{concern}Lock up question for ZT801 owners.....

RheaP

RheaP

Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Messages
143
I just picked up my first 0801 today. So far I love everything about it and have not put it down all day. Can't stop flippin' it. ;)

BUT.........under normal use the lock up is about 35-40% give or take and doesn't change. I can with a minimal amount of effort push the lock bar over to 100%.:confused: Is this an adverse condition because of the steel insert on the lock face? I can not do this on either of my 0560's that don't have the insert.

Normal.....

100_0664_zpsb7490912.jpg


With push from thumb...

100_0665_zpsfc49b58f.jpg
 
Normal, it just means the harder you use it the safer it gets, and yes, it is caused by the stainless lock bar insert. :)
 
Don't worry about it. It's not a problem. If anything, the knife is safer the harder you use it.
 
Just making sure after paying that much for one I thought it was odd to do that compared to my 0560's that are both rock solid and unable to do that.

Thanks
 
Personally, I'd send it back to KAI or exchange it. I wouldn't accept any frame lock knife that can pushed in further after the initial lockup.
 
coiledwire said:
Personally, I'd send it back to KAI or exchange it. I wouldn't accept any frame lock knife that can pushed in further after the initial lockup.
Click to expand...

Well he'll be in for a shock when the new one does the exact same thing...

I've had enough frame locks to know that it's not an issue.

Use it. Stop looking at it under a microscope and listening to YouTube and you'll be a lot happier.

:thumbup:
 
oharal said:
Why...?
Click to expand...

Something has to give when you're able to force the lockbar closed further; it's not meant to do that by design. And personally, I don't want to keep knives that exhibit this behavior.

I have no doubt the knife will function as intended right now. But which knife would develop lock-rock first, one with constant lockup or one that can be force to 100+% right out of the box?

neverdie36 said:
Well he'll be in for a shock when the new one does the exact same thing...

I've had enough frame locks to know that it's not an issue.

Use it. Stop looking at it under a microscope and listening to YouTube and you'll be a lot happier.

:thumbup:
Click to expand...

The OP asked if this behavior was due to having a SS insert. And to that question, I say it's not. The 0801 I owned did not do that; and I specifically checked for it. Nor does my Domino and 0777blk, both of which have SS inserts.

So if it's a toss up if he were to get another with the same tendency, then it's his choice whether to accept it or not. I merely gave my opinion on the matter. It had nothing to do with YouTube or examining a new knife.
 
The lockbar is a spring. It will flex like that under pressure. If there is no blade play, there is no problem.
 
if it gets lock rock down the road, its a steel insert, they can insert a new one. Sounds like it works for now.
 
I've got one I recently purchased and the flipper is really hard to, well Flip. It is loosening up as I have worked with it for approximately 2(two) weeks. Should I be concerned or will it mellow with age?
 
It will break in and become easier.

They are really in a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" scenario with flippers. Half of the people cannot figure out how to flip a knife without a ridiculous detent, and the other half doesn't have the finger strength to work them.
 
kvtcomdo said:
I've got one I recently purchased and the flipper is really hard to, well Flip. It is loosening up as I have worked with it for approximately 2(two) weeks. Should I be concerned or will it mellow with age?
Click to expand...

It should get smoother over time. You could try loosening the pivot some. The trade off being the centering of the blade when closed. There should be a happy medium.
 
I had a Kershaw TiZDP mini cyclone that had this problem. It always bugged me. Technically it probably isn't an issue as far as the lock functioning safely. But I'd imagine that even minimal wear to the lockfaces would result in your lockup eroding to 100%. You pushing it over probably isn't very good for it.

J. davis made a point that this is common with steel inserts, but I disagree. It all comes down to the lock geometry. The lock faces are moving parallel to each other. Ideally I'd say that isn't desirable. If they move parallel, or nearly parallel, lockbar pressure will not increase with respect to lockbar travel. On my SNG, for example, you'd have to remove a ton of material from either the lockbar lockface or the blade lockface in order for the lockbar to move any further. That translates to a lock that essentially lasts forever. However, sometimes if the contact surface area is too small the pressure is enough to cause galling; sticky lock. A well designed frame lock will be stick-free and shouldn't wear over after the break in, IMO. My Domino has a steel insert and it wont move at all. It has remained at 50% since day one, stick free.

If this happened to mine I'd send it in.

neverdie36 said:
Well he'll be in for a shock when the new one does the exact same thing...

I've had enough frame locks to know that it's not an issue.

Use it. Stop looking at it under a microscope and listening to YouTube and you'll be a lot happier.

:thumbup:
Click to expand...

Not a functional issue, but when you pay top dollar you're entitled to fixate on all the little details you want. Not all knives that roll off the production line are made equal. It's called tolerances.
 
Moxy said:
I had a Kershaw TiZDP mini cyclone that had this problem. It always bugged me. ....
Click to expand...

My MC Ti/ZDP has more carry time than any other knife I own. I got my first one in April 2007, and the lockup was 40% out of the box. Its over six and a half years later and the lockup is still 40%. I was able to push mine over on day 1 and can still do it today if I want to. After all this time and use, no lock issues and no lock rock.
 
It should be fine, but I would send it in anyways. You should only be able to move the lock into the open position. I have never seen a framelock do this before, so it can't be that common.
 
Most won't move way over, even with pressure when new. I've seen some do this after they were worn from use. The reason I don't like a frame-lock moving this way when new, is it seems already worn to me. When you open it up and go to use it hard, do you push the lockbar in further, or just leave it alone and hope it's as secure as it needs to be? I'd rather my new knives to not move at all myself but I do have some used that will do exactly that with finger pressure.
 
I've been able to do this on Striders, CRK and other high cost knives..I don't consider it a problem. Also why not just contact the manufacture before making a thread? Seems to be a common trend these days.


Also it's not useful to flip a knife over and over and over. It only needs to be opened once to use. It would be like hitting a button over and over for no reason, it'll cause unneeded wear.
 
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