- Joined
- Oct 3, 1998
- Messages
- 4,842
Hey folks,
If you read the general forum, you might have noticed a thread where knifemaker A.R. Niemi was asking about how to get his new lock tested for reliability and strength. I have one of his knives, and I plan to work it over this weekend. However, the mechanism is so interesting that I thought I'd whet your appetite.
In my experience, the mechanism is unique. Pictures are needed here to really show how it works, so instead I'll just draw some analogies:
- Although the implementation is totally different, like the old Kershaw Lev-R-Lock, the blade is released with a long-throw lever.
- Although the implementation is totally different, like the Paul knife, the blade locks both open and closed. Except, of course, A.R.'s mechanism is one-hand opening with the lever. Unless the lever is thrown, the knife will not open.
- Although the implementation is totally different, like a framelock, holding the knife tightly will actually reinforce the lockup. Of course, with a framelock, you also get this disturbing movement of the lock bar sometimes, but nothing like this happens on A.R.'s mechanism since you never make contact with the mechanism itself.
- Although the implementation is totally different, like the axis lock, you'd have to shear through the lock itself to break it. Except that A.R.'s mechanism would appear to be nearly-incomparably stronger than something like the Axis.
Sound interesting? I think so too. Of course, all of the above is in theory ... in practice, sometimes you find design weaknesses in odd places. I'm looking forward to testing it.
BTW, I'm hoping to find a digital camera and take some pics. He does have these things on E-bay with some pics, item #1983172435 That last pic of the hinge area might be awfully confusing!
And a pre-review warning: I'm certain some states will interpret this knife as being an auto.
I hope to take this thing through its paces this weekend and post results shortly thereafter.
Joe
If you read the general forum, you might have noticed a thread where knifemaker A.R. Niemi was asking about how to get his new lock tested for reliability and strength. I have one of his knives, and I plan to work it over this weekend. However, the mechanism is so interesting that I thought I'd whet your appetite.
In my experience, the mechanism is unique. Pictures are needed here to really show how it works, so instead I'll just draw some analogies:
- Although the implementation is totally different, like the old Kershaw Lev-R-Lock, the blade is released with a long-throw lever.
- Although the implementation is totally different, like the Paul knife, the blade locks both open and closed. Except, of course, A.R.'s mechanism is one-hand opening with the lever. Unless the lever is thrown, the knife will not open.
- Although the implementation is totally different, like a framelock, holding the knife tightly will actually reinforce the lockup. Of course, with a framelock, you also get this disturbing movement of the lock bar sometimes, but nothing like this happens on A.R.'s mechanism since you never make contact with the mechanism itself.
- Although the implementation is totally different, like the axis lock, you'd have to shear through the lock itself to break it. Except that A.R.'s mechanism would appear to be nearly-incomparably stronger than something like the Axis.
Sound interesting? I think so too. Of course, all of the above is in theory ... in practice, sometimes you find design weaknesses in odd places. I'm looking forward to testing it.
BTW, I'm hoping to find a digital camera and take some pics. He does have these things on E-bay with some pics, item #1983172435 That last pic of the hinge area might be awfully confusing!
And a pre-review warning: I'm certain some states will interpret this knife as being an auto.
I hope to take this thing through its paces this weekend and post results shortly thereafter.
Joe