Causes of deformation of lock face?

Misanthropia · Sep 17, 2013

I'm really baffled by this situation, so I was hoping the collective wisdom of the community would be able to help speculate on what may have caused this issue. Recently I was carrying my SnG CC, when I instinctively started checking for blade play (after prying open a paint can with it). To my surprise, the lock started slipping, which I had noticed it had done in the past. Initially I attributed this to having some sort of grit or grime on the lock face, but it didn't go away after cleaning the lock face up. In order to get a better idea of what was going on, I took the knife apart and looked at the lockbar, which to my surprise looked like this:

Excuse the MS paint drawing, but I don't think I could get a good enough picture of whats going on. On the lockface, there is a sudden diagonal shear that is causing the lock face on the blade to slip right off of it. Now the lock is failing quite easily. Anyone have any idea what may have caused this? I bought this knife NIB from a reputable user, and it didn't do this at first. I have barely used it and certainly haven't put it to enough stress to cause it to shear the lockbar that badly. I'm really quite stumped on this one

RevDevil · Sep 17, 2013

Lockbar deformation happens primarily by the force exerted on it by the blade. Either by sustained force or by repeated impacts. Nt all Ti is the same either. There are multiple grades, some are much softer than other, some are springier than others, the density is different, etc.

Misanthropia · Sep 17, 2013

RevDevil said:
Deformation happens primarily by the force exerted on ot by the blade. Either by sustained force or by repeated impacts. Nt all Ti is the same either. There are multiple grades, some are much softer than other, some are springier than others, the density is different, etc.

Bizarre. I've never subjected this knife to any impacts, in reality I've barely used this knife to cut cardboard up until recently. I haven't heard anyone really report about lock failure on Strider's before, which leads me to believe that their Ti is fairly high grade.

Bigfattyt · Sep 17, 2013

One culprit is fast opening. Flipping. Flicking.

I have had a rock solid lock up deteriorate fast, when some knuckle head flicks the blade out as hard as they can.

With the locking surface, most don't cut with enough stress to deform the lock face, they do it by opening the knife constantly under speed and wrist action.

I had a lock get ruined in a matter of days, just from getting very abrasive silicone carbide sand blasting grit in the lock and opening it and using it in that environment.

MostMenAreRuthless · Sep 17, 2013

Also, repeated closing of the knife before the lock bar fully clears the blade tang.

RevDevil · Sep 18, 2013

Good thread

jjoanty01 · Sep 18, 2013

One culprit is fast opening. Flipping. Flicking.

I have had a rock solid lock up deteriorate fast, when some knuckle head flicks the blade out as hard as they can.

With the locking surface, most don't cut with enough stress to deform the lock face, they do it by opening the knife constantly under speed and wrist action.

I had a lock get ruined in a matter of days, just from getting very abrasive silicone carbide sand blasting grit in the lock and opening it and using it in that environment.

Really? I thought that Strider's were nearly indestructable. Opening and closing can cause lock failure? I would have never thought that possible, especially from a Strider.

ibute21 · Sep 18, 2013

Get a hold of Strider, I don't know where the John Davis' guide is on how to get a hold of them. They'll take care of you. Part of that high price is a no questions asked warranty. Unless you modified or pimped it, then you're SOL.