Has an axis lock failed on anyone?

D

dniice87

Joined
Jul 19, 2005
Messages
1,015
The lock always looks to me like its just barely engaging and its hard for me to trust it. Just curious if anyone has had one fail on them.
 
I recall reading about one axis lock failing a spine whack test, but that's the only one I've ever seen. It's a great design.

What model is your BM? I realize it's probably nearly impossible to take a picture of the lockup, but maybe if you identify which model it is, some forumites that have the same one can give you some feedback.
 
There have been some fail yes. You can check the lock by a careful spine tap on the toe of your boot hitting the spine of the blade when it is opened. Be sure to keep your hand free of the area where it may close on you if the lock is indeed not engaging fully. If the lock defeats send it back to BenchMade and get it replaced or repaired.

STR
 
IMO, if your going to be doing work that requires alot of prying, digging, splitting wood, basically things that you should be using a fixed blade for, DON'T USE A FOLDER. I think a lot of folders have lock failures, because there owners misuse them, and take them above and beyond what they are capable of doing. Do the little test that STR mentioned, obviously if that fails the test then it's a manufacts. problem.
 
I've had one fail from pocket lint, so not a true failure. A fellow on Knifeforums had a griptilian die from caustic grit to the Omega springs.

But otherwise, it's a good design.

Phil
 
TorzJohnson said:
What model is your BM? I realize it's probably nearly impossible to take a picture of the lockup, but maybe if you identify which model it is, some forumites that have the same one can give you some feedback.
Click to expand...

It wasnt just on my 530 that i recently sold off, its on pretty much every BM folder ive tried out at stores, my friends, etc. It just doesnt look like "the tang is wedged solidly between a sizable stop pin and the AXIS bar itself." To me, it looks like the locking bar can slip right off the rear of the blade if the right amount of pressure is used.

i hope i said that right...im not good with the technical names of everything
 
Me and Dniice87 are good friends and this topic came up in a discussion when I first got my 610 Rukus. We both looked at the lock and said it didnt look like it woud hold up to alot. My 610 lock engages just like my other axis locks which I am a little weary of also. The 610 lock bar engages right above where the flat surface that the lock bar sits against (no idea what that part is called) starts to round off and gets me worried that if put under a decent amount of stres it might fail. I think we both wish that the lock bar travelled a little farther up where the lock bar engages so their would be less chance of the bar "slipping" down and also maybe give the lock bar a flat surface where it contacts the surface of the blade where it locks in place. The lock is great for fast opening and closing but I fear if put under decent stress is will fail.

I also have a SOG vision and feel that SOG has made an improvement on the Axis lock, but they could both be secured more.
 
The only way I can see it failing, is if the springs broke, and the axis bar was no longer able to hold the blade solidly because of slippage. I heard somewhere that if one of the springs fail, the other spring should still be able to support the lock.
 
Okay, here's the deal about axis locks, ball bearing locks, "arc locks" and stud locks--the force against the bar, ball bearing, etc, is *perpendicular* to the direction of travel to get out of the way and unlock.

Okay, so think about this. The load does not matter--because there's 0 force going in the direction it would need to to unlock. In fact, all force that is vertical is away from the unlocking side because the spring is pushing it up.

But you can test the idea yourself with your axis lock. Pull the lock bar down just a little and see (gently, of course, be safe..) to close the blade with the other hand. Move it down another mm, etc and try again.

But really, the secret to most new locks' strength is that the force is perpendicular to the lockbar (ball) travel.
 
Lurp said:
Me and Dniice87 are good friends and this topic came up in a discussion when I first got my 610 Rukus. We both looked at the lock and said it didnt look like it woud hold up to alot. My 610 lock engages just like my other axis locks which I am a little weary of also. The 610 lock bar engages right above where the flat surface that the lock bar sits against (no idea what that part is called) starts to round off and gets me worried that if put under a decent amount of stres it might fail. I think we both wish that the lock bar travelled a little farther up where the lock bar engages so their would be less chance of the bar "slipping" down and also maybe give the lock bar a flat surface where it contacts the surface of the blade where it locks in place. The lock is great for fast opening and closing but I fear if put under decent stress is will fail.

