Axis Locks - Too Complicated?

wintermute

wintermute

Joined
Oct 18, 2007
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Are axis locks too complicated for their own good? Yeah, they lock up like a bank vault, but is there too much of a risk of broken springs and such? Good for SD, but not SDC? I've never had one and I'm just curious.
 
No. They are reliable. A broken spring is a very slight possibility, but other kinds of locks have failure modes as well. They are about as reliable as any lock type and more reliable than some. You can buy an Axis lock with complete confidence. An Axis lock has one moving part plus two springs that are redundant to some extent. That is not very complicated.
 
They work for a long time before the springs go (tens of thousands of openings and closings on most models) and the lock is very resistant to failure through torque (which can cause linerlocks and framelocks to unlock) and fouling (which can cause lockbacks to not lock solidly or not lock at all). It's one of the best locks out there.

If you still can't wrap your mind around one, try Cold Steel's new American Lawman folder. It's lock is similar to a lockback, but appears designed to resist fouling like linerlock or Axis Lock.
 
And its rather simple even if you need to take the whole knife apart down to the nuts and bolts. IMHO it is very easy to maintain and service. One of the best locks out there.
 
Spend 60 bucks and get an Axis 551 Pardue. As has been said the springs last a very long time, but if something happens you can send the knife up to Benchmade and they'll repair it under their famous warranty policy.
 
Yes, do not hesitate... Start with a 551 Grip and beat the heck out of it, you will see... Then get a pretty one....
 
I've had a number of these over the years and still have a good number in my knife collection. Never had a problem with any of them. I don't think you can go wrong. I wouldn't hesitate. Good luck. :)
 
I love the Axis lock. I own quite a few of them and I have never had or even seen an actual failure. Buy one, you will not be disappointed. On the off chance your do have a problem, Benchmades warranty department is one of the best, if not the best, in the buisness.
 
The Axis lock is one of the best out there. I noticed that there has been a slight move away from the LL.
 
add me to the list of axis lock lovers, the spring tension is very slight so i would be very surprised to see a failure there. an auto folders spring would be under very heavy load compared to the axis.
 
I'm one of the few people I think that have lived through an axis lock failure. I still wholeheartedly recommend the lock, and frankly I've been spoiled to the point that I'm not that interested in buying much else.

The failure happened in January, a few weeks after picked up a 921. The knife started to flip out a little easier, and I noticed that the blade was not being held closed as tightly as it had. At first I thought it was just wearing in, but one day I looked at the springs closely, and noticed that one of them was not in alignment with the other, and I could move it back and forth with a small screwdriver.

As I tried to figure out what to do (I was pressed on time and going on a trip so I didn't have the luxury of waiting several weeks for Benchmade's backlogged warranty dept.). The knife continued to lock solidly (no less solidly than with two springs) for at least two weeks since the time I originally noticed looseness, about a week after I noticed the broken spring. In other words, if a spring broke in the forest while you're on a long trip, the knife would still lock.

Once the second spring broke, it became a gravity knife. For fun I tried to see if I could still use the knife safely; I could hold the lock pins forward with one finger or thumb and forefinger, and use the knife safely. Not the best idea for ever day stuff, but in a pinch it worked fine. Also I jammed a few things like twigs, rubber plugs, etc. behind the lock pins and the knife locked solid like it should. Essentially when you jam something into the lock, it becomes a fixed blade. I don't know of any way you could do that with a liner lock or lockback. A framelock is unlikely to break before the whole knife breaks, but I can't think of any way to emergency lock a framelock either.

In other words, even if one of the springs break, you still have a useable knife for quite some time.

Incidentally, in all likelihood the failure of my lock was caused by defective springs from the first run of 921's. The 921 is also an abnormally thin knife, thinner by a large margin even than the 940; I imagine that had something to do with the defective springs.
 
What is SD and SDC?:confused:

Well buy one, try one and see yourself.

Do you found liner locks much less complicated, just because there are less parts?

Consider the difficulties that are in making a good liner lock, things you cant see at first.

Well, even a badly made axis lock works the same way a good one does.

A badly made liner lock will not work.

You can even make the springs yourself. But imagine, how thin springs in watches are and how long they do. They are not as exposed as the axis springs? Yes, so lube them and you are fine.
 
wintermute said:
Are axis locks too complicated for their own good? Yeah, they lock up like a bank vault, but is there too much of a risk of broken springs and such? Good for SD, but not SDC? I've never had one and I'm just curious.
Click to expand...

Are there springs in a Glock, Sig or Heckler and Koch?
 
I thought the same thing at first, but they are extremely reliable and also very durable. I have had a 710 since they were made from ATS 34 and it has never failed. Get a griptilian and you will see why so many people swear by them.
 
Blop said:
What is SD and SDC?:confused:

Well buy one, try one and see yourself.

Do you found liner locks much less complicated, just because there are less parts?

Consider the difficulties that are in making a good liner lock, things you cant see at first.

Well, even a badly made axis lock works the same way a good one does.

A badly made liner lock will not work.

You can even make the springs yourself. But imagine, how thin springs in watches are and how long they do. They are not as exposed as the axis springs? Yes, so lube them and you are fine.
Click to expand...

SD=self defense
SDC = self defense carry, kinda like edc every day carry (i think lol)

axis locks are pretty reliable in my experience, IIRC i know of one or maybe 2 guys have had both omega springs fail, they still work with only one spring FWIW, a great lock imho,
 
If its mechanical there is a possibility of breakage. If you can't deal with that but a fixed blade. That said I have a Griptilian 551S and its an excellent knife. I really like the axis lock and its one hand open and close feature.
It must be good: Benchmade uses them on a lot of their knives!
Go ahead and buy one. You'll like it!
 
Every self-locking knife uses springs. All springs can be broken. Axis locks simply are more susceptible to this because the springs are thinner, smaller, and flex more. (Have you ever heard of a spring breaking on any other type of lock?) However Axis locks are exceptionally convenient and are still very sturdy. I trust the one on my 530.
 
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