I still like Benchmade, but I think I'm done with the axis lock.

[The_Iron_Joe]

A while ago I posted some pictures of my broken Benchmade 940 omega springs, mentioning that I had other springs break in other BM knives. I was satisfied with the community response, communicated with BM, and had some of the springs later replaced.

Since then, I've been very careful with my axis lock knives, namely by not opening them unnecessarily. I thought that maybe undue, repeated stress to the springs had caused the failure. However, just today I had taken my limited edition, carbon fiber 530 with S30V out for the first time in a few months, and noticed the lock didn't offer the right amount of resistance after opening it to cut open a box. Yep, I've broken another omega spring. Somehow.

What is odd to me is that I had taken the time to properly lube the springs with ball bearing grease, in order to help prevent any outside influence on the lock, as I live and work in environments where debris and moisture could be an issue for knives. Looks like the grease did it's job fine, but the spring broke in the exact same stress point all the others have.

It's completely turned me off axis lock knives, which is a damn shame, because I'm still in love with the design of several axis lock knives, like the 710, 808, the entire Barrage lineup, never mind the ones I already own. I had been debating between the small and large M390 version of the Barrage for a while, but the choice has been made; neither.

What's worse is that I'm now expecting my other axis lock knives to fail internally, eventually. The two I have been carrying the most, and for quite some time now, have been the Adamas and Bedlam. The Adamas, I planed on carrying everywhere this summer, just because I've already done some very abusive tasks with it and it seems no worse for wear, which while not related directly to the omega springs, is a feat within itself. Prying, batoning, chopping wood, peeling sheets of metal apart, anything I would normally do with a small pry-bar or fixed blade, I've been doing with the Adamas. Still an incredible knife. No change in lockup, the D2 holds it's edge like few other knives I own. It's awesome.

I had hoped that the Adamas used thicker wire than other axis knives, but it doesn't. So I'm tempted to trade or sell my remaining intact axis lock knives away. Still haven't decided.

I like the action, the strength, and the ease of operation of the axis lock, but I'm tired of having them break when all I do is open them the same as I would a frame lock. I figure since so many people have had axis locks for years without any kind of hint of failure, they would enjoy my axis lock knives more than I will at this point.

Again, I like Benchmade as a company, I love their designs and that hasn't changed. I've bought a LOT of their knives and still enjoy the quality of craftsmanship they provide, but I'm done with the axis lock. If Benchmade comes out with a framelock or linerlock I enjoy as much as I enjoyed my 940, in all likelihood, I'll pick one up.

 

[Ulf Krogstad]

My guess is that putting the certain type of oil/lube on the springs is causing them to corrode and break. I know some types of oils cause that to happen. I never put oil the my springs. Don't need it. On the washers and lockbar I do though. Never had a omega spring break either. Most of my BM's have been opened and closed 10,000+ times. I flip them when bored/making sure working right/using/nutter. 50-100 times a day the usual. I would try not putting on the oil your using and see if that works for them not corroding. Or do you get your BM's wet alot without letting them dry out correctly? Something strange is happening that's for sure. I would try not lubing your springs and see what happens. Otherwise IDK.

 

[The_Iron_Joe]

I only started lubing the springs after a series of breaks, and I made sure to never get my 940 wet... at the same time, mineral oil and ball bearing grease shouldn't cause corrosion in steel. The type of break is not one caused by corrosion, and there is no evidence of rust or pitting on either spring in the 530.

 

[Redmasta]

Maybe you and springs don't get along. Go with something like the PM2 which you can still flick open and closed but no springs for you to break...

 

[craytab]

You must truly have bad luck. I have never had an omega spring break and I have had quite a few Benchmades. I just got a very early 710 that is something like 17 years old. Looks to have the original springs and was never taken apart.

It sucks for you but I completely understand. If I had that much trouble with Omega Springs I might stay away from them as well.

Oh, and the PM2 is a great suggestion. It does give you that truly one hand quick operation like the Axis lock.

 

[jazub]

I think your house is haunted. Call the exorcist.

 

[Ulf Krogstad]

I've seen other people have broken ones too but not often. The fact it happened with 2-3 makes me think it's your environment or the way your maintaining them or something. Do you take your BM's apart alot taking off the springs maybe bending them in a wrong/bad/direction/slant causing a weak spot on them ?

 

[jkarp_53]

We did have a bad batch of springs come with the first Osborne 580 models. Apparently it was a fault of improper heat treating. Since then, and owning many Axis-based models, I have not had one issue of breakage. But others have, and it's (IMO) the weak spot in the Axis mechanism. Good thing we can usually fall back on the remaining spring to hold us until the knife can be sent in. Is there a solution for the breakage? Maybe read the manual where it shows how to open and close the knife and don't flip the thing. That's a lot of force and could cause early failures. I did say COULD.

 

[omaha-beenglockin]

Have carried my Presidio almost daily since 2006-------you're doing something wrong---never have had any issues with any of my AXIS Benchmades


I use Break Free---Remoil and Hoppe's gun oil

 

[gooeytek]

My buddy's 551 has had its omega springs break, one at a time. He did use it with just one spring after the first one broke, and when the second one failed, he made his own out of guitar string. Hasn't given him any problems since the replacement.

I have 3 Benchmades myself, and 2 of them are liner locks.

 

[toker]

Have carried my Presidio almost daily since 2006-------you're doing something wrong---never have had any issues with any of my AXIS Benchmades

- I have several Axis lock knives and have only had an issue with my Kulgera. It's mostly an office duty type of knife, so it's never been exposed to water, etc. One of the springs broke after 3 years of use. The other broke within a week. Benchmade did fix the knife and send it back in a few weeks.

