Lockup on the Sebenza

C

cutter17

Joined
May 16, 2006
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I guess when you get a Sebenza you just naturally post more topics, as this is my fourth thread in the last 24 hours. As the title says, where does your sebbie lockup at as far as the framelock on the blade. When I first checked the lockup on the snakewood sebbie the framelock was about as far right as it could go, as it covered the entire blade tang. Now, I like for the framelock to lockup with some room left for any wear that might occur. I've come across a method that puts the lock up back to the left. I take the sebbie apart to cleam up everything, polish the washers, and relube with miltec. When I put it back together I just start the screws for a few threads, close the blade, and tighten up the pivot screw first. after all screws are tight and I open the blade I now have the first 1/3rd of the bladetang covered, and that is about where I like it to be. Anyone want to share where yours lockups at, and if that is where you like it to be?
 
Most every one I've seen locks up like mine. Can you get a picture of yours when it's all the way over?

seb1ri8.jpg
 
One thing that I've done in the past with my Sebenza's is to loosen up ALL the screws
a little, not a lot, and then grip the scales in opposite directions so you are pushing
the lockbar side forward and the flat side the other direction, there is just a smidgen
of room there that makes the lockbar now rest a little more to the left side of the
blade tang, on a right handed knife of course ;)
G2
 
Hey Capt., That is close to where mine is as that looks like maybe 50% lockup? Hard to tell at the angle, at least for me it is. That is where my other Sebenza locked up at, about 40%-50%, and I have seen others that had the lockup of my Snakewood, nearly 100%. I know some folks would rather have that full lockup coverage, but I tend to like about 30% coverage.

Thanks for the tip Gary, I'll file that one back for later!

MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL!!!
 
I prefer to have a 25% to 30% lockup myself. I f I remember correctly, I had one that had 75% lockup and CRK said it was normal. Is this right? Thanks.
 
On something as thick as the Sebenzas 35% or more is fine. I've seen some with nearly 90% that stayed that way a very very very long time with no worries. You have to realize that many things can be behind how far the lock comes in to engage the blade. If you put the knife back together incorrectly and don't straddle the washer over the bushing correctly and squeeze it together with the washer on top of it instead of around it and seated down like its supposed to be it can change the lock up on your Sebbie. If the lock tension was changed by hyper extending the lock and you were not aware that you have changed it since buying it new it can affect how far out it may travel also.

The Sebenzas have the most uniform surface area lock contacts or footprint of how much of that lock is actually in contact with the blade to secure it of any frame locks I have ever examined. Consistantly each one I have ever seen is just flat out going to wear better than anything else I have compared them to. I attribute this to why you rarely hear of a problem with a lock on one of Reeve's knives. Obviously it can happen; as after all he is only human but truthfully I'd doubt you have any worries based on what I have seen. See here for a bit more on what I mean..

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5171804&postcount=11

STR
 
IMGP0466.jpg


Left side a new large Regular, lockbar engagement 25%.
Right side, a large Classic, lockbar engagement 75%, this one is my user, I use it since 18 months, 3 times a day mini and I assume that the engagement was the same at its first day.
Hope this helps and a merry Christmas all.
 
Thanks for the info and the link STR! You're right on the money about seating the washers correctly. Another thing that probably helps with the lockup is that the end of the lock is heat treated to make the titanium harder. My lockup is now like the picture on the left, at 30%, and thanks for the pictures Garonne. Still not sure why the lockup changed when I reassembled it, but so far has not moved from that spot, and this after about 100 openings.
 
Yes Chris heats his up. Many do that. I do also by doingit as Chuck Bybee described to me once but just as many never do that at all also. Some anodize it and feel that is the same affect since anodizing puts that same oxide layer out there at the contact. There is a bit of a dispute there for some. I don't think it works the same due to how easily the color can be scratched off personally even though that layer making the color is technically near ceramic in hardness.

Others peen the end before the final contact to compress the molecules of the contact more to make them denser first and then heat treat it. I've heard of this with stainless also. I've heard all manner of theories. What Chris does seems to work so I'd call it more than a theory at this point.

STR
 
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