I also have a SOG vision and feel that SOG has made an improvement on the Axis lock, but they could both be secured more.
Click to expand...

I thought it was just me. My 941 locks up tighter than a u know what. The 610 I just got looks as if the pin barely rides the tang as previously noted by others. Now being it's a huge folder I would be leary as well. The other thing I noticed was both sides of the pin don't always line up evenly, kinda like the pin is having trouble sitting flush when used on one side or the other. When both are pulled and released at the same time sits flush and the axis button looks correct from the outside view.

I looked closer and you can see the stop mark the pin is making from grease on the tang. It's barely on it.

Since I finally got a Benchmade thats a first prod run I wasn't going to use it anyways, but now I'm thinkin' I may ship it out.
 
I just looked at the lockup of my 707 and i put a pencil mark where the front of the lock bar is when it's locked up.......then I pulled it back to see how much tang was left. There was at least enough to cover the entire width of the lock bar. I don't see how this could fail really. If if wasn't locked up that much I could see, but not having the width of the lock bar.
 
Right. Thats how my 941 is.

610 is 50% of that and it's a bigger knife.

Oh no... its the 50%/100% issue again...
 
GFarrell3 said:
I thought it was just me. My 941 locks up tighter than a u know what. The 610 I just got looks as if the pin barely rides the tang as previously noted by others. Now being it's a huge folder I would be leary as well. The other thing I noticed was both sides of the pin don't always line up evenly, kinda like the pin is having trouble sitting flush when used on one side or the other. When both are pulled and released at the same time sits flush and the axis button looks correct from the outside view.

I looked closer and you can see the stop mark the pin is making from grease on the tang. It's barely on it.

Since I finally got a Benchmade thats a first prod run I wasn't going to use it anyways, but now I'm thinkin' I may ship it out.
Click to expand...

Yep thats what I'm talking about! My Griptillian is a little better than that because its a smaller blade and it looks like where the lock bar meets the tang its is flatter than on the 610. Just worried that with a knife that big the lock should engage fully.

Artfully Martial, I understand what your saying but the tang is slightly rounded so if the lock bar engages just slightly above that the metal could wear down eventually or if the bar is a little below the rounded area on the tang the bar is also round and the force would push the lock bar down.
 
I've seen videos of some fail from spine taps. Also there are stories of the omega springs breaking or rusting or failing in some other way. Any locking knife can fail. The Axis along with the lockback I think are two of the most trustworthy locks out there.
 
I have 2 AXIS Locks; a TSEK and an Osborne (blue handle limited addition...I still carry it often). In over 2 years, neither has EVER let me down (and I pound on the TSEK). In my opinion, the AXIS Lock is still the best on the market.
 
Never had one fail on me. Try figuring a safe way to test the lock's integrity, such as STR's spine-tap on a boot suggestion or putting the blade in a padding vice and pushing against the lock to prove or disprove the lock to your satisfaction. Better yet, buy a compression-locked Spyderco. ;)
 
I had one fail once. Never and I mean never let anyone tell you that the axis lock is just as safe once one of the omega springs has broken. That's when mine failed because it didn't lock up securely with only one spring.
 
Well, you don't have to listen to us.

You've got a knife and a desk or something hard. Throw in some safety sense and find out for yourself.
 
Artfully Martial said:
Okay, here's the deal about axis locks, ball bearing locks, "arc locks" and stud locks--the force against the bar, ball bearing, etc, is *perpendicular* to the direction of travel to get out of the way and unlock.

Okay, so think about this. The load does not matter--because there's 0 force going in the direction it would need to to unlock. In fact, all force that is vertical is away from the unlocking side because the spring is pushing it up.

But you can test the idea yourself with your axis lock. Pull the lock bar down just a little and see (gently, of course, be safe..) to close the blade with the other hand. Move it down another mm, etc and try again.

But really, the secret to most new locks' strength is that the force is perpendicular to the lockbar (ball) travel.
Click to expand...

well said artfully martial, that was pretty helpful :thumbup:
 
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