Microtech's RAM lock discussion

Jdottinger said:
Really wish they would’ve left the choil off of the blade. I was strongly considering picking up one of the frn versions but this lock issue seems to be pretty prevalent. How do you like it so far?

This is giving me flashbacks to the thread about the Mini Adamas being crappy because a few YouTubers got the lock to disengage. Shoot, this even reminds of the ZT 0350 issues. I’m not discounting the problem, it needs to be addressed.
Click to expand...
yeah...wouldn't mind if the blade edge ran the whole way.

just got it today. haven't done anything with it yet. it's not bad in the hand. inside plastic scales are hard 90s though and kinda sharpish. doesn't bother me but I know some folks don't like that.

I've been lucky with locks. only 2 knives ive had with any lock fail on, out of a lot of folders I own. I don't worry much about locks. I do my own pressure on spine and few light whacks and if they hold I'm good. I get others want it to be zero fail under any test. I just don't worry that much for how I use most of these folders. if I want a folder with least chance of lock failure....id use one of my tri-ads.
 
greater said:
First off all let me reassure you that you are not wrong. This is a problem again this is a problem, it is a defect, it should not happen, I have seen the videos and both people cut their hands even with gloves. I love the concept of the RAM lock, this has kept me from buying one.

LISTEN UP MICROTECH !!!!!

I WILL NOT BUY THIS KNIFE IF IT CONTINUES TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS IT IS A BIG DEAL WITH PEOPLE LIKE ME. I WOULD HAVE BROUGHT THIS QUICKLY IF IT WERE NOT FOR THIS.

MICROTECH DON'T LISTEN TO PEOPLE WHO PROBABLY ARE NOT EVEN GOING TO BUY THIS WHEN THEY WHINE ABOUT NOT HAVING EARLY LOCKUP OR THE ABILITY OF A KNIFE TO BE UNLOCKED BY A BABY'S FINGERS SO THEY CAN PERFORM CHILDISH FLIP/DROP SHUT TRICKS.

STICK TO YOUR POLICY OF NO COMPROMISE IN QUALITY.

I AM SURE THE DESIGNER OF THIS LOCK DID NOT INTEND FOR THIS DANGEROUS ALTERATION TO HIS DESIGN.

AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED THE GUY IN THE YOUTUBE VIDEO FIXED THIS ISSUE AND PROVED IT ON VIDEO.

IT DID NOT LOOK LIKE A STOP GAP FIX TO ME. IT LOOKED LIKE A REPAIR WITH A DEMONSTRATION AS PROOF AND I WILL TAKE THAT ANY TIME OVER THE WORD OF SOME GUY WHO TRIES TO CONVINCE ME THAT THIS IS ALL NORMAL AND A KNIFE OF THAT KIND WITH THAT SORT OF A LOCK IS MEANT TO BE USED IN THE SAME WAY AS A CASE SLIP JOINT.

I really want to buy one of these and considered doing the repair myself but that is risky since I am not an experienced expert in this type of fix job and reading a lot the garbage people claim about this being normal makes me not want to buy one out of principle even if I could fix it.

I have also seen a Glycon OTF lock fail on youtube (same guy.) It makes a strong case for having double locking tabs like the Sand Shark despite what people think they know when they claim it's not needed, maybe it's not but let tell you something it surely is not a bad thing to have (double locking tabs.) This does not piss me off as much because unlike with a folder such as the RAM LOCK MSI you will not get hurt because an OTF can not fold closed on your fingers and correction is just a simple flick. It is disappointing though. If it becomes a notable constant headache (if it happens too easily and frequently) with a lot of users it can hurt sales.
Click to expand...
Maybe consider a Fixie as an EDC?

Microtech's Socom Alpha Mini T/E perhaps?

Benchmade's Hidden Canyon.
Bradford's Guardian 3.
MKT's Necromancer.

Folders may not be for you. We'll, if you insist, a slip joint might be at your pace. It doesn't lock up, so it has that 'don't try crazy $#!t with it' factor.

Just a suggestion.
 
Delgadonine said:
Maybe consider a Fixie as an EDC?

Microtech's Socom Alpha Mini T/E perhaps?

Benchmade's Hidden Canyon.
Bradford's Guardian 3.
MKT's Necromancer.

Folders may not be for you. We'll, if you insist, a slip joint might be at your pace. It doesn't lock up, so it has that 'don't try crazy $#!t with it' factor.

Just a suggestion.
Click to expand...
Why? The guy has very valid points, no need to be degrading.
 
Nobody is going to be enthusiastic about owning a large expensive folder with a lock that fails very easily causing the blade to fold and seriously injure their fingers. It looks like something that can be easily fixed with little expense so Microtech should and if they don't they have only themselves to blame if people complain and stop buying this model and/or others..
 
greater said:
Nobody is going to be enthusiastic about owning a large expensive folder with a lock that fails very easily causing the blade to fold and seriously injure their fingers. It looks like something that can be easily fixed with little expense so Microtech should and if they don't they have only themselves to blame if people complain and stop buying their products.
Click to expand...
Anyone who misuses a knife has a higher risk of injury. Collectors, in their excitement cut themselves too.

Hitting the back of a folding knife against a desk or any other hard object is misuse and not an issue of CQ.

Microtect isn't responsible for blatant misuse.

