Cold Steel 4max lock not engaging?

Agith

Agith

Joined
Nov 29, 2010
Messages
345
Got a coldsteel 4 max (italian make) in the mail today, was fiddling with it and I've found that it seems to have what I think are a few issues. I don't know if they are triad lock finickiness or if I got a bad one.

Essentially if I slowly open the blade, the lock does not actually engage, and I have to push down on the lockbar to force the lock to engage. I simply wanted some opinions on this since I am otherwise a bit clueless on this lock and if this is something that may go away. On more forceful opening, the lock will engage however.


EDIT: For the sake of posterity regarding how the knife arrived, i will leave the video. However I will note that I was able to fix it without needing to actually do anything to the blade beyond taking it apart.
 
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I had a 4max, it never did that. Try a little oil between the lockbar and the stop pin, and work it.
 
I had a US-made 4 Max with the same issue. Also had that issue on a Rajah III. The 4 Max I sold with the issue (disclosed of course). The Rajah I sent in to warranty and they fixed it.
I imagine it just needs a little bit of fine sanding/polishing wherever it's getting hung up. But it might be difficult to determine exactly where the friction is coming from.
 
AF said:
I had a US-made 4 Max with the same issue. Also had that issue on a Rajah III. The 4 Max I sold with the issue (disclosed of course). The Rajah I sent in to warranty and they fixed it.
I imagine it just needs a little bit of fine sanding/polishing wherever it's getting hung up. But it might be difficult to determine exactly where the friction is coming from.
Click to expand...

The main issue I have there? Is the price. I shouldn't need to at the cost, however it is moreso the worry that if I did and it failed to resolve the issue? That'd probably void the warranty and make me unable to return it in the same step.

One interesting thing is this one has that lockbar stepdown people talk about on the 1st gen USA 4max
 
Yep, understand completely. That's why I sold my 4 Max. I was kind of disgusted that such an expensive knife had an obvious defect.
I think I also wasn't in love with the design.
I suggest you sent it in to their warranty. In a few weeks you'll have a perfectly functioning knife.
 
I only have a couple of CS knives with the Triad lock, but I usually open them pretty quickly. On reading your post, I pulled them out and opened them as slowly as possible. They both snap into full lock when I open them, right before I get them quite all the way open.

Sorry that you got a bad one. QC should have caught that!
 
The tolerances on the 4-MAX are insane. I took mine (Italian) apart once to see the insides...never again. It was a bitch to take apart and put back together, since everything fits so tightly together. I second shiny's suggestion to put some oil in there and work it again and again, maybe while watching tv or something. If that doesn't do anything, call CS and send it in. :thumbsup:
 
I may just sent it back to knifecenter and ask for a replacement honestly. They're good to deal with customer service wise.


EDIT: MAybe not, I took the knife apart, put it back together and fixed the lock up...Had to wedge the top part of the knife apart slightly to actually get the closure working right again. Seemed to have compressed a bit (which is also a bit odd if you ask me), but it's working consistently now
 
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Yep! And it bit me immediately there-after by dropping shut unexpectedly (slightly loose pivot). As is tradition with any new knife, it has now bitten me (though the Slysz bowie took the top of my thumb right off. This isn't as bad compared to that! :D)
 
Although mines a made in the USA version it is a pain to take apart the tolerances are as tight as any other more expensive knives i've ever had. Sure is a good cutter though and hell for stout. I'm glad you got yours to working correctly.
 
I dyed my tan scales a bit green the other day, this is what it looks like after a year of beating on it.

26733561_10216234300476649_5449949405525636892_n.jpg
 
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