Inkosi Ceramic Interface

T

Teesac81

Joined
Jul 5, 2023
Messages
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I have a new Inkosi. I wanted to know exactly where the ceramic ball landed on the back of the blade at lockup, so I took a super zoomed in photo. There are TWO distinct landing spots of the ceramic ball. One is close to the edge and the other is almost in the center. Are the blade/ceramic ball wearing in and causing later lockup?
 
Can we see the photo? Sounds like you're talking about the detent hole.

I've carried and used my Inkosi since I got it four years ago, and apart from a hair of initial "bedding in" of the lockface (which is common for every liner/framelock) it hasn't moved at all. I have zero doubts this knife will survive decades of EDC.
 
Kryme said:
Can we see the photo? Sounds like you're talking about the detent hole.

I've carried and used my Inkosi since I got it four years ago, and apart from a hair of initial "bedding in" of the lockface (which is common for every liner/framelock) it hasn't moved at all. I have zero doubts this knife will survive decades of EDC.
Click to expand...
 
Kinda makes sense. The ball would rub across the edge/corner of the tang as it snaps into its normal place near the middle.

9b1ccdbd0a2e1781f6cdc5d79c9ebd40.jpg
 
jlauffer said:
Kinda makes sense. The ball would rub across the edge/corner of the tang as it snaps into its normal place near the middle.

View attachment 2414733
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This explanation makes sense. I think the ball must strike at the edge and leave more of a mark. Then as it slides it leaves a little less of a mark before locking where it leaves the second distinct mark. This photo you provided from Monkey Edge…does that groove get worn into the tang over time? Mine did not come like that.
 
Teesac81 said:
This explanation makes sense. I think the ball must strike at the edge and leave more of a mark. Then as it slides it leaves a little less of a mark before locking where it leaves the second distinct mark. This photo you provided from Monkey Edge…does that groove get worn into the tang over time? Mine did not come like that.
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The ball, being ceramic, is harder than the blade steel, so conceivably it would wear a groove over time, but seems like it would take a long time to look like that pic.
 
Teesac81 said:
…does that groove get worn into the tang over time? Mine did not come like that.
Click to expand...

CRK initially machined that groove for the ball to ride in, it was deleted from the knives after a run or two because it disappeared somewhat quick. A shallow groove will form, similar to how the detent ball wears in a small track on the side of the tang.
 
It is a very good system. I could see using a replaceable steel insert for the ball and an over travel stop design for the frame.
 
Without seeing the photos, my best guess is that one spot occurred during assembly at the factory. You don't have to worry about late vs early lock up with this system. The sombitch ain't moving.
 
jlauffer said:
Kinda makes sense. The ball would rub across the edge/corner of the tang as it snaps into its normal place near the middle.

View attachment 2414733
Click to expand...
That groove was milled on earlier models I believe, by the time I got mine (4 years ago) they stopped doing it. Rather letting the ball make its own way. As it wears in initially, the contact surface area between the blade increases and makes it exponentially more difficult to travel further.

As I said in my initial reply, it barely moved if at all after the initial "bed in" in four years of carry and use. Here's a comparison between a Sebenza 31 that's been carried less than a dozen times and the Inkosi in question. I know it's not apples to apples, since they have different internals stock and scale thicknesses, but CRK aim for a 50-ish % lock engagement on all their models. The lockface is towards my thumb. Sebenza is on the left.

AaWWbkM.jpg


And here is how the lock-up is on both. Inkosi with 4 years worth of use on the left, almost new Sebenza 31 on the right. Notice how percentage-wise the lock engagement is almost if not the same. Of course, this could vary a bit out the box, as they are hand tuned.

FIapOIE.jpg



PS: Yes, I'll clean and lubricate them, I didn't realize how crusty they've gotten until I took the pictures 🤣
 
Different grip strength when using can make that wear mark traverse across the tang..

I wouldn’t worry about it if the knife is solid on lock up.
 
It doesn't always happen, but I have noticed that this sometimes happens. If I wrist flick to complete opening instead of using my thumb, the lockbar will sometimes lock up just a bit further across the blade. It's not by much, but is occasionally noticeable. I don't worry about it, though, as it is still a very solid lockup in either case.
 
The ceramic ball won’t keep wearing in causing later lockup. It will smooth out some of the tang where it locks up and basically stay there forever. I’ve seen some with years and years of daily use that have never moved at all. It will outlive you, use and enjoy it.
 
The ceramic ball is a good interface. It is concentrated force into a small area on the tang though. I do have a dent on one knife tang where it got worked pretty hard. This knife still functions great and hasn’t made the lock unsafe. The dent was from some impact work that I shouldn’t have done.

On my Hinderer knives the lock bar will continue to move across the lock even with downward force placed on the blade. Perhaps it’s me squeezing the lock bar. At any rate sometimes I need a tool to unlock the knife. Hinderer has some serious issues with HRC across not just its blades but all the hardware as well IMO.
 
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