Benchmade brake in axis lock?

thaglyde

thaglyde

Joined
Apr 1, 2012
Messages
93
I just ebayed a bnib grip 553bk. This is my first benchmade so I don't know if I'm barking up the wrong tree. Upon quick deployment with the thumb stud the axis lock becomes unreasonably difficult to pull down and release the blade. Is this something I need to break in or is this an issue? I do see that there is some grease on the lock.
 
Maybe clean it out a bit? Sounds almost like you have something in the lockbar's path
 
You may have some crud in the lock, but the problem you describe is not usual in a Grip.
 
After you clean it out, just continue to open and close as this will allow the lockbar to "set in" and it will become smoother.

Btw, Welcome to BF's,!
 
The grease is letting the bar slide to far up the ramp.

Wash it with soap and warm water.

Blow out the water with compressed air.

It will break in soon.
 
1) Are you attempting to disengage the lock with one finger or two?
My experience with the axis-lock is that, while one finger (i.e. pulling on only one side of the lock-bar) is often sufficient to disengage the lock it works better to use two (i.e. pull on both sides).

2) When you "quick deploy", how hard are you opening the knife, i.e. how much force are you employing to impact the tang on the stop-pin? Are you using your entire wrist to snap it open? A hard enough snap will allow the omega-springs to push the lock-bar farther up the tang than is normal for a low-level of wear (with more wear, the bar will naturally travel further along the tang to maintain a secure lock-up). A problem with hard-snapping the knife is that the blade will attempt to rebound off of the stop-pin and so wedge the engaged lock-bar tightly in place, making it more difficult to disengage the lock and also abnormally increasing the amount of wear on tang, stop-pin, and lock-bar. The solution - deploy your knife with less force.

If neither #1 nor #2 is the case, check for an accumulation of 'gunk' along the tang or lock-bar cut-outs and clean with a Q-tip. Add a drop of mineral oil to the spine of the blade-tang where it meets the lock bar when the blade is open, smear with Q-tip, deploy blade until it locks open, work the lock-bar back&forth along the spine using 2 fingers (pull both sides of lock-bar simultaneously). Let us know how the locking mechanism feels now.
 
I have the same issue. Mine will do it with a quick flick, but not with a slow deliberate opening.

I don't like to flick open folders so it hasn't ever bothered me. My BM15020 doesn't have this issue.
 
chiral.grolim said:
1) Are you attempting to disengage the lock with one finger or two?
My experience with the axis-lock is that, while one finger (i.e. pulling on only one side of the lock-bar) is often sufficient to disengage the lock it works better to use two (i.e. pull on both sides).

2) When you "quick deploy", how hard are you opening the knife, i.e. how much force are you employing to impact the tang on the stop-pin? Are you using your entire wrist to snap it open? A hard enough snap will allow the omega-springs to push the lock-bar farther up the tang than is normal for a low-level of wear (with more wear, the bar will naturally travel further along the tang to maintain a secure lock-up). A problem with hard-snapping the knife is that the blade will attempt to rebound off of the stop-pin and so wedge the engaged lock-bar tightly in place, making it more difficult to disengage the lock and also abnormally increasing the amount of wear on tang, stop-pin, and lock-bar. The solution - deploy your knife with less force.

If neither #1 nor #2 is the case, check for an accumulation of 'gunk' along the tang or lock-bar cut-outs and clean with a Q-tip. Add a drop of mineral oil to the spine of the blade-tang where it meets the lock bar when the blade is open, smear with Q-tip, deploy blade until it locks open, work the lock-bar back&forth along the spine using 2 fingers (pull both sides of lock-bar simultaneously). Let us know how the locking mechanism feels now.
Click to expand...

Chiral is absolutely right. Many axis locks have this issue early on. When the lock bar is wedged in the engaged position it becomes almost impossible to slide down with one finger.
I suggest just using two fingers (one on each side of the AXIS lock) for a while until the lock is broken in. Once is is, you'll have no trouble.
 
This sometimes happens with coated blades. I think the coating can make the bar slightly sticky when trying to unlock. I've never seen this on a satin finished blade.
 
My 550 will get real tight if I wrist snap it hard. On a "normal" deployment - it is butter.
 
Skip the mineral oil and use graphite. As in take a pencil and draw where the lock bar meets the tang.

The advantage is that graphite does not attract dust or grime or lint. Ideally no lube is required on the lock, and after using it, when its starts to stick again apply more pencil lead until the problem disappears.
 
It sounds like you are using to much force when opening. You will either have to reduce the force, use a slow deployment, or use an Axis deployment.
 
Having oil between the tang and lockbar might allow the bar 'slip off' the tang if the knife is knocked in the spine. I had this with my Enlan EL02, but after cleaning the tang/bar completely, it stays locked.

While the spring pushes the bar forward, it works on static loading. When there's impact, the bar might 'slip' if it's lubricated. I'd rather have the friction between tang and bar naturally smoothen out.
 
I have the 707 Sequel and it opened smoothly when I got it. At first, it didn't close as easily as it should, but this has changed with some use. Now, the blade drops when you pull on the thumb stud. I lubed the axis lock with Benchmade blue when I got it, but use did the trick and slicked up the action.
 
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