I think later lockup will do all that you have said, but I still prefer an early lockup. Right now my collection consists of 3 titanium frame locks, 1 Axis Lock, 1 liner lock, and 1 slipjoint.
The frame locks I have are; a Lionsteel SR-1D, a ZT0600, and a ZT0801. The Lionsteel has between 20%-25% lockup and that is how it came and it hasn't moved since I got it. The ZT0600 has ~30% lockup, and it has also stayed in the same spot that it came as. The ZT0801 is the one with the latest lockup at 40% to 50%. But all three have very still lockbars and on both ZT's I have actually increased the stiffness by adding a little bend to the lockbars, so even at the 20% to 30% coverage the lockbar has on the blade tang, the extra stiffness leaves me comfortable. Now I need to mention that it was only the ZT's I did this on, as I have no idea how to do this on the monoframe Lionsteel. I am amazed at how stiff these come out of the box! I've had a couple with the slepiner steel, a violet and a bronze, and both had very stiff lockbars that I am very, very happy with, plus a quarter turn of the lock stabilizer locks the blade open making it a virtual fixed blade.
The liner lock is a CS TiLite VI, and lockup on it is around 70%, but it hasn't moved from that spot, plus the lock face is actually an upside down L shape that locks from top to bottom and right to left! It is composed of hardened steel, and very stiff w/o me having to do anything.
The Axis Lock Adamas, and slipjoint SAK I have do not really count for this question.
With all that said, I fall within the "I favor early lockup" group. Since I rarely do anything but carry the above knives, with the exception of the SAK which does 99% of what I need a knife to do, I don't guess it really matters. But like many others I agree with the idea that the lock will eventually wear in and at some point will stop moving altogether, as long as it is a quality made knife which I believe the ones I have to be.
I don't believe you are missing anything, and that you understand the mechanics of the frame
lock lockup.:thumbup:
Btw, good thread you posted Stoney!:thumbup::thumbup: