Axis lock failing during batoning... anyone else?

I've done the same to a Benchmade, it didn't fail....I still felt half stupid while doing it: :p the same as I'd feel if I tried to ride a pink tricycle in a triathalon :D. No problems here though I did notice some blade play afterwards. I had to tighten the pivot more. And after that point it's loosened up a little here and there whereas before it didn't. I fully attribute that to my abuse. I don't fault the knife with any manufacturing or design faults though. I'm a 270lb guy who was pounding on a little folding pocket knife :p

I'd say that batoning with a folder isn't a good idea unless it's life or death...which I can't see happening as even in a survival situation I could get a fire started without having to baton with my benchmade. There's really no relevance (in batoning with a folder) to any real life situation. If you're out in the woods....just carry a 5'' fixed blade and problem solved. Baton to your content.

If you use your benchmade as a knife like it was intended, you really shouldn't have any problems with it other than loosening as it wears and eventual (if at all) failure of the spring in the axis lock. Which Benchmade is more than happy to fix. I haven't had that problem in the 4 years I've been using Benchmades though but I have heard of it....even though it's very rare.

Try a RAT RC-4. You'll be very happy with that for your purposes. Or any really :thumbup:
 
pbubsy said:
I've done the same to a Benchmade, it didn't fail....I still felt half stupid while doing it: :p the same as I'd feel if I tried to ride a pink tricycle in a triathalon :D. No problems here though I did notice some blade play afterwards. I had to tighten the pivot more. And after that point it's loosened up a little here and there whereas before it didn't. I fully attribute that to my abuse. I don't fault the knife with any manufacturing or design faults though. I'm a 270lb guy who was pounding on a little folding pocket knife :p

I'd say that batoning with a folder isn't a good idea unless it's life or death...which I can't see happening as even in a survival situation I could get a fire started without having to baton with my benchmade. There's really no relevance (in batoning with a folder) to any real life situation. If you're out in the woods....just carry a 5'' fixed blade and problem solved. Baton to your content.

If you use your benchmade as a knife like it was intended, you really shouldn't have any problems with it other than loosening as it wears and eventual (if at all) failure of the spring in the axis lock. Which Benchmade is more than happy to fix. I haven't had that problem in the 4 years I've been using Benchmades though but I have heard of it....even though it's very rare.

Try a RAT RC-4. You'll be very happy with that for your purposes. Or any really :thumbup:
Click to expand...

On my hollow ground Grip I had similar issues with a loosening pivot screw. I got some generic thread lock from Wal-Mart and that fixed the problem.
 
Well... without getting to caught up in the fact that it was a folder...

Is your axis lock engaging fully? Could there be something lodged in the mechanism that is preventing full lock up? Did you keep proper form (meaning you always kept the handle elevated above the blade as you batoned)? I ask because I have batoned an axis lock folder without issue. We all know that batoning a folder is less than ideal but I think we also know that we don't always have a fixed blade with us.

I have batoned compression locks, stout lockbacks, axis locks, and some beefier frame locks without issue. I don't go as hard as I would with a fixed blade and I try not to do it too often, but it can be done.
 
Doug Ritter bills the RSK Mk1 as a "Survival Folder. Tactical Knives tested it as such back in 2005 also testing its batoning potential. One of the reasons given for Ritter choosing this BM design was the strength of the locking mechanism. With this in mind IMHO you are well within reason to expect it to hold up to light-to -moderate batoning without failing.

Of course a folder will not hold up to excessive abuse like a fixed blade but in a survival situation (which by definition would most likely creep up on you unannounced) you would be very fortunate indeed to have your fixed blade strapped to your waist. Most likely you would have your folding Ritter EDC with you and being a "Survival Folder" you would want to feel that you could depend on it maybe not to build a log cabin but certainly to build a small shelter and split kindling etc for a fire!

Send it back and get another one!
 
One small comment before we get into all the scenanarios you would really need to baton a folder (like falling out of the sky and into Siberia-sure glad I knew my folder could withstand the abuse before that happened!).

Please take into consideration that the Axis lock utilizes a spring. Please consider that batoning vibrates the knife blade and sends a shock right into the pivot area every time you smack it. In my opinion this vibration running into the handle which is being held firmly in your hand is what is causing the lock to 'fail' in this type of usage. Basically the lock is being 'bounced' out of place.

In *normal* usage (if there is such a thing anymore...) this shock wave would never occur and the lock would remain secure. I doubt Benchmade imagined a pocket knife being used in this manner when they disigned it.

Oh, and the offer of a pebble is off the table...

:D
 
The only time I've had my axis lock fail is when I was using my mini-grip to open a few dozen bags of topsoil for my garden. In hindsight, probably not the best idea considering the amount of dirt and mud that go into the knife and the lock mechanism. It only failed when I closed it and attempted it to open it again.

I guess I shouldn't really call it a fail though since it was my bone head move.

I like siguy's suggestion of not opening the knife fully to engage the lock, thus taking the strain off the lock when you are batoning with it.

I use my folders in ways that most people would never use theirs for. My CRKT M-16 has seen more action and hard use then any other knife I own including my fixed blade knives. I can't say I remember ever battoning with it, but I'm sure it would hold up if I need it to.
 
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