Disabling "Speed Safe" mechanism?

J

Jedi_Knife

Joined
May 16, 2006
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244
I really like the Kershaw Leeks, but I was wondering if one could disable the speed safe mechanism in these and still have well functioning folder (not a lot of slop). I know Kershaw is innovating a selectable mechanism (terrific, just waiting on a small enough overall length), but I'd like to buy a Leek and know that if knife hysteria manages to take over and there is any legislation "controlling (read banning) this mechanism, that I could still have a good folder to carry by disabling the assisted opening. Has anyone tried this?
 
I thought the Kershaw "Speed Safe" innovation was one of the neatest ideas coming out in the knife world. I hope that this innovation will not be banned any time soon.
 
mauiblue said:
I thought the Kershaw "Speed Safe" innovation was one of the neatest ideas coming out in the knife world. I hope that this innovation will not be banned any time soon.
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I also think it's great and hope it's not banned.

I also think Kershaw could tap into a big market for those who want unassisted opening versions of their great knives.

I bought a Whirlwind about 6, 7 years ago and loved it but felt a little bugged about the AO system. Also concerned about what local laws might say about it as I traveled with it around the country. (So far that still seems kind of a gray area.) Then bought a Leek a couple of years ago.

But now Kershaw is coming out with all of these gorgeous knives using great steels too, and I'd love to buy them. But I'm just not thrilled with the AO.
And threads like this make me think I'm not the only one. But judging by the knives' popularity, lots of folks love 'em.

Kershaw would probably sell a ton of knives to people who are now buying Spydercos and Benchmades - people who want a real good production knife but who don't want an AO. For whatever reason.
 
I had a leek, and it is such a small knife that I would find it annoying to open with one hand if it wasn't for the flipper/AO. the stop Pins really are too small for thumbstuds IMO.
 
There are several threads regarding disabling the Speedsafe. It can be done, but you need to use the blade-tip safety to keep the blade closed when not in use, because the torsion bar will not be exerting closing pressure anymore. But lockup of the knife should be fine when open without the Torsion bar.

But I say, why disable it now while they are legal? Use the speedsafe as much as you can. If we make A/O knives more popular, then maybe more people will be converted from sheeple to KNUTS! My friends thought I had a switchblade when I first showed them my Leek. One of my neighbors is a Cop and had to be convinced the leek was legal because I wasn't pushing a button to open the knife, but was overcoming resistance and pushing on the blade itself. He agreed and has bought two Ken Onions since! He carries the Blur on duty.
 
Right, I know what you mean.

I think the non AO would work on the larger knives, and they might have to do something with thumbstuds or a Spydie hole.

But the Speed Bump, Spec Bump, Cyclone, Offset - all these great looking knives I think could work as non AO's.

And sell, too.
 
rifon2 said:
But now Kershaw is coming out with all of these gorgeous knives using great steels too, and I'd love to buy them. But I'm just not thrilled with the AO.
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Rifon2, check out the Cyclones! They have a switch you can activate that disables the Speedsafe Torsion Bar. There is a recent thread that has a video review of this sweet knife! You can have an A/O or a manual opener that comes standard with Sandvik 13C26 or you can wait for the Titanium Handled, ZDP-189 steel Cyclone to come out later this year! Drool...

Check out the Cyclone threads, you'll want one of these, I promise!:thumbup:
 
Jedi_Knife said:
I really like the Kershaw Leeks, but I was wondering if one could disable the speed safe mechanism in these and still have well functioning folder (not a lot of slop). I know Kershaw is innovating a selectable mechanism (terrific, just waiting on a small enough overall length), but I'd like to buy a Leek and know that if knife hysteria manages to take over and there is any legislation "controlling (read banning) this mechanism, that I could still have a good folder to carry by disabling the assisted opening. Has anyone tried this?
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You can do this in 30 sec. I did this to my Leek in no time.

Padawan said:
I've asked the same question, and unfortunately, the answer appears to be "no".
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No answer is "Yes" and it is pretty easy to do you just need to disassemble it take off spring and assemble it back - it take about 30 sec. I recomment Gorilla Grip green torx set (made in USA).

Thanks, Vassili.
 
nozh2002 said:
You can do this in 30 sec. I did this to my Leek in no time.

No answer is "Yes" and it is pretty easy to do you just need to disassemble it take off spring and assemble it back - it take about 30 sec. I recomment Gorilla Grip green torx set (made in USA).

Thanks, Vassili.
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I should have been a bit more specific. Yes, you can remove the torsion bar relatively easily, and the Speed Safe will be "disabled" in that sense. However, the torsion bar also acts to keep the blade closed, so once it it removed, the blade will have no real "detent", and will not function the way other liner or frame locks do.
 
Yes, for this reason it is blade lock on the Leek to keep it closed. But even you foget to lock it it does not really tend to open too easy, and you may tighten pivot also.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
nygiantsfan3342 said:
Rifon2, check out the Cyclones! They have a switch you can activate that disables the Speedsafe Torsion Bar. There is a recent thread that has a video review of this sweet knife! You can have an A/O or a manual opener that comes standard with Sandvik 13C26 or you can wait for the Titanium Handled, ZDP-189 steel Cyclone to come out later this year! Drool...

Check out the Cyclone threads, you'll want one of these, I promise!:thumbup:
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Thanks for the info! I am checking it out right now, this was the news I wanted to hear.

Kershaw should pay you a commission LOL
 
moving-van.jpg
 
If you take the Torsion bar off, and it does not have a detent, then in some (or many) areas they would consider it a gravity knife.
 
In Connecticut, any knife with a spring, whether push button or flipper, is illegal :(
 
Django606 said:
In Connecticut, any knife with a spring, whether push button or flipper, is illegal :(
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So AO's are illegal in CT?
Sounds like it, from your post.
 
rifon2 said:
So AO's are illegal in CT?
Sounds like it, from your post.
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From Packing.org:
"...any knife having an automatic spring release device by which a blade is released from the handle..."
That doesn't sound like an Assisted Opener to me. That being said, I have been stopped in NY, which probably has much stricter knife laws than CT, and the cop opened my Blur and didn't even suggest that it may fall under the category of 'switchblade'.

Back to the original topic, why would anyone want to disable AO? I would never have even looked at Kershaws if not for the "legal switchblade" feature, and now my Blur has become my favorite knife! It's more realiable opening than my Benchmade Auto-Stryker, and legal to carry. What more could anyone ask for?
 
I did that to my Scallion a long time ago and it works fine as a regular old one hand opener. Its been that way since 03. I even took the flipper off the bottom of it. I see no problem with doing that to any of them. I had a black out done the same way and it worked fine also.

STR
 
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