Are there any tips on frame locks that are extremely difficult (virtually impossible) to deploy when your fingers are touching the lock bar? I’m talking the tiniest amount of pressure, basically just touching the lock bar. I’ve had a couple of frame lock flippers that had this issue. Now I’ve recently acquired a thumb stud knife that has the same problem. I’ve been thumbing open knives for many years, some with stronger than average detents with no problems. This new knife is impossible to thumb open if you are touching the lockbar. I can thumb it open with my left hand since my palm doesn’t touch the lock bar. Any suggestions other than “Don‘t put any pressure on the lock bar”?
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Frame Lock Issues
- Thread starter mobilerd
- Start date
Only knife Ive had with this is my kershaw bareknuckle. Unfortunately I dont believe there is any option than to change the way you hold the knife . After looking it over and adjusting my grip on it , and flipping it a bunch I got used to it and I like it ok , although I still miss maby one outta 20 deployments. At first I thought I wasn’t gonna like it at all because of that issue .I believe kershaw has discontinued it , probably because of this. Ive never came up with any solutions other than this myself , I would also like to hear if there are other options, all well designed knives should have reliable openings , don’t really want to have to think it through to just open my knife , sometimes your in a hurry
If possible, rest your fingers/hand on the pocket clip. If designed correctly, the pocket clip engages the body of the knife and not the lock bar. My Ruike has this same problem. The thumb studs are useless as a result. The flipper works flawlessly, however. So long as I rest my right hand fingers against the pocket clip.
On holding by the pocket clip, it’s tricky but does work. I replaced a pocket clip on a ZT flipper that had the same issues with good results. The clip was longer than the original ZT clip and covered the lock bar better. What Im wondering is why some frame locks (the minority thankfully) suffer from this issue, but most don’t? What are the mechanics that cause minor lock bar pressure to impede opening in some frame locks but not in others? And most importantly can it be fixed?
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2012
- Messages
- 1,104
Reduce the detent engagement to the blade tang. This can be done in various ways knife specific (lock-bar pressure, detent ball depth in blade tang, geometry of detent hole in tang, depth of detent ball in lock-bar).
For the most part though, decrease ANY pressure on the lock-bar. Some knives are harder to train yourself on, but awareness is the beginning of productive change.
For the most part though, decrease ANY pressure on the lock-bar. Some knives are harder to train yourself on, but awareness is the beginning of productive change.