Amalgam Compression Lock Tension?

RyanSean97

RyanSean97

Joined
Jan 24, 2018
Messages
680
I just received an Amalgam last night and it is my first compression lock I have ever owned. I will preface this by saying I have handled and operated compression locks before, on the Para 2 and Para 3. The lock bar on this Amalgam is noticeably stiffer than any other compression lock I have ever operated. Besides this the knife is perfect, I'm just wondering if I have to build up some index finger strength or if the lock maybe needs to break in a little bit to loosen up? I'm not too sure. I dont really have the weakest fingers either, and I've found myself using my thumb to close it and catch the blade with my index finger as it drops, but even with my thumb its stiffer than some frame locks I have.

Has anyone else found this to be an issue on theirs or any other compression lock for that matter. I'm really just looking for tips or answers to see what I can do. I don't want to get rid of it and It will probably be in the collection for a long time, but instantly this has really given me some worry. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks guys!
 
Yes. I, and others also reported this problem with Taichung made models. IME the Sage 5 and the Caribbean comp. locks are both a PITA. Otherwise Taichung makes great knives, but when it comes to compression locks, Golden is the gold standard. :-)
 
kobold said:
Yes. I, and others also reported this problem with Taichung made models. IME the Sage 5 and the Caribbean comp. locks are both a PITA. Otherwise Taichung makes great knives, but when it comes to compression locks, Golden is the gold standard. :)
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What a pain. I watched a lot of videos on the knife ever since I saw it, then revisited them before I purchased it just to be safe, and no one ever talked about how hard it was to disengage, even Nick Shabazz who I definitely would've expected to point it out lol oh well, maybe I'll build up a callous and it'll get easier haha
 
kobold said:
I tried to break them in, but it is not that kind of problem.
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It didn't appear that way to me either. I take it down and see if I could possibly bend it back very slightly and see if that releases some tension. We'll see.
 
I don’t know if the bar itself is actually more stiff, but on the Taichung knives, the cutout for your finger is shallow so it’s harder to get good purchase on the bar when pressing it in.

If you’re so inclined, you can open up the notch with sandpaper wrapped around a piece of dowel.

I was going to return my Amalgam for this reason, but I modified it instead. It was worth it.
 
Now I did see in a thread here from about a year ago where someone showed pictures of where they opened up the notch and said that it helped them a lot, but I didn't think about that transferring to difficulty to close. I may give that a try as well and open it up. So once you did that to yours, it solved the issue?
 
Welp, I disassembled it just to take a look, and they put an integral overtravel stop on the liner for the lock, so its impossible to bend it with that there. Looks like the last solution is to open that cutout up some more.
 
RyanSean97 said:
Now I did see in a thread here from about a year ago where someone showed pictures of where they opened up the notch and said that it helped them a lot, but I didn't think about that transferring to difficulty to close. I may give that a try as well and open it up. So once you did that to yours, it solved the issue?
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Yes, it solved the issue for me 100%.
 
boing said:
Yes, it solved the issue for me 100%.
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Any tips for when I try to attempt this tomorrow possibly? I was looking back at the pictures you posted of yours, and you even matched the chamfer around the cutout exactly to the rest of the handle. Excellent job friend.
 
RyanSean97 said:
Any tips for when I try to attempt this tomorrow possibly? I was looking back at the pictures you posted of yours, and you even matched the chamfer around the cutout exactly to the rest of the handle. Excellent job friend.
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Thanks. No real tips, just keep the dowel perpendicular to the spine of the scale to avoid rounding over the corner, then do the chamfer. Usually, when a project needs just a little bit more to be perfect, I have to stop because that’s when I really mangle things.
 
I kind of thought that's how you did it. I have a dremel but no way in hell I'm using it for this lol slow and steady for this one
 
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