Experiences with MT Microbar lock requested

[mgeoffriau]

I have actually taken apart my CQD MK II (shhh! don't tell MOD) because when I first got it it was overloaded with grease of some sort - it was so bad it made a squishing noise every time I closed it. Can't have that!!

It's a fairly simple design, but it might be hard to explain without visual aid. That said, here goes:

The button is attached to a "pin" or plunger that has two diameters. It's very narrow in the middle, then it flares out on the other side. So you have button-narrow-wide. The blade tang, under all but the completely open position, extends out far enough that it can only be matched up with the narrow section. When it reaches the fully open position, a spring pushed the plunger up so that the wide section engages a notch in the blade tang. Thus you have to push the button back down, thereby making the narrow section line up with the blade tang, in order to close it.

The secondary slide lock simply sticks a barrier under the plunger so that it cannot be pushed down.

I hope that was readable, and somewhat clear. It's hard to really figure it out without taking the bits apart.

 

[cpirtle]

Well said !

How much of the tang do you think is actually blocked by the plunger rod (for lack of a better term)?

Do you think it gets as much steel behind the blade as say an axis or rolling?

 

[Joe Talmadge]

Thanks for the explanation! At least in the mental picture I have, it seems sound in theory.

One question: does it adjust for wear? As the axis lock wears, it moves forward in the slot. As the integral lock wears, it moves across the tang. What does the plunger lock do? Is there an angled mating at some point that helps it auto-adjust for wear?

 

[mgeoffriau]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by cpirtle:
Well said !

How much of the tang do you think is actually blocked by the plunger rod (for lack of a better term)?

Do you think it gets as much steel behind the blade as say an axis or rolling?</font>

I'm not familiar with the axis or rolling lock (I know basically how they work, but I best understand something when it's in pieces on my desk

). Actually, when I was looking at the disassembled pieces, it looks like the plunger would probably break before the tang would get sheared off. The "notch" in the tang is well reinforced. I think if anything it'd be more susceptible to wear (getting rounded off, that sort of thing), but it'd take a hell of a lot of use to wear much material off of the blade tang.

Part of what seems to make it so strong is that the knife handle is sooo stiff. This thing doesn't flex at all, so it's hard for me to imagine what kind of stress would be needed to cause it to fail. I can't see the plunger just snapping in two unless it was really subjected to some torquing, but I don't know.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Joe Talmadge:
Thanks for the explanation! At least in the mental picture I have, it seems sound in theory.

One question: does it adjust for wear? As the axis lock wears, it moves forward in the slot. As the integral lock wears, it moves across the tang. What does the plunger lock do? Is there an angled mating at some point that helps it auto-adjust for wear?</font>

I'd have to take it apart to be sure, but I seem to recall that the plunger is angled to account for wear. Remember how I said it flares out on the opposite side from the button? I believe that part of it angles out, it doesn't just step up to the bigger diameter. It *may* account for wear, but I'd have to tear it apart and play with it some to know for sure. I could see it being angled, and with wear the button would pop up a little higher. That's speculation though. For me, as long as I can get parts from MOD, it doesn't bother me all that much one way or another.




[This message has been edited by mgeoffriau (edited 06-07-2001).]

 

[cpirtle]

That's it! I have to gut mine, sounds too cool not to fiddle with

 

[Knife Fumbler]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by cpirtle:
All the hype aside, I cannot see a real world scenario where a properly made and maintained Axis, Rolling or plunge lock would fail, at least not in my "real world". I cannot say the same thing for any other lock I've used (except the Opinel style or Bali but I don't get into them). If I know I'm potentially risking a lock failure I'll use my Fallkniven F1.</font>

I'll agree with you that any properly maintained lock would work well.

I just got my Fallkniven F1 today

That's one stout knife.
I can't wait to put it to use.



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~Fumbler
the crazied knife weilding Sarah McLachlan fan =)