Benchmade AXIS-lock deployment.

H

High King

Joined
Jan 4, 2013
Messages
235
Hey y'all, I was considering several Benchmades (all manual) with the AXIS lock.

I've seen several videos on the 710 on youtube, and it appears to have a very smooth deployment. Being that this knife would be shipped internationally, and would in all likelihood be inspected by the local customs, I was wondering if the knife could be mistaken for a gravity knife?

If a customs officer were to "test" the knife, would the blade just flick out with a little centrifugal force? If so, is there any way to stop this from happening, i.e., having the screws tightened? I mean, after all, it is NOT a gravity knife nor an automatic, so there's no reason it should be even treated or considered as such due to ignorance.

TL;DR: I don't want a manual folder to be mistaken for a flick-knife or a gravity blade by ignorant customs officers. Can this be avoided? I am not attempting to circumvent the local law.
 
Tightening the pivot a bit would add enough friction to keep it from swinging open easily with the lock held back.
 
Alright, great. I've sent KnifeCenter an email, asking them if they could do this for me before shipping.

Thanks.
 
Good luck and I really hope this works out for you. Tightening the pivot seems to work and I have heard that its done regularly with success's.

Keep in mind that a lot depends on the officer inspecting it. If he is motivated to classify it as a gravity knife he will. Any folding knife can be made to 'flick" open depending on how they test it. In NYC for instance they have made a science out of it, holding the blade and flicking the handle using it's weight to open the knife.

All I'm trying to say is if the Officer is just trying to do his job and not on a crusade you should be ok.

Best of luck!
 
pbcg said:
Good luck and I really hope this works out for you. Tightening the pivot seems to work and I have heard that its done regularly with success's.

Keep in mind that a lot depends on the officer inspecting it. If he is motivated to classify it as a gravity knife he will. Any folding knife can be made to 'flick" open depending on how they test it. In NYC for instance they have made a science out of it, holding the blade and flicking the handle using it's weight to open the knife.

All I'm trying to say is if the Officer is just trying to do his job and not on a crusade you should be ok.

Best of luck!
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Yeah, I've heard the NYC horror stories. Frankly, I've avoided purchasing folders -- even manuals -- up until now, mostly for this reason. Oddly enough though, fixed blades are much clearer; if it ain't double edged, it'll pass.
 
good luck mr. king

however, if I was a customs officer and saw a BM, I would just add it to my collection

paranoid yet?
 
If the customs officer knows how the axis lock works, he may be able to fail it on that basis alone. Tighten the pivot and they can loosen it just as easily. Pull back the axis bar and turn your wrist, the blade deploys: that is a gravity knife. Good luck.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
If the customs officer knows how the axis lock works, he may be able to fail it on that basis alone. Tighten the pivot and they can loosen it just as easily. Pull back the axis bar and turn your wrist, the blade deploys: that is a gravity knife. Good luck.
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Oy vey.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
If the customs officer knows how the axis lock works, he may be able to fail it on that basis alone. Tighten the pivot and they can loosen it just as easily. Pull back the axis bar and turn your wrist, the blade deploys: that is a gravity knife. Good luck.
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Very good point!

Guess anyway you cut it, it's a gamble...

Good luck and I mean that sincerely.
 
Many of us have a friend over in Oz that fought a very expensive battle to keep, in particular, a number of Gold class mini-Deja 745's that were sent over there. We did all the tricks; tightened down the pivot bolt, even thinking about sending the knives in pieces, but in the end he lost big time. Was it worth it? In the end I don't think it was - and yeah I suspect a few very happy customs agents are carrying those knives despite the bad Karma invoked by doing so. :mad:
 
I wonder if it might be a better idea to have it shipped as a fixed blade. E.g., opening the knife and completely wrapping the handle in paracord. Fixed blades pass through inspections unscathed.
 
I would not be surprised to find the customs agents have seen every trick we could think up.
 
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