Axis Lock testing

Originally posted by WadeF
I'd like to know how functional the Axis locks are with 1 spring broken and two. I have heard they are still fucntional with 1 spring out. The chances of two springs breaking at the worst time sounds pretty unlikely. One maybe. I wonder with both springs out if the lock bar can still be moved and securly hold the blade.
I tried both situations out on my AFCK.

With one spring removed, the locking mechanism felt almost normal. It required slightly less pressure on the button to unlock the knife, but I would still trust the lock.

With both springs removed, the button could slip backwards (unlocking the knife) if force was applied perpendicularly to the edge of the knife. That is, if you used the knife to cut something, then the pressure on the locking bar would let up. Then the absence of a spring would enable the bar to slip backwards. It'd be incredibly dangerous to keep using the knife in this condition. If in a situation where I had no other knife, I would jam a thin rock behind the lock bar to prevent it from sliding backwards.
 
I usually don't bite on these long threads...

I've never had any lock fail after lock-up. I have had knives, with all locking mechanisms that I am familiar with, screw up.

Yes, I work in a dirty environment, but most of the problems have been caused by my clothes, sometimes a product of the cleaning process, sometimes caused by wear.

It took me a bit to unwind the threads from my Axis lock (and yes, I DO take them out before laundering!) The best were the frame locks.


Steve-O
 
Originally posted by TheBadGuy
Lockback- Very reliable locking system, but unless you want to use your leg to assist, its not efficient one hand closing lock.

It depends on the lockback. The Spyderco Native can and should be closed one-handed. The Spyderco Meerkat's Phantom Lock is a lockback that is disengaged with one hand. I'd rather use two hands on most other lockbacks rather than the leg.
 
There's never a concern or real need to "close" the knife one handed.
Plenty of time to do that after the fray has ended.

I'm only concerned with how it deploys to be ready to use if needed.

I close all my lockbacks one handed, it's pretty easy to do. One can use the leg to assist as another mentioned above, I see no problem if one has to do this. The priority is not in how am I going to close it.

Brownie
 
As for closing a knife one handed this is good when you're doing tasks that require one of your hands to be tied up. Say you're holding a package in one hand and want to cut it open and put the knife away without putting the package down. Or you're hanging onto a ladder, rope, etc. In most cases it's not that important, but it's nice to be able to flip a knife closed quickly and put it away so you can continue with what you're doing.
 
I can do that with my lockbacks, and often do.

The leg is always there to assist if it absolutely positively has to be closed one handed.

Brownie
 
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