Gun Safety: 'You'll shoot your eye out!'
Knife Safety: 'Don't play with that, you'll cut yourself!'
 
romanjoe said:
Hi guys, I have recently acquired 2 of newer Microtechs - Amphibian and MSI, both features RAM lock. It works fine, locks good, fidget friendly, etc, but I have some doubts, which I want to discuss:

1. There are some videos posted already on Youtube, when lock fails if you hit a desk with blade's spine couple times - basically RAM lock disengages.

2. Thoughts on why RAM head does not go for the whole blade, when locked, only like a 5-6 mm, when it appeared to be able to move another 5-6 mm, so engagement would be like half an inch.

a0ktIhH.jpg


I see this on all videos, so it is not only on my knifes. I see one folk on Youtube even used to modify an engagement part of a blade to force RAM head lock further:


3. What is you experience with RAM lock comparing with others of same type. I still think, that Demko is king here with his Shark lock.

Cheers
Click to expand...
I also have 2 RAM-LOKs, the MSI and Borka. Both locks up tight with zero play for me. Also, I recommend not spine whacking your folders on a table, locks won't fail then.
 
Hit or tapped against a hard object.

For those that have good one I am glad I hope Microtech makes them all good and sells them for good profit. That is very unlikely to happen if these become known as a finger traps.
 
The gun safety is a great analogy and one I've used before.

Trying to put force on a folder lock in a direction and manner it isn't intended for is not the fault of the manufacturer.

It is akin to engaging the safety on a firearm and then trying to get the gun to go off by pulling the trigger.

This spinewhacking nonsense is exactly that. It's unpredictable and not a controlled, repeatable "experiment/test".

Clearly in this thread alone some "pass" and some "fail".
 
If and when I get one guess what the first thing I am going to do is, yep a lock test. I will publish the results and let everyone else decide if it's their cup of tea.
 
Ray Helms of Microtech Research and Development has posted several "torture test" videos of select Microtech models on Youtube, one on his own gun channel, the others on Microtech's channel. In his lock strength tests, among the various things he does is spine whack the blade. He is also shown batoning the knives through a 2x4 with a hammer to demonstrate the toughness of the model in question. I don't typically spine whack my knives or baton them with a hammer, but if Ray Helms of Microtech Research and Development is going to use the spine whack and baton tests to publicly demonstrate/declare the toughness of Microtech locks, then I believe one may reasonably assume that the spine whack and baton test is a legitimate test endorsed by Microtech...at least that's my take. I have not seen Ray Helms post a YouTube video performing a torture test with their Ram-Loks yet. That would be interesting to watch.
 
Last edited:
I just got a brand new fully-serrated MSI for $207. It looks exactly like the one in the video by CuttingBoardReviews CBR, aside from the serrations. I gave it half a dozen spine whacks on a 2x4, hard enough to dent the 2x4. The lock stayed locked. So I'm guessing there is a manufacturing defect in some other knives.

BTW, it cuts baling twine pretty well, almost as well as my Bugout, although not nearly as well as a Victorinox serrated paring knife.

Update: The dealer where I bought my knife just got a new shipment in. There has been a huge increase in the MSRP. It is not "price gouging" on the part of the dealer, as another thread insinuated.
 
Last edited:
Something I haven’t seen anyone mention is how weak the detent is on the open, a very slight shake and blade breaks the detent, for me personally this is a much bigger problem than the spine whack failures I’m wondering if a stronger spring would fix this issue
 
J. Doyle said:
The gun safety is a great analogy and one I've used before.

Trying to put force on a folder lock in a direction and manner it isn't intended for is not the fault of the manufacturer.

It is akin to engaging the safety on a firearm and then trying to get the gun to go off by pulling the trigger.

This spinewhacking nonsense is exactly that. It's unpredictable and not a controlled, repeatable "experiment/test".

Clearly in this thread alone some "pass" and some "fail".
Click to expand...
Uh, what? Are you saying a gun’s safety shouldn’t be subjected to testing? I fully expect my safeties to work, and testing them in a safe manner isn’t a silly idea. Do you think locks and safeties aren’t worth testing? Really?
 
Guncleana said:
Something I haven’t seen anyone mention is how weak the detent is on the open, a very slight shake and blade breaks the detent, for me personally this is a much bigger problem than the spine whack failures I’m wondering if a stronger spring would fix this issue
Click to expand...
just tested mine. mine doesn't open from a hard shake....i can get it to wiggle a bit, but it doesn't open. I'm not so sure all these are the same exact tolerances....between that and the banging spine on table unlocking deal. mine does neither of these things.....
 
jbmonkey said:
just tested mine. mine doesn't open from a hard shake....i can get it to wiggle a bit, but it doesn't open. I'm not so sure all these are the same exact tolerances....between that and the banging spine on table unlocking deal. mine does neither of these things.....
Click to expand...
Likewise, I've had a stitch and an amphibian now and neither were easy to open by shaking or had locks that failed. Like with most production knives, it's going to vary from knife to knife.
 
jbmonkey said:
just tested mine. mine doesn't open from a hard shake....i can get it to wiggle a bit, but it doesn't open. I'm not so sure all these are the same exact tolerances....between that and the banging spine on table unlocking deal. mine does neither of these things.....
Click to expand...
My fully serrated MSI, when fully closed, will open with nothing but a wrist flick done properly, but when open, the lock does not release from from spine whacking.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top