Do All Your Benchmades Have Weak Detent ?

Wolverine666

Wolverine666

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Dec 7, 2009
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I've been reading in numerous threads lately that a lot of Benchmades have weak detent and some barely have any at all. Is it common for Benchmafes these days to come new from the factory this way ?
 
I have a 556, 531 and 940. I can hold them all horizontally by the handle, with the blade facing downward. With a little inertia, I can open all three of 'em. Not the case on any other knife I've owned. If I drop them, they almost alway open. It has no ill effect on the operation of any of them, just how they are.

I just imagined it was an Axis lock thing. I've never even held a BM without an Axis lock, so I'm not sure how the others are.
 
On what type of lock?

My two 970 Emersons have very strong detents.

My 640 Boguszewski and 880 Elishewitz had weak detents.

All my Axis locked knives have felt about the same - there's not exactly a detent per se but the blade is held closed pretty well - retention is improved by tightening the pivot screw.
 
asdf12345 said:
retention is improved by tightening the pivot screw.
Click to expand...

Which is precisely why it doesn't bother me any. I keep a slight amount of side-to-side play because I like opening/closing them via gravity. The 531 will open itself if you pull on the lock-studs with enough force.
 
I guess these can be classified more as gravity knives than most others. Inertia can open almost any Axis lock with ease, much easier than any back, liner, frame, or button lock out there.
 
So it appears to be an Axis Lock trait then. I have to admit that prefer a strong detent on my knives.
 
The weakest detent was on a 672 Osborne assisted liner lock. It opened in my pocket one fine day, never mind the rest of the story. Probably next was my first 740 LUM. I've never had a problem with any of my Axis models, but I usually keep them a few clockwise turns to the right out of habit.
 
i like the speed in the axis lock. for me, it's more about closing than opening. i don't like to make a show of drawing a blade but i like being able to finish cutting and then close it with a flick and right back in the pocket.
 
Just got my 16th Benchmade the 757 Vicar, while I have not been this impressed by a Benchmade since I got my first 710 the 757 detent was indeed weak enough for one of the big thumbstuds to catch while in my pocket and open the blade almost full out its a miracle I didnt stab my leg while in motion. Still have yet to take the green G10 scales off and tighten it up a bit.

All my other Benchmades have had solid medium strength detents out the box. Idk what it is lately though before I bought my 757 my local knife shop had that new titanium "monolock(snicker lol)"with the bearings and it was the most dangerous folding knife I have ever gotten to examine closely. No detent, none..at all. The bearings are so frictionless the blade flies full out into lock up fast and hard through any hint of inertia it was insane. Inertia made the blade fly out and lock with the pivot pointed UP! I went to the shop to actually buy it but after spending a good 25 minutes with it I just said hell no and left with my first PM 2 instead
 
17118365140_bd4207535d_z.jpg
 
No, my Benchmades do not have weak detent. Not my Axis knives and not my 761 or 910.


Edit:
Just checked my collection and the 910 is easy to open with the right gravity flick. Lightning fast. So, while I wouldn't be concerned with it opening up on me in pocket, it doesn't have what I would call a strong detent.
 
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Really the only 'detent' is the spring tension on the lock, right? Because it doesn't lock into a groove when closed, the tension (aside from the pivot pin tension) is just there keeping it from swinging freely.
 
I know big and mini Grips definitely have good detent, try taking one apart sometime Ive overhauled my 2 mini and 2 big Grips a few times. Nice mid size detent ball spinning in the frames.
 
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