening, especially on an Axis.
If anyone out there has a story of a locking knife folding on them because of spine impact, I'd like to hear it. {Accidental, not these ridiculous 'test's'}. No stories about chopping with a folder or improper batoning technique. {although if you did stupidly chop with your folder and ended up cutting several fingers off, we all would like to see it!} Maybe it would change my mind. Otherwise, I agree with the others who think these 'test' should go away. It is a non issue.
I've racked my brain trying to figure out a real world scenario of a 'spine whack'. The only time I could see a knife folding inadvertantly would be if one were pushing the knife tip into something very hard. Long ago, before lockbacks, I experienced this on occasion. But as far as hitting the spine of a knife hard enough to fail the mechanism? Can't see it ever happening, especially on an Axis.
If anyone out there has a story of a locking knife folding on them because of spine impact, I'd like to hear it. {Accidental, not these ridiculous 'test's'}. No stories about chopping with a folder or improper batoning technique. {although if you did stupidly chop with your folder and ended up cutting several fingers off, we all would like to see it!} Maybe it would change my mind. Otherwise, I agree with the others who think these 'test' should go away. It is a non issue.
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There are times in my life when I got the blade stuck in something and when I pulled it out the force was so great that it came out faster than a expected. Although I didn't tap the spine if the situation had bee right where say a tree or other beam or some object was behind me or to my right I can see it tapping the spine of the blade on the pull out. So in that sense a single tap or single whack is a real world test. Where its not real world is when it becomes abuse by doing that in multiples.
STR
imho the term should go away ie it should be "spine tap" as ya dont have to go nutz with the thing to determine if the locks working ok.
i dont find spine taps ridiculous at all, how else can ya see if the locks locking correctly?