Folding knife lock failure

P

Papa P

Joined
May 13, 2016
Messages
12
Has anyone ever had a lock fail on them while using a folder? Just wondering with all these edc fixed knife threads going around.
 
Yea. But it wasn't a frame or liner lock. It was a Kershaw Launch 2 (which uses a plunge lock I believe). It would open so hard that the lock wouldn't always engage. The first time I opened it and put my thumb on the blade to cut something it closed on my pointer finger.
 
Yes. Buck Cross lock. Cut a few times (minor). Brother had to have surgery in his hand from his. Severed a tendon in his right thumb.

CRKT m16. Lock would fold up with the slightest bump or trying to pierce cardboard.

I was cut while trying to cut a water line in a very tight space in a hydraulic press. Minot cut, but up till that point i thought that lock felt solid.

I've had a few other folders where the lock would fold with light thumb pressure.
 
Ruggdogg87 said:
Yea. But it wasn't a frame or liner lock. It was a Kershaw Launch 2 (which uses a plunge lock I believe). It would open so hard that the lock wouldn't always engage. The first time I opened it and put my thumb on the blade to cut something it closed on my pointer finger.
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Same thing with the same model.....Launch 1 & 3. I think it has to do more with the spring than the lock. The spring, for auto action, is not engaged for the full length of travel. It's only engaged for about half way.
When the knife is held any way other than spine up, the blade will bounce off the stop and will not lock up. Not cool at all.
Every other auto I have, Pro Tech and Microtech, the spring has tension on it for the full length of travel. Even if the button is depressed the blade is opened fully. Not so with the Launches.
I don't carry either any more as this is an accident waiting to happen.
Never had a manual folder fail on me tho.
Joe
 
Liner locks, in general fail. I have had a few liner locks and frame locks fail on me, usually when using them moderately hard. My wife had one fail on her and now she refuses even to hold a knife with one of those locks. The only time I have had a backlock fail on me was when the lock was filled full of pocket lint. A quick clean and all was perfect again. This has been true even when using them hard.
 
palonej said:
Same thing with the same model.....Launch 1 & 3. I think it has to do more with the spring than the lock. The spring, for auto action, is not engaged for the full length of travel. It's only engaged for about half way.
When the knife is held any way other than spine up, the blade will bounce off the stop and will not lock up. Not cool at all.
Every other auto I have, Pro Tech and Microtech, the spring has tension on it for the full length of travel. Even if the button is depressed the blade is opened fully. Not so with the Launches.
I don't carry either any more as this is an accident waiting to happen.
Never had a manual folder fail on me tho.
Joe
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It's a shame that it's happened to more than just me. They are a great looking series of knives. Just a design flaw. I was thinking the spring was so bound that when you release the blade it would bounce off of the blade stop before engaging the plunge lock but what your saying totally makes sense.
 
It is a shame, as we both say. Real nice looking knives as a great price with good steel........but I won't buy another or carry the ones I have.
I brought this up recently in another thread. Someone recommended calling KAI and requesting new springs for them. He said it helped this issue with his.
I'll probably give it a shot with my Launch 3 .........I love the looks and ergos on that one.
Surprised not to hear about this issue from more guys here, but each time I've posted my findings a couple more will pop out of the wood work.
I think this is a major design flaw, but KAI just keeps pumping them out.
Weird.
You aren't alone my friend!
Joe



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Never. Own and used over a hundred...all brands from cheap to mid tech folders. Never had a lock fail yet. Ive used awkward grips at odd cutting angles and almost disengaged a few frame locks. More my fault than the knives.
 
Nope. Been fiddling with, and using knives for a long long time. I'm 54 now, got my first around five or six. Can't recall, Granddad gave it to me when I joined the Cub Scouts. In any event, never had a lock fail, liner locks and frame locks included. Also plunge lock autos. The manual I am currently carrying has a lock safety for the frame lock. Doubt that will ever fail.
 
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Yep. Liner lock made by a company who praises their ultra tough, tactical, fighting, dark alley companion folders. The liner actually slipped and folded on my hand. 8 stitches and $1600 later I "waved" goodbye to that company. It happens though.

ETA: I noticed a bit of lock rock occuring so I did what any of us would do: inspect it. I had my left hand on the spine of the blade and my right hand grasping the handle and wiggled the blade front to back. It was just sharpened and doubled with the *light* pressure I was putting on the lock, it slipped. Sliced cleanly across my index finger toward the knuckle. Nicked the tendon sheath but not the tendon itself. I realize playing with a faulty knife isn't the brightest idea, but the small amount of pressure I had on the blade was equivalent to the weight of my left hand basically. I wasn't "misusing, abusing, Rambo-ing, prying" or what have you. I was simply inspecting the locking rock issue, which failed.
 
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I haven't used anything other then a frame lock in years, and I use my knives for anything and everything within reason.

Never had anything even close to lock failure.

I did have a custom Andy Fitz that when I recieved it would slip with what I would measure as almost zero amount of force on the spine. (It had maybe 5-10% lock up)
After contacting Andy, he told me to open and close it for a day (casually) to let the lock bar set. After doing that, zero issues.
 
Framelock, Liner Lock and Lockback. But I halfway expected the knives that failed to fail on me, especially with the abuse I was putting them through.
 
stuff_things said:
Yep. Liner lock made by a company who praises their ultra tough, tactical, fighting, dark alley companion folders. The liner actually slipped and folded on my hand. 8 stitches and $1600 later I "waved" goodbye to that company. It happens though.
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Same exact experience here my Super 7 folded on me, thank god I was wearing thick gloves or stitches would have been required.
 
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