- Joined
- Sep 23, 2005
- Messages
- 101
So you got your new Medford Praetorian Ti or other similar heavy duty framelock folder but now after just a few minutes
of using it you've got a soar thumb from closing the blade with the framelock. And you've maybe loosened the pivot
screw but you still almost need two hands or maybe it feels like you need a pry bar to get the blade open.
I've found one solution - one fix - that will take care of both problems. But be warned it will likely void any warranty and
if you aren't careful you might damage your knife. I've never cared much about warranties because if I can't fix it then it's
probably to far gone to fix and likely wouldn't be covered by most warranties anyway. So if you are okay with risking
losing a warranty read on.
A couple Medford's I've picked up seemed to stiff opening and also the framelocks were making for a soar thumb just
trying to get them broke in. I've worked with titanium in the past making some knife and flashlight clips as well as making
some small neck knives and a karambit out of solid titanium. Not all framelocks are titanium but if that's what you have
this can help and would also work for a steel framelock. But you must be careful with titanium as it can be damaged if
you bend it too far.
So this is how to fix that sticky framelock and at the same time you'll probably find it greatly loosens the blade to make it
easy to flip open. On the Medford Praetorian Ti you will want to loosen the top clip screw just a little and remove the
bottom clip screw. Don't loosen the top one too much or a nut holding it on the inside of the frame will fall out and it's a
pain to get it back in the hole which is partly obscured by the glass breaker. Once it is loosend pivot it around 180
degrees so it's out of your way. Then carefully remove the tiny screw holding the framelock overplay washer. Open the
blade all the way.
Then the most critical part is bending out the framelock a little bit at a time. You may need fairly strong fingers to do this
especially on something like the Praetorian Ti. Or you may find something like a wood door wedge that could help pry it
out. Just don't use a screwdriver or anything that would scratch the handle or framelock. Bend it out a little until you feel
resistance. Then check to see how much difference you feel in releasing the blade from the framelock. Just keep going a
little further each time until it feels like it is easy enough to release to your liking. Once done you will find the blade pivots
much easier now. I had tried loosening the pivot screw a lot with no effect, tried a number of other things with no effect
either. It turns out on the Praetorians the frame lock puts so much pressure against the blade that it is what makes it also
difficult to open.
Once you have it fine tuned to your liking it may be best to use some blue threadlocker on the tiny screw that holds the
framelock overplay washer. Then tighten that down and put your clip back in place and it's like having a new smooth as
butter framelock knife. If done properly it will still lock up solid although if you have a concern with any particular knife
cutting operation that it might fold on you just push in on the outside of the framelock and you may feel it move a tiny bit
for reassurance it's not going to fold on you.
While I have not needed to do this I believe if you went to far in bending the framelock out you could bend it back in
although you might need to remove the framelock handle to do so. Use patience in this fine tuning job and you'll likely
have a much smoother setup.
of using it you've got a soar thumb from closing the blade with the framelock. And you've maybe loosened the pivot
screw but you still almost need two hands or maybe it feels like you need a pry bar to get the blade open.
I've found one solution - one fix - that will take care of both problems. But be warned it will likely void any warranty and
if you aren't careful you might damage your knife. I've never cared much about warranties because if I can't fix it then it's
probably to far gone to fix and likely wouldn't be covered by most warranties anyway. So if you are okay with risking
losing a warranty read on.
A couple Medford's I've picked up seemed to stiff opening and also the framelocks were making for a soar thumb just
trying to get them broke in. I've worked with titanium in the past making some knife and flashlight clips as well as making
some small neck knives and a karambit out of solid titanium. Not all framelocks are titanium but if that's what you have
this can help and would also work for a steel framelock. But you must be careful with titanium as it can be damaged if
you bend it too far.
So this is how to fix that sticky framelock and at the same time you'll probably find it greatly loosens the blade to make it
easy to flip open. On the Medford Praetorian Ti you will want to loosen the top clip screw just a little and remove the
bottom clip screw. Don't loosen the top one too much or a nut holding it on the inside of the frame will fall out and it's a
pain to get it back in the hole which is partly obscured by the glass breaker. Once it is loosend pivot it around 180
degrees so it's out of your way. Then carefully remove the tiny screw holding the framelock overplay washer. Open the
blade all the way.
Then the most critical part is bending out the framelock a little bit at a time. You may need fairly strong fingers to do this
especially on something like the Praetorian Ti. Or you may find something like a wood door wedge that could help pry it
out. Just don't use a screwdriver or anything that would scratch the handle or framelock. Bend it out a little until you feel
resistance. Then check to see how much difference you feel in releasing the blade from the framelock. Just keep going a
little further each time until it feels like it is easy enough to release to your liking. Once done you will find the blade pivots
much easier now. I had tried loosening the pivot screw a lot with no effect, tried a number of other things with no effect
either. It turns out on the Praetorians the frame lock puts so much pressure against the blade that it is what makes it also
difficult to open.
Once you have it fine tuned to your liking it may be best to use some blue threadlocker on the tiny screw that holds the
framelock overplay washer. Then tighten that down and put your clip back in place and it's like having a new smooth as
butter framelock knife. If done properly it will still lock up solid although if you have a concern with any particular knife
cutting operation that it might fold on you just push in on the outside of the framelock and you may feel it move a tiny bit
for reassurance it's not going to fold on you.
While I have not needed to do this I believe if you went to far in bending the framelock out you could bend it back in
although you might need to remove the framelock handle to do so. Use patience in this fine tuning job and you'll likely
have a much smoother setup.
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