Is early lock up a bad thing?

[minimize]

I tried searching, maybe I am not doing it correctly, but came up with nothing concrete. Is early lock up on a framelock bad? It feels solid, and has no play.. but then again I don't abuse my knife, or go overboard with the testing. I just simply pushing the spine a bit while holding with two fingers.

 

[Kreyzhorse]

So long as the blade is locked solidly into position in my opinion you are okay.

I think early vs late lock up is bit of an over hyped issue.

 

[Hairlesstwinkie]

I honestly feel more comfortable with a 50% or more lock up. Early lock up just goes against what I would consider safe. More surface area in contact would mean a more secure lock.

 

[MOhunter92]

You definitely want early lock up when a knife is new. It will travel over with use. Open and close it a lot

 

[Poez]

I like it early. I am not a stabbing type.

 

[BBW]

I honestly feel more comfortable with a 50% or more lock up. Early lock up just goes against what I would consider safe. More surface area in contact would mean a more secure lock.

contact surface doesn't change much as the lock moves further over the tang; its just wearing surface. You don't need "a lot" of contact so you know.
Usually as you use it more or harder it travels inward. You grip harder or it wears.
So to the OP. nope, is not a bad thing as long as the lock is solid and it is not sliding. Enjoy. It will wear with use:thumbup:

 

[minimize]

So long as the blade is locked solidly into position in my opinion you are okay.

I think early vs late lock up is bit of an over hyped issue.

I was surprised that it is so solid. It looks like such early lock up. I've never seen anything like it before. Normally I don't care about how far over it engages, but the face of the lock doesn't engage fully. Its just a corner!

 

[minimize]

You definitely want early lock up when a knife is new. It will travel over with use. Open and close it a lot

I've been doing just that. No change so far.

I like it early. I am not a stabbing type.

lol. Neither am I. Just don't want it to close up on me.

contact surface doesn't change much as the lock moves further over the tang; its just wearing surface. You don't need "a lot" of contact so you know.
Usually as you use it more or harder it travels inward. You grip harder or it wears.
So to the OP. nope, is not a bad thing as long as the lock is solid and it is not sliding. Enjoy. It will wear with use:thumbup:

Thanks. I am going to ride with your advice and hope it stays where it is.

 

[toker]

I've never worried about the lockup on my liner locks or frame locks. As long as there is no blade play or lock slip, then there should be no issues.

 

[dkb45]

It depends on how early and how much actual contact there is. If the lock is at 5-10%, it is most likely less than ideal, and if the lock is later (40%) but there is next to no actual contact (something like the tip of a pen contact area) is less than ideal. I have had locks with very early (~10%) lockup and they were solid as a rock, and ones with almost no contact area that weren't going anywhere. Also had the exact opposite.

I recently got a knife (Brous Bionic) with terribly early lockup (5% or less) and initially the lock failed under any pressure. I worked it and worked it until it hit 5% and was solid, but didn't instill confidence, so I sanded the lock bar down an EXTREMELY small amount and now the lock is dead solid at 10%. Damn lock came with the engagement surface painted over... No inspection of it at all. If I didn't love the knife, no way would I allow that kind of piss poor QC in my house.