Cold Steel Tri Ad Lock Stiffness

It takes about 4 minutes to open her up, bend the spring tension a tiny bit and it can make a world of difference - while making zero difference in lockup or reliability. My oldest recon 1 flicks open easier than almost any knife after doing this and has not changed after years of hard work. Lockup remains solid as a rock, opens and closes as easy as Spyderco Endura.
 
Mike51772 said:
Will it soften up over time....with use?
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Yes ! :cool::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Worth the effort to have the strongest available lock . All of mine have become smooth and easy over time and use . Some few have needed excessive time and effort to "work in" = poor QC .
 
It is amazing the information you can get off the net. Take apart the knife, cut springs or use a dremel. What could go wrong?
 
My AL was a total PITA to unlock when I first got it. I tried all the "easy" solutions and they all seemed to help. I truly think it was just using it that worked in the long run.
 
I have found any pressure on the back of the blade before the lock is disengaged makes it harder.
 
Obcessed said:
It is amazing the information you can get off the net. Take apart the knife, cut springs or use a dremel. What could go wrong?
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No cutting or dremeling. Just bend the tension bar on the lock back. Easy.
 
For what it's worth, I've never even had to disassemble them. I just find something to press down the lockbar that will fit between the scales, which allows me to press the lockbar down PAST the scales. Go easy, I've only had to go about a 1/16" past to get the disengagement where I like it.

~Chip
 
LG&M said:
I have found any pressure on the back of the blade before the lock is disengaged makes it harder.
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This is true. I have watched people struggle to open a Cold Steel that I can open with ease, and the difference is that they are applying negative pressure to the blade as they are depressing the lockbar, thus making it harder to disengage the lock.
 
Springs do not wear out while under compression. Leaving a folder half open in hopes it'll lighten a spring is an effort in futility.
 
jason41987 said:
Springs do not wear out while under compression. Leaving a folder half open in hopes it'll lighten a spring is an effort in futility.
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normally I'd agree with ya on springs especially quality ones, but I've done it on 2 mackinac hunters. couldn't be closed without using a table edge. left them half open for days....one a bit longer maybe a week or so. absolutely worked. not myth or fable i heard or read. did it myself.
 
Where did this idea start that springs never can lose strength? Sure they can, especially if over stressed. Spring streel still has a yield point, its just harder to reach. The problem is that a properly designed mechanism should not allow that point to be reached under normal operation.
 
It will loosen up a bit with time. The integrity of lockup will not. Love this system.
My Swift and Recon 1 are amongst my favorite hard use folders.
 
craytab said:
This is what I did with the aus8 recon1 I had. Worked great. Didn't need to do it on the xhp version.
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How do you lower the spring tension? I m going to try that with my Holdout 2. I ve tried leaving it half open for a week or so with only a little benefit.
 
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