Liner Lock Hard To Release

A

a66

Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
11
Gents,

Bought a new Super CQC-8 and am loving it. However, because I'm having a bit of issue where the liner lock sometimes requires ridiculous amounts of force to release in order to fold the knife back in. This has been especially a pain because I'm left handed and have to use my index finger instead of thumb.

Has anyone here found a way to make the liner lock release more smooth (i.e., coating, shaving, etc.)?
 
Make sure there is no oil on the lock or lock face, that can actually worsen any galling.
Make sure the pivot is not too loose or too tight, that can adversely affect where the liner contacts the tang.
Waving the knife open with extreme power may also cause sticking. Opening the knife slowly with a controlled and deliberate arc is a way to see where the liner should be contacting.
If you try and "shave" anything you can easily ruin the knife if you have no idea what you are doing. You can remove material, adding it once is gone isn't possible. Your warranty will also be void. Leaving you with a a very expensive letter opener.
If the knife is new, exchange it wherever you bought it from for another. Your other alternative is to email Emerson Knives and arrange to send it in. It could also be that the knife needs some time to break in, hard to say based on your post.
 
You can try some over-the-counter methods that some of us emply, like using a bit of graphite like out of a pencil or applying some sharpie ink to both the blade and liner contact tangs.
 
Your knife is probably breaking in and it's more frustrating because you're using it lefty. Best thing you can do to lessen the stick is use it, or at least cycle it. Don't consider it a "problem" unless it's still sticking badly after 700-1000 openings. It's fairly common for there to be some stick when new.

You can try some pencil lead on the blade kick where the lockface rests for some temporary relief but don't use any kind of liquid lube to try to solve the problem, it'll make things worse.

Your situation is not atypical.
 
It can sometimes take a ridiculous amount of pressure to release the lock on some Emerson units. However, it will go away over time and it will be perfect.

As mentioned, no lube and absolutely no material removal! It will work itself out. I've sat on the couch with new Emersons watching tv and gently opened and closed them over a week or two without looking at them, just cycling the lock interface.

700 times? Sounds about right. But I like to get it over with. Many do not need that treatment, but some do. Before the time it takes to send it somewhere and get another one back, you can have that one good to go.
 
Congrats on the Super 8! That's a nasty blade, I recently got one too and I also love it. What everyone said above is solid advice, a pencil is the easiest way for me, then it goes away eventually.
 
All the parts of the knife just need time to smooth out and break in. I would makes sure the contact areas are clean from oil and debris, watch a tv show and open and close it for a little while. After a while if it doesn't smooth out then maybe return it or contact emereson
 
Its breaking in and normal. Don't wave it right now or open any harder than you haft to slow and easy will make it not stick as bad.

Dip a qtip in some alcohol and rub the blade tang to wipe off any oil if it may have some.

You could also add some pencil or sharpie to your blade tang ,or disassemble your knife and put sharpie or pencil on your lock face and your blade tang.

Like others said don't take it to a grinder or a sander ,let it be. That lockup is early when new and the TI needs to wear in a little . The stick is actually a good thing since the lockup is so early the friction helps it from slipping off.

Waving them when they are new or wrist flicking or even hard use per say where force is applied to the lock face is going to make it stick even more right now.

I've had a couple emersons that I got the lockbar wedged into the tang because it wasn't broke in and waving it too hard,and I had to take a screwdriver to pry the lockbar over to get the knife closed (don't do that).

In my expierence it takes about 200 cycles to break in an emerson.
 
Also when or if it gets hard to open here's a little trick. If the knife is locked open and doesn't want to disengage to close grab the blade as in thumb on one side index on the other ,away from the edge ,maybe midway up the blade ,just away from the edge.

Knife in your left hand edge facing away from you pull back on the blade while it's opened and locked . While pulling back on the blade disengage the lock. You use your fingers and pull the blade back to get pressure off the lockbar . Much better than the screwdriver method in my other post.
 
My Emerson Sheepdog gave me blisters to start until I took a #2 Pencil and "wrote" on the part of the blade that contacts the liner lock. It went from finger-hurting pressure to nothing. After doing the "Pencil Trick" enough, my knife has now broken in. Emerson ought to write this trick in the FAQ section of their website.
 
My Emerson Combat Karambit had the same issue when I bought it. For me it was just part of the breaking in process- I used a Leatherman Brewzer to move the liner and within 50 ish repetitions the liner was smooth as butter.
 
As was mentioned before Qtip and a solvant of some sort. Wipe down the lock face. I use acetone from the wife's makeup drawer.
 
Spartan00 said:
Also when or if it gets hard to open here's a little trick. If the knife is locked open and doesn't want to disengage to close grab the blade as in thumb on one side index on the other ,away from the edge ,maybe midway up the blade ,just away from the edge.

Knife in your left hand edge facing away from you pull back on the blade while it's opened and locked . While pulling back on the blade disengage the lock. You use your fingers and pull the blade back to get pressure off the lockbar . Much better than the screwdriver method in my other post.
Click to expand...

After about 100 "wave" openings, I was still having issues with my Tiger (last year) as well as my Super Commander (that was years ago) -- I was still using the screwdriver method! I called EKI and they had me send each knife back to them (they paid for shipping). When I got each folder back, they were juuuust right.

My point is that if you don't start seeing results during the break-in period, you may want to have EKI take care of you. Their customer service is outstanding.
 
Sticky locks in Emerson knives may be part of the relationship growing pains.

That said, once they're right - they seem to stay right.
 
Never really understood the gripe with a sticky lock . It tells me I have a good solid lockup that's not going to slip. In use IMHO it's a good thing if your lock sticks . Only negative is when your playing with it .
 
If you have a container of "Lock Ease" that has been used for household locks, take the tip of the applicator and rub it on the part of the blade that contacts the liner lock. There is no need to apply any of the product itself because the tip will have some graphite on it from previous uses. You may not see anything on the tip but it is there. "Lock Ease" has a graphite suspension where the liquid evaporates leaving the graphite. It works like a charm and isn't messy at all.
 
Spartan00 said:
Never really understood the gripe with a sticky lock . It tells me I have a good solid lockup that's not going to slip. In use IMHO it's a good thing if your lock sticks . Only negative is when your playing with it .
Click to expand...
This. I wish my knives had this "problem."

Sent from my SM-S920L using Tapatalk
 
Spartan00 said:
Never really understood the gripe with a sticky lock . It tells me I have a good solid lockup that's not going to slip. In use IMHO it's a good thing if your lock sticks . Only negative is when your playing with it .
Click to expand...

I agree with this. Learned the hard way a few years back when the liner slipped on a Horseman testing the lock after reassembly...6 stitches later.
 
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