Kizer sheepdog framelock disappointing

[Freedom556]

I'm still new to nice knives. I've been in and out of buying/selling/trading knives for the last few years and recently got back into it. I just purchased a kizer sheepdog frame lock because I read great reviews and I love the look of it. I have purchased a few reates and a few michrotechs recently. Also a Medford Praetorian T. I wanted something I wouldn't feel guilty about carrying.

It has pretty bad lock stick and it feels horrible when closing it. It literally makes a metal to metal grinding sound when closing. Is this normal for this knife? I cant figure out how or if I can post a video of the sound. Its very audible when its quiet.

 

[Dadpool]

It literally makes a metal to metal grinding sound when closing.

Sometimes that can be the detent ball wearing its little path in the tang. I've just finished breaking in a brand new Emerson that made an unpleasant grind-y noise at first because the ball needed to wear that track in a bit. I'd just clean the detent ball and track whenever it happened, and as expected it's broken in smooth and lovely.

For that type of cleaning, I slip a small piece of index card in between the ball and blade just before closing the knife. Then I let the ball ride on the bit of card, wiping itself and the track clean, for one cycle. I've done this on lots of folders, not just Emersons or liner locks; it doesn't require disassembly, and unlike lubing the detent ball/track it can't accidentally get on the lock interface and cause other problems.

You might also try blowing the pivot out with compressed air, if you haven't already. Sometimes straight from the factory there's a bit of schmutz in the pivot, or too much oil in there (etc.), and that can make the action feel off for a bit.

I haven't owned the frame lock Sheepdog, though, just a couple sizes of the Vanguard series liner lock version.

 

[midnight flyer]

Check out Dadpool's instructions. Good stuff and it might do the trick.

Who knows what happened here. There is a reason the knife gets such high accolades, so your particular unsatisfactory knife probably isn't the norm. Remember these knives are mass produced by the thousands a day, do it only stands to reason that a few sub par specimens get through to th he dealers.

If you like the knife but cannot get it squared away yourself, return it to the vendor for exchange. As I noted, Kizer is a well respected brand so doubtful you will have the QC problem two times in a row.

Robert