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Mercator lock
- Thread starter fudo
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2005
- Messages
- 5,171
I thought the Mercator used the standard lockback.
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2007
- Messages
- 6,518
I have a K55 here, and the lock appears to work somewhat like a Buck 110's lock.
A comparison, as I understand it:
On a Buck 110 or most 110 clones, there is a "spring" rod (I'd say 1.25-1.5" long) in the rear of the handle, that pushes upward on the lock lever (you see this between the liners on the back of the knife.) There is usually a center pin through the knife handle, that the lock lever pivots on. The "spring" rod is inside the handle, and you can see it move a little as you push the lock lever down to unlock the blade; this "spring" rod provides the tension to hold the lock lever down on the open blade.
With a little engineering, the same principal works on knives where the lock lever is in the center of the handle, like the Spyderco Delica & Cold Steel Voyager.
On a K55 - or at least on mine - the lock release is a 3/4" long, raised portion (button?) of the blade-locking bar; positioned forward of the center of the handle; this lock lever's pivot is only about 1" from the front of the knife. The handle (liner?) on my K55 is sheet steel, folded into a "U" shape. The "spring" rod is actually nestled into the rear top of the handle, with a pin installed through the rear of the handle, to hold it in place. This "spring" rod is about 2.5" long on mine, and the tension is pretty high. Push that button a few times and your thumb starts to hurt.
So to unlock a blade on: a 110, you're pushing down at the rear; on a Delica & Voyager, you're pushing down at the middle; on a K55 you're pushing down on the forward half of the handle. Of all the lockbacks I have, the K55 has the stiffest lock. I stopped using my K55 years ago because if I gripped it tightly enough, I could almost unlock it.
I hope that helps; as far as lockback operation, I'm probably "preaching to the choir", so to speak, but I typed that out to kind of keep it straight in my head. I think it's correct; corrections welcome if needed. :thumbup:
thx - cpr
A comparison, as I understand it:
On a Buck 110 or most 110 clones, there is a "spring" rod (I'd say 1.25-1.5" long) in the rear of the handle, that pushes upward on the lock lever (you see this between the liners on the back of the knife.) There is usually a center pin through the knife handle, that the lock lever pivots on. The "spring" rod is inside the handle, and you can see it move a little as you push the lock lever down to unlock the blade; this "spring" rod provides the tension to hold the lock lever down on the open blade.
With a little engineering, the same principal works on knives where the lock lever is in the center of the handle, like the Spyderco Delica & Cold Steel Voyager.
On a K55 - or at least on mine - the lock release is a 3/4" long, raised portion (button?) of the blade-locking bar; positioned forward of the center of the handle; this lock lever's pivot is only about 1" from the front of the knife. The handle (liner?) on my K55 is sheet steel, folded into a "U" shape. The "spring" rod is actually nestled into the rear top of the handle, with a pin installed through the rear of the handle, to hold it in place. This "spring" rod is about 2.5" long on mine, and the tension is pretty high. Push that button a few times and your thumb starts to hurt.
So to unlock a blade on: a 110, you're pushing down at the rear; on a Delica & Voyager, you're pushing down at the middle; on a K55 you're pushing down on the forward half of the handle. Of all the lockbacks I have, the K55 has the stiffest lock. I stopped using my K55 years ago because if I gripped it tightly enough, I could almost unlock it.
I hope that helps; as far as lockback operation, I'm probably "preaching to the choir", so to speak, but I typed that out to kind of keep it straight in my head. I think it's correct; corrections welcome if needed. :thumbup:
thx - cpr
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