Commander Lock Failures?

Has anyone had or seen or heard of a Commander lock failing at any time? I ask as I am thinking about buying one.

Thanks for your replies.



------------------
Harry

Toujours l'audacite!
 
I've been using Commanders for the last two years. I use mine extensively and demo the wave daily.

When helping out a buddy at gunshows and LE Trade shows, I may open mine a couple of hundred times a day. Strong hand front pocket, strong hand back pocket, support hand front pocket, support hand rear pocket (I'm not near as good drawing with my support hand as Harry Humphries).

I also have a large group of friends and coworkers that carry Commanders, never have I seen a lock failure.

Hope this helps

John Hollister
 
Thanks John, much appreciated.

Anyone else with an observation on this topic?

Harry
 
I can only dream of having the experience in these matters that John has, but in the short time I have had mine I have opened and closed it well over 100 times per day. This includes snap (centrifugal force) openings, hard and fast Wave openings, and standard thumb disk openings. After the lock developed a "memory" of where it liked to seat, it has engaged at the same spot every time without fail and with no sign of weakness. But, I am only a freshman in the arena of knife knowledge, so...

-Scott
 
I have only had my Commander for a short time now but, I love it. I am constanly drawing it or flicking or opening in all sorts of manners and have been extremly pleased with the action, the lock, and the over-all feel of the g-10. No complaints here.

Gary
 
Now what about spine whack tests and twisting of the blade that could cause the lock to fail? If the liner lock is good, then this should not be an issue. Otherwise if it fails, how then can a Commander be truly called a hard use knife?

Harry
 
I've gotten my Commander to disengage by holding the blade firmly in my left hand and twisting the handle counter-clockwise with my right--in a tight grip, the right hand index finger will pull back the liner lock.

However, I've also been able to disengage a Benchmade 970ST, Spyderco Military and a Mission MPF in the same way (got the idea from someone in another thread who said MPF's were easy to disengage this way). What seems to make this possible, apart from the MPF for different reasons, is that the liner lock has small "serrations" which I'm sure are put there to catch skin so that it is easier to release the lock in order to close the knife. Problem is in a twisting motion, it also catches skin and disengages the lock at a time when you don't want it to.

Yeah it bugs me a little, but as long as I don't have to do a lot of twisting with my knives I think it will be ok.

Jerome
 
On a side note, the newer Commanders have thinner liners, and that bugs me a little. How much strngth compromise was this, and why were the liners changed?

--dan
 
Hey dano!

I've just briefly checked a newer commander out, BUT, my impression is that it's only the scales that are thinner not the liners.
I compared the new commander to my two older models and even though i didn't actually measure'em they looked the same thickness to me.

Anyone alse that might help us out here??

Be well!/Jonas aka 2Sharp

------------------
"May all your detonations be expected"

The coolest bar in the world: http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Camp/8373/index.html
 
I fondled a really new Commander on Saturday at the local beef jerky show, and the liners looked like they were retro fitted from one of those Smith & Wesson SWAT knives. The liners seemed much thinner than my early Commander. I'm kind of peeved that I couldn't compare them side by side...

--dan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top