Dumb Axis Lock Question

R

RugerNurse

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Jul 13, 2019
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I’ve been wanting to branch out from Spyderco (which is still my favorite) and went to the local gun store that carries some Benchmade and Houge knives. Seemed like all the crossbar lock clipped my palm when closing. I like some of the designs from Benchmade but can’t operate the lock without cutting my palm. I know it’s dumb but any tips?
Interestingly the full size Griptilian was the only one that didn’t do it but it seems like the space between the blade tip and end of handle is larger. But the grip is too big for my everyday knife.
 
Are you pinching the lock with your thumb and forefinger?

I'm trying to picture a grip when doing that which places your palm anywhere near the bar, and I can't picture it. I've never had this problem.
 
RugerNurse said:
Yes. In order to pull the lock bar down I have to rest the butt of the handle in my palm. When the blade swings down to close it hits my palm.
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Ah, gotcha! This I've done. Just practice slowly until you find the right hand position.

If I'm not paying attention when closing a crossbar lock knife, this still happens to me occasionally even though the correct position should be in my muscle memory. As you've noted, the longer handle tends to naturally make it more difficult to nick yourself.
 
Benchmade Mini Adamas. Maybe some more quick pics will help show my hand positioning better.
20230401_213821.jpg20230401_213827.jpg20230401_213832.jpg

Basically the thumb and forefinger each contact either side of the AXIS bar lock, then the opposite end on the handle nestles into the lower middle of the palm. No other hand contact with the knife is necessary.
 
It's a simple matter of "fidget-time". The more you play with your Benchmade: the quicker you'll learn it's dance!
Good luck! 👍
This is how I grab it. I anchor the knife by the clip.
20230402_073657.jpg
 
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Wolverine666 said:
Same here. I’m baffled.
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Dadpool said:
Are you pinching the lock with your thumb and forefinger?

I'm trying to picture a grip when doing that which places your palm anywhere near the bar, and I can't picture it. I've never had this problem.
Click to expand...
It's kind of hard to capture the angle, but the (too) fleshy part of my palm is definitely in the blade path.
48fArKl.jpg


After nicking myself a couple of times I learned to shift the position to something like this:

Q7SgDKZ.jpg
 
Yup that's the trick to no nick
You probably have big hands so a longer handle is easier for you to manipulate
 
MadeOnABench said:
Basically the thumb and forefinger each contact either side of the AXIS bar lock, then the opposite end on the handle nestles into the lower middle of the palm. No other hand contact with the knife is necessary.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the help. What would you recommend for a first time Benchmade? Just for everyday tasks, nothing crazy.
 
RugerNurse said:
Thanks for the help. What would you recommend for a first time Benchmade? Just for everyday tasks, nothing crazy.
Click to expand...

I would say that you can't go wrong with a 940, Griptilian, or Presidio II (or any of their mini variants).

But since you have access to a physical store that carries Benchmades, I'd definitely recommend taking the time to handle the different options and choose what feels best to you. I can give you my opinion all day long about what knife you should carry, but what matters is that the knife you pick is right for you and your needs.
 
So apparently you need a Benchmade with a very long handle, such as the SOCP or Crooked River. There are other models with long handles, but I do not know what they are off the top of my head.
 
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