Just cut myself trying to open my umnumzaan one-handed, suggestions?

[SnowCrash]

I cannot for the life of me understand why the umnumzaan is so rough on the fingers to disengage the lock, and open the knife. There is almost no room between the thumbstud and the scale to put your finger in for opening, and disengaging only gives you a few cm of scale to grip on to as you're fighting the tension with your thumb.

I realize you're supposed to push the blade "up", not "out" but it's nearly impossible to open when your finger is the slightest bit wet. I actually ended up cutting myself trying to open it (thumb slipped)


My question is, should I just man the hell up and keep working on it till my thumb is that of chuck norris? I can't be the only one having these problems

 

[Noctis3880]

My coworker(knife nut as well) had the same problem as you when I showed him my Umnumzaan, though I'm still a bit perplexed as to what the problem is. I ran tap water over my thumb and could not replicate the problem. Are you using the bottom of your thumb to push the blade up? I've had some issues in the past trying to disengage the lock(lockbar was a bit stiff), but that little problem went away as my thumb toughened up.

I would suggest letting that cut heal up(if it's your thumb) and try again, but take your sweet time with it. Either you break it in, or it breaks you in.

 

[ssblood]

I cut myself using Miltec on the Umnumzaan. It would snap open half way then my thumb would hit the blade. I use the CRK grease exclusively on it now.

 

[SnowCrash]

I already have it up for trade already in hopes of something easy to open like a strider, but in the meantime I suppose I'll try it a couple of hundred more times in different ways (while trying to avoid the cut area).

How are you guys holding the umnum in your hand when opening? thumb at a right angle to the thumbstud? thumb parallel to the knife spine?

 

[OrdnanceBubbaUSMC]

Were you trying to open it with just a little pop from thumb pressure or were you opening it slow? When you opened it was the edge facing back towards you and the lower part of your thumb got cut?

 

[SnowCrash]

By the way I'm using Hoppes #9 gun oil on it

 

[SnowCrash]

Were you trying to open it with just a little pop from thumb pressure or were you opening it slow? When you opened it was the edge facing back towards you and the lower part of your thumb got cut?

It was odd, I think the slip of the thumb made me try to not drop the knife while pulling my thumb away from the blade. Those two actions worked like a spring and pretty much flung the blade at the top part of my thumb

 

[OrdnanceBubbaUSMC]

Does sound odd, most of the times I got cut or almost cut was when I was opening a folder that is too tight/gritty and not keeping a good grip on the pocket clip with my fingers to lock the handle into my palm.

 

[SnowCrash]

Seems I fixed the problem. I'm not used to such enormous pivots, so I thought the regular amount of oil was enough. I call it the "omnomnom" and I guess I was right, it just eats up oil and needs more than regular knives need.

I can easily flick it open now, even with a bandaid and a cut up thumb

 

[Noctis3880]

Still not sure what you're doing(maybe some pictures would help). I place my knife on my 4 fingers with the bottom of my thumb under the thumbstud and push it up and slightly outwards, then guide the thumbstud all the way to the indents where the studs rest against the frame of the knife.

 

[100eyes]

One thing to note is where you're putting your fingers, especially while closing it. Usually the ring and pinky fingers end up pressing up against the lock bar, so when you're trying to unlock it with your thumb you're just fighting yourself if not paying attention.

 

[Haze]

I find the number of people that seem to have trouble with the perfectly simple operation of a folding knife quite perplexing. This whole "you need to open it a special way" I keep reading is pure nonsense, just open the damn thing and close it any way you see fit. If one is so tender of hand and mind that they can't get them selves round that I am left only wonder.......

Is this really as hard as people seem to be making it ?

 

[ssblood]

Use the CRK lube. Seriously. It works and IMO is one of the things that makes this folder so great. Gun oil just makes it work like crap. Feels like opening a cheap dollar store knife.

You wouldn't run 15W-40 Rotella in a car that was designed for 5W-20 synthetic would you? Just like CRK knives they are are precision machinery and the CRK lube stays in the pivot. Gun oil will collect lint and dirt which causes the knife to malfunction due to the tight tolerances.

 

[SnowCrash]

anyone know what the factory angle is for sharpening? It seems strange, as if the belly is sharpened at a higher angle

 

[ssblood]

anyone know what the factory angle is for sharpening? It seems strange, as if the belly is sharpened at a higher angle

J think the belly is more sharpened at a higher angle. Mine was anyway. I reprofilded it and maintain on a sharpmaker or strop.

They are sharpened by hand at CRK and finished with a green felt wheel at the shop if i remember correctly.

 

[Reeek]

To open , push the thumb studs forward toward the front of the knife, not outward.

And use the meat of your thumb rather than the tip of the tumb to disengage the lock - push down and out on the lockbar.

The Zaan is an outstanding EDC (one of the best I have ever carried) and works very well when you get the hang of it . . .

 

[cutter17]

I find the number of people that seem to have trouble with the perfectly simple operation of a folding knife quite perplexing. This whole "you need to open it a special way" I keep reading is pure nonsense, just open the damn thing and close it any way you see fit. If one is so tender of hand and mind that they can't get them selves round that I am left only wonder.......

Is this really as hard as people seem to be making it ?

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+1. I was thinking the same thing as I read this. It is possible to overthink a situation. I got my first one hander in the mid 80's and went from there. I can't remember having any problems with the different opening methods from then to now. Sometimes you just got to pick it up and open it anyway you can, just as Haze said!

 

[statmonster]

I propose that the answer to this and about 90% of other problems in this forum can be answered in the following corollary.

(Chris Reeve Folders - mystique) = best production knives. (Best production knives + break-in) = Chris Reeve perfection.
Statmonster's Corollary

In simpler terms; you already have the best manufactured production folder, ignore all the mystique surrounding the brand, recognize it for what it is and break it in.

 

[maxbelg]

This is my first post here, but I've been reading a lot. Thanks for all the great info!:thumbup:

I own a number of CRKs including two Umnumzaans. The first was made in 2010 with an S30V blade and an indent and is easier and smoother to open than my Sebenzas, but the other one which was made in september 2011 with S35VN and a hole in the blade (instead of the indent) was literally a pain to open for the first few hundred openings.

It still is much more difficult to open than the other one and the Sebenzas. However it is only an initial bit of resistance then it opens up very smoothly. Upside is that it definitely won't open in my pocket by accident! So it is quite possible that some users here have problems opening their Umnumzaans and others not without it having to do with manliness.....................

 

[giant1]

i find the number of people that seem to have trouble with the perfectly simple operation of a folding knife quite perplexing. This whole "you need to open it a special way" i keep reading is pure nonsense, just open the damn thing and close it any way you see fit. If one is so tender of hand and mind that they can't get them selves round that i am left only wonder.......

Is this really as hard as people seem to be making it ?

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It had to be said...........