 

[Hair]

I won't say it is your fault, but I do think you are just unlucky.

Broken Omega springs certainly do happen, but they are fairly rare. For you to have such bad luck with them breaking is far from typical. I have owned and carried Axis lock knives for 10 or 11 years and I haven't had any of the Omega springs break on me. My results may be untypical, too, as I might be on the lucky side of the spectrum.

I have noticed (and this is purely anecdotal) that when Omega springs do break, they tend to break pretty early, when the knife is near new. This indicates that BM occasionally has an issue with the heat treat (or another step in the manufacturing) that causes the spring to have a weak point. If an Omega spring doesn't break in the first few months or couple years, it will tend to last a very long time (several years or decades). Of course this is not always the case and Omega springs can break after many years, but it is a trend I have noticed. Again, purely anecdotal. My feeling is that if you carry and use an Axis lock for a few months, and the Omega springs don't break, then you have a good one; it will last seemingly forever. If they do break just have them fixed for free.

The vast majority of Axis lock users (and there are *A LOT* of them) report their Omega springs last many years or decades: most of them haven't even broken yet.

Don't give up on Axis locks. Your Adamas might be one of the more reliable knives you ever own.

 

[loonybin]

It's completely turned me off axis lock knives, which is a damn shame, because I'm still in love with the design of several axis lock knives, like the 710, 808, the entire Barrage lineup, never mind the ones I already own. I had been debating between the small and large M390 version of the Barrage for a while, but the choice has been made; neither.

That's a shame, because my First Production 586 that I'm going to sell has never had a broken omega spring in all the time I've owned it

Again, I like Benchmade as a company, I love their designs and that hasn't changed. I've bought a LOT of their knives and still enjoy the quality of craftsmanship they provide, but I'm done with the axis lock. If Benchmade comes out with a framelock or linerlock I enjoy as much as I enjoyed my 940, in all likelihood, I'll pick one up.

You're in luck if you want to stay away from the Axis lock: their new Ambidextrous Push Button lock on the 665!

I only started lubing the springs after a series of breaks, and I made sure to never get my 940 wet... at the same time, mineral oil and ball bearing grease shouldn't cause corrosion in steel. The type of break is not one caused by corrosion, and there is no evidence of rust or pitting on either spring in the 530.

Mineral oil is not the good rust preventative most people think it is.

 

[CelticCross74]

I saw a Jdavis YT video on this very subject awhile back and it made perfect sense. In it he was fine tuning a new Contego. He took the knife totally apart and as he went over what he was doing to what part and why he came to the scales themselves. Here he smoothed out the inner cut outs on the inner side of each scale where the springs are located. He explained that the most common cause of omega spring failure is that the inner cut out that the spring resides in is still raw and unfinished, rough basically. Over time the raw G10 wears through the spring and the spring breaks. He said that if the spring breaks in the same place repeatedly its a dead give away that that is what is happening. He smoothed the inner cut outs and even wrapped a tiny strip of teflon tape around the point of the spring that contacted the inner scale. It sucks that one may have to go that far in order to make sure their omegas dont break but jDavis made perfect sense. Will post the vid if I can find it. I myself have 16 Benchmades and have never had a single spring go. Lastly check out the new 757 Vicar framelock. It is a tank. The lockbar is so thick that 3 mm of it comes in contact with the blade tang on lock up. I couldnt get used to mine and traded it for an Adamas lol

 

[michaedma]

Seems to be real hit and miss... I have two 527s, one that I've opened approximately a bazillion times, and no problems yet. I've never put grease or anything like that on the springs, however sometimes when the gunk really builds up I wash it out with hot water and then blow it out with air in a can. It's funny, I've almost been expecting my springs to break with everything I've read about it but they just keep on keepin' on.

 

[Ballenxj]

I saw a Jdavis YT video on this very subject awhile back and it made perfect sense. In it he was fine tuning a new Contego. He took the knife totally apart and as he went over what he was doing to what part and why he came to the scales themselves. Here he smoothed out the inner cut outs on the inner side of each scale where the springs are located. He explained that the most common cause of omega spring failure is that the inner cut out that the spring resides in is still raw and unfinished, rough basically. Over time the raw G10 wears through the spring and the spring breaks. He said that if the spring breaks in the same place repeatedly its a dead give away that that is what is happening. He smoothed the inner cut outs and even wrapped a tiny strip of teflon tape around the point of the spring that contacted the inner scale. It sucks that one may have to go that far in order to make sure their omegas dont break but jDavis made perfect sense.

This is an interesting theory. Having said that, I've been lucky thus far.

 

[JNewell]

I have dozens of Axis knives, some going back to 1998, several with zillions of cycles - never a broken spring. Not sure how to explain some people's bad luck, but there's nothing wrong with the design.

 

[CelticCross74]

Im sold on the jDavis theory about the contact point of the spring and the inner raw unfinished G10 cut outs. Some models may have rougher unfinished inner G10 cut outs than others so YMMV. Ive had my 710 apart a couple of times and the inner cut outs were pretty smooth so thats good.

 

[MatthewSB]

I still like Benchmade, but I think I'm done with the axis lock.

My feelings exactly.

I love Benchmade's quality, steel, and designs but I don't trust the Axis lock. Neither do a lot of people with some serious experience whose opinions I trust. They seem to break for any reason, or no reason at all. I understand that a lot of people have good luck with them, but that matters little to the guy stuck in the woods with a flopping knife blade.

If Benchmade released liner lock versions of their classic knives, like the Stryker and AFCK, I'd buy several copies of each right now.

 

[Wolverine666]

After so many years of Benchmade producing and perfecting the Axis lock , I'm surprised to hear any stories of it failing or breaking prematurely. I , myself , have never had any issues with the Axis.