How to smooth the opening of a Compression lock Ti Salsa?

[RX-79G]

This thing has never opened very nicely. Today I took it apart and noted a couple of things:

1. Unlike many liner/frame locks, the detent ball does not run along the blade tang when the blade is between fully closed and locked open. Instead, the sharp front corner of the compression lock arm is what rubs on the tang as it opens.

2. The left side nylon washer's out diameter appears to overlap that sharp tip of the lock arm. But only a tiny bit - less than 1/16", so it is hard to tell after assembly if that sharp tip is digging into the side of the washer, or is running along its edge, and whether that side pressure is pushing on the pivot in a funny way.

3. The blade pivot has a flat on its circumference, like an exaggerated D. I assumed this was for lubrication - but maybe it is also there to provide washer clearance. Should it be aligned with the tip of the lock arm? It doesn't look like it would necessarily stay in a single position, but I could be wrong.


Any guidance would be appreciated. I don't need to be able to flick this open, but I thought compression locks where supposed to open more like liner locks than back locks, and this is definitely more like a less-than-smooth back lock.


Thanks.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

No advice, but I've had mixed experiences with the Compression lock and smoothness. My Superleaf was quite smooth, Para 2 was on the rough side, my first Yojimbo 2 was rough, so I got rid of it and stayed away for a couple years. Then I got to missing it and picked another up a few weeks back and it's the smoothest Spydie I own. My Szabo was rough as well, but given the spring detent it didn't really have a great chance at smooth.

 

[Spartan00]

OP pics would help at least on my end .

Compression lock in general though I'll type what I've done . Had my share of para2s, yojimbos,Szabo I'm leaving some out but you get the idea.

Some have been perfect some haven't . Some the holes drilled for the pocket clip had burrs causing me some problems ,check there if it applies to your knife of you feel a burr smooth it out.

Other times it's just been finding the sweet spot for the screws . It can take a little while sometimes .

My compression lock folders love fluoro grease . If you don't feel comfortable disassembling just back the screws off and open the knife up and apply a little grease where you can and tighten it back down . That turned a rough and gritty Szabo into a very smooth folder.

 

[RX-79G]

I'd rather not take it apart again, but this picture will help with the description:

If you look at the laser cut that defines the lock arm, there is a corner that is closest to the blade pivot. Like an arrow pointed at the pivot.

That corner of sharp Ti is what rides on the side of the blade when the blade is half open. When it is fully closed the blade tang has a larger circumference from the blade pivot, so the detent ball in the lock arm touches, but in between the detent ball is just hanging out in space and the Ti itself rides on the tang. Additionally, that very tip of the arm seems to be just barely touching the blade washer on that side, like a needle on the edge of a phonograph record.

I can't tell whether that touching between the washer and lock are is actually happening, and whether it is good or bad,

 

[SpeedHoles]

I've got a regular aluminum handled Salsa with the traditional liner based Compression-lock (not integrated like your ti), and it isn't smooth either.
The detent is wonky as well, almost opposite how it should function.

 

[RX-79G]

I've got a regular aluminum handled Salsa with the traditional liner based Compression-lock (not integrated like your ti), and it isn't smooth either.
The detent is wonky as well, almost opposite how it should function.

Looking at images of PM2 locks, they are just barely cousins to these older compression locks. They really rearranged the components of the lock and the shapes used. The stop pin is 45° behind the detent ball when it used to be directly above it, and the detent is now on the tang the whole swing to lock.