El-04 stiff axis lock

L

Lijap

Joined
Jan 21, 2012
Messages
42
My Enlan has just arrived and I noticed that the axis lock is VERY stiff. It requires both my thumb and index finger to disengage and tears them up in the process. What can I do to loosen it up?
 
You should become accustomed to using both your thumb and index finger to disengage it.

Hope that helps.
 
Alright, I just wanted to know if it ws supposed to be THAT stiff. It becomes very uncomfortable to close it after a 4 or 5 times.
 
Mine was the same way. I put a drop of oil in it and opened and closed it many times. While it did get better, I think there is some difference from the Enlan axis to the Benchmade axis. The action on the enlan feels flimsier. When I try to disenfage wit only one finger, the lock bar tilts sideways, I need even pull on both sides of thelock bar.

Try the oil and open and close it lots of times.
 
I have two Enlan axis lock knives, and one is just a bit stiffer than Benchmade Axis lock, the other is very, very stiff. I do notice that the way the axis lock springs bend is different, as well as the spring wire being slightly thicker, but I think the stiff lock is do to the "channel" that the Axis lock is supposed to slide in being too tight. One day I will eventually take it apart, and use a file and some sand paper to widen that channel and see if it fits it. That might be whats happening with yours.
 
My 707 came a little stiff, but loosened up with use and some Benchmade blue lube. I just got a mini, and I expect the same.
With a new one, you need to use the thumb and middle finger to retract the lock, and use the index finger to drop the blade.
After a little use, the blade will drop faster than you might think.
 
Also wash out any shavings with hot soapy water. I smoothed out the axis lock thumbstuds themselves with the end of a lansky sharpening stick.Then I noticed if you have a thin screw driver ( I used a thinned out p38 can opener and filed a groove to clear screws) you adjust the lock thumbstuds themselves. I backed mine off counter clockwise a half turn and it is much easier to open now.The lock studs were rubbing on the lock too much. All the gritty feeling is gone.In time the springs should weaken.Hope it helps
 
TrojanDonkey said:
Also wash out any shavings with hot soapy water. I smoothed out the axis lock thumbstuds themselves with the end of a lansky sharpening stick.Then I noticed if you have a thin screw driver ( I used a thinned out p38 can opener and filed a groove to clear screws) you adjust the lock thumbstuds themselves. I backed mine off counter clockwise a half turn and it is much easier to open now.The lock studs were rubbing on the lock too much. All the gritty feeling is gone.In time the springs should weaken.Hope it helps
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good idea, the design of my EL-02 is excellent, but the painfully stiff lock keeps me from carrying it.
 
simioh said:
Mine was the same way. I put a drop of oil in it and opened and closed it many times. While it did get better, I think there is some difference from the Enlan axis to the Benchmade axis. The action on the enlan feels flimsier. When I try to disenfage wit only one finger, the lock bar tilts sideways, I need even pull on both sides of thelock bar.

Try the oil and open and close it lots of times.
Click to expand...

I have the same experience with my Enlan Axis lock. It was a bit disappointing.

Unklfranco
 
Scurvy092 said:
+1

and lol @ people complaining about a $15 knife.
Click to expand...

haha no kidding

lijap, if you don't want to have a knife that won't run into these problems and last you much longer, invest in a knife made by a reputable manufacturer. like perhaps the brand whose lock these guys ripped off... its worth the investment
 
Who did they steal the design from for the knife? Not the lock, but the rest of the knife. Just curious here. I guess it looks kinda like a sebbie if I had sand in my eyes, but this doesn't appear to be a blatant rip off of it. (I do know that their "axis lock" is a slightly modified rip off of the Benchmade design).
 
Another one with a well executed axis lock is the Ganzo G704. For all of 14$, you could just try one of those instead.

Just put mine through its paces on a ten day camping trip and I couldn't be happier with its performance. Hope to draw up a review at some point in the near future, but it's easily the best 14$ I've spent to date.
 
My EL-04 is very stiff as well. I've tried backing out the axis-lock studs on both size and it seems to help a bit, but doing it too much allows the axis to go off-kilter (i.e. no longer sliding perpendicular to the knife's length) and makes it harder to slide due to the play. The other thing I noticed is that the studs are quite sharp and adds to the discomfort when you have to bear down hard on them.

Where does the axis lock springs sit? I'd like to take it apart and stretch it out or something. I'm going to see if I can leave the spring in the compressed position for an extended period of time to see if it helps.
 
Just complain to the seller. They'll just send you a new one typically.

Every Chinese axis lock action I've felt is garbage compared to Benchmade's. Except the 530, that's about the quality of a clone.
 
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