Microtech's RAM lock discussion

I have a G10 Stitch, a Polymer MSI, and an Aluminum Amphibian - all have passed my spine whack test. However, I will continue to check them as the RAM-lock breaks in, just in case they loosen up later. I usually don't test my knife's lock after the first time when I receive it, but all the talk about possibly failing makes me wary. Last year I had a Giantmouse liner lock fail with very mild spine whacks when I received it, and they replaced the knife; but so far that's the only knife in years that has had the lock fail on me (that I can remember right now).
 
DocJD said:
If to be used for SD , knife spine could be hit hard .

Some other types of hard use can also put stresses opposite the normal .

Why take any risk ? Lock should function as close as possible to a fixed blade , IMO .
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Why in the world would you consider a knife an sd tool? Are you not in the usa (honest question)
 
Mako109 said:
I received a Ram-Lok Stitch with aluminum handles last week Friday. Manufacture date August 2023. Gave the spine three light taps on my wood work bench and the lock failed. Did it again and it failed again. There’s definitely an issue with my copy of the Stitch. Immediately packed the knife and sent back to Microtech for warranty work. Fingers crossed they fix it. I guess I’ll know in a couple of weeks or so. Otherwise it’s a fabulous design.
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Mako109 said:
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.
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Today, after seven weeks and three days, I received my Ram-Lok Stitch back from warranty service. They fixed the lock! When opened and locked, I can see the slider of the Ram-lock seated approximately 2mm further up the channel. When disengaging the lock I can feel more friction/grip of the surfaces between the lock and blade tang. That 2mm makes all the difference.

To recap, I sent my Stitch back to Microtech because the lock failed when I struck the spine on my workbench. I didn't strike it as hard as one would when "spine whacking" a fixed blade to split a 4" diameter log for example. Rather, I struck the tip end with steady but firm taps when the blade collapsed.

The YouTube videos by CuttingBoardReviews say it all.
Specifically starting at 8:24 for the first vid.

 
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Hello guys , first time posting on here. Just bought a stick and have had it for a couple of days . And my question to you is the lock stick in experiencing normal ? Will it break in ? It’s not sticking to the point where I have to use a tool but it’s damn close to it. Thanks for your time
 
Louieb33 said:
Hello guys , first time posting on here. Just bought a stick and have had it for a couple of days . And my question to you is the lock stick in experiencing normal ? Will it break in ? It’s not sticking to the point where I have to use a tool but it’s damn close to it. Thanks for your time
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I've used a pencil as in graphite on the locking areas to get rid of lock stick in liner and frame locks in the past with good success. haven't tried a ram lock.
 
DocJekl said:

Should I be hitting it harder?
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Difficult to tell from your video,,,perhaps. Definitely no less. Also watch the first video in my post at 8:25 and the second video at 11:00 to get a sense of the force used.
 
Mako109 said:
Difficult to tell from your video,,,perhaps. Definitely no less. Also watch the first video in my post at 8:25 and the second video at 11:00 to get a sense of the force used.
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I didn't want it to slip and cut me - I held it with my hand out of the way, but as you see I already had to adjust it once during my strikes because it was slipping out halfway through the video.
 
I know benchmade let their patent go, opening the floodgates for everyone to copy what I think is one of the best lock mechanisms on the market. But I'm suprised to hear of quality control issues from such an expensive brand copying such a simple lock. I would accept nothing less than perfect mechanical operation at that price point. I would be trying to send it back for warranty repair or replacement.

This is what you'd expect from a 20 dollar knockoff knife
 
dericdesmond said:
^Likely because he carries an actual weapon?
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Mako109 said:
Difficult to tell from your video,,,perhaps. Definitely no less. Also watch the first video in my post at 8:25 and the second video at 11:00 to get a sense of the force used.
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Interesting. I had missed that video before.

I had tried spine whacking my MSI against the corner of a stationary 2x4 hard enough to make a 2mm deep dent in the 2x4. I don't want to hit harder than that because I have tennis elbow (despite not playing tennis for 30 years). I was holding the knife with the back of the handle across my palm, 4 fingers clamped onto the pocket clip, and my thumb along the other side, so there was no flesh in the blade path. The lock held fine.

Now I've tried holding the knife more or less stationary in my hand and whacking 1x2 against the blade, like in the video. If I do this pretty hard (like hammering a nail) very near the tip, the blade closes. If I hit the middle of the blade, the lock holds.
 
Another Shepherd said:
Interesting. I had missed that video before.

I had tried spine whacking my MSI against the corner of a stationary 2x4 hard enough to make a 2mm deep dent in the 2x4. I don't want to hit harder than that because I have tennis elbow (despite not playing tennis for 30 years). I was holding the knife with the back of the handle across my palm, 4 fingers clamped onto the pocket clip, and my thumb along the other side, so there was no flesh in the blade path. The lock held fine.

Now I've tried holding the knife more or less stationary in my hand and whacking 1x2 against the blade, like in the video. If I do this pretty hard (like hammering a nail) very near the tip, the blade closes. If I hit the middle of the blade, the lock holds.
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Good point about hitting very near