0550 Lock Bar Stick - Only gets worse

sticktodrum

sticktodrum

Joined
Apr 16, 2012
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I got my 0550 back from Kershaw last Friday, since it had a liner that was stripping pocket clip screws continuously. When I got it back, I put on an orange frag scale I had gotten while it was gone. I noticed it had lock bar stick, and it didn't before. I did all of the fixes I could find, pencil lead, graphite powder, Sharpie, and tried all weekend to wear it in. It only got worse.

Today I figured that maybe the scale was the issue, so I put the stock one back on. Now the lock bar sticks so badly it takes two hands to disengage it. I tried adjusting the screws several times, and nothing seems to help.

I'm bummed because I just got this thing back, and had sent it in after having it for only a couple of weeks because the pocket clip would loosen from stripped screws. It ate two other pairs before I sent it in and requested extra. Now it's been back a weekend, and it hates me again.

Would Kershaw fix this, and moreover, would they fix it with the orange scale installed? The stock scale destroys my pants, and is difficult to pull out.

I love this knife, I really do, but I'm just so bummed that I can't catch a break. I'd like to think I'm not incompetent, having tinkered with my fair share of blades, but I'm stumped.
 
In my experience it will eventually work itself out, give it about a week of playing with it. I have a 0550 and a 0560 and both were a little sticky to begin with, the 0550 worked itself out pretty quick though. My 0560 on the other hand was very sticky for a few days, and at times would take two hands to disengage the lock. Now however it disengages smoothly always even when wrist flicks are used to deploy, it did take about a week though of playing with it constantly....
 
This may be a stupid question to ask [but it wasn't a 100% apparent], did you only take the scale off to replace it, or did you also try taking apart the whole knife? - I ask this because, perhaps putting it back together again may help in someway. Which leads me to the next point/question: have you tried thoroughly cleaning off the lock + tang, and then working in the graphite? Who knows it may just be the difference needed. Hopefully it ends up working itself out, as urban pointed out; sometimes it just takes a lot more effort for it to smooth over. I would suggest wearing a bandage on your thumb to decrease the pain/damage to your skin so that you can somewhat comfortably work the lock bar in.
 
The issue is that it just gets worse. When I first had it, it didn't stick at all. I figured then that maybe they replaced the liner, and it changed the alignment somehow. Then the scale made it worse. However now with the stock scale it's ever harder to close. The knife was pretty worn in already, I had cycled it open and close to smooth out the blade's travel when I got it, spent several days flicking and closing.

At this point, my thumbs are killing me.


Edit: Yes, when I changed scales, I just removed the scale. When I started having more trouble, I took it apart and cleaned the lock face as well as the tang, thinking the Sharpie was causing more trouble. When I mentioned adjusting the screws, I tried reassembly with tightening screws in different orders, tightnesses, etc. Knife open, knife closed, nothing seems to be helping.
 
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Sorry for being so blunt but why aren't you asking Kershaw instead of the us?

Nearly all testimonials indicate they will be there for you.

Personally I wouldn't have started here...sorry you are having troubles, the 0550 is a great knife!
 
I thought I mentioned it in my initial post, but this isn't exactly me "start[ing] here." First issue I had, I sent it back to Kershaw, and it came back with lock stick. I spend a decent amount of time trying to fix it myself, and then posted here, because like I already said, I've only had this knife back a few days, and would rather not send it back to be gone for a few weeks again. Apparently that's what's going to happen, because my thumbs are raw and I'm just done trying to wear this thing in.

It's a shame I bought a scale for this knife that I can't use, or at least am now afraid to use, and now have to send it back to fix a problem that got progressively worse despite numerous attempts to alleviate it and wear it in. I'm bummed, and disappointed, and figured I'd ask for help here since searching forum topics for similar issues didn't bear fruit. I'll call Kershaw and ask if they'll repair the knife with the orange scale installed, and whatever the outcome, likely retire this thing to the closet.

Thanks for the help though guys, I do appreciate it. Perhaps my stubbornness will have me trying to wear this thing in for another full day before I send it back. Cheers.
 
Most likely in changing out the scale you unintentionally shifted the liners slightly and now the lockbar is engaging more fully. Sometimes I've had knives work themselves out and sometimes in my experience they don't. The biggest culprit that changes how "sticky" a lockbar is is lube on either the tang or face of the lockbar. Clean both with alcohol well and reassemble. Just realize your scale isn't the issue things just moved around when you switched them out.
 
Has anyone tried heat treating the lock-bar when it sticks like this? Or not heat-treating, but heat-anodizing? I've read that greatly increases the surface hardness of titanium, and that may help keep it from sticking. Just a question. Not something I'm really suggesting the OP do at this point; I'd just send it back... again.
 
I have the same issue with my new 0550.

Especially true on hard & fast opening.

The frame lock sticks sometimes so hard that I have to use a tool to free it up.

I see that the lock is angled and the further it goes the tighter it gets.

Any solutions you guys came up with in August 2012?
 
I don't know how to help you. Mine was perfect out of box. It seems that I'm lucky when it comes to knives. My guess. Try breakng it in, for one more day, then send it in, if it becomes worse, or doesn't change.
 
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TotalDbag said:
I don't know how to help you. Try breakng it in, for one more day, then send it in, if it becomes worse, or doesn't change.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Will do. I only started playing with it yesterday.

The 0550 definitely has a its own peculiar opening method as well. Also, the G10 is rough on the hands so I sanded it down a bit. Much better now.
 
RamZar said:
Thanks. Will do. I only started playing with it yesterday.

The 0550 definitely has a its own peculiar opening method as well. Also, the G10 is rough on the hands so I sanded it down a bit. Much better now.
Click to expand...

Oh, this is an old thread. My bad I was answering the OP. If you've only has it for a day, than give it till Friday, maybe Saturday. And then send it in, if you don't notice a change, or it gets worse.
 
I'll give it a few hundred open/close cycles and will throttle the opening force/speed.

I had the same issue with my DPx Gear HEST/F 2.0 T3. That one also has a beefy titanium frame lock. It took many hundreds of cycles. I even tried the "apply sharpie" trick. I don't know exactly what made it work but it works great now.
 
having the lockface carbidized can help too...
 
Since we are commenting on an old thread...

Assuming that the lock bar is simply getting pushed too far against the back of the blade, my recommendation is to take the lockbar stabilizer out, then bend the lockbar out just slightly until it doesn't push in so much. Put the lockbar stabilizer back in and try it now.

I would like to hear what solution sticktodrum came up with.
 
sticktodrum said:
Wow, this is an old thread. That issue was solved looooooooong ago.
Click to expand...

How did you finally solve the issue since I don't see the solution in this thread?

Personally, I don't like creating new threads on the exact same subject matter.
 
The sharpie treatment definitely makes it NOT stick until the sharpie wears off. So, I'm doing cycles of open/close and retreating it with sharpie upon wear. I think it'll get there by the weekend.
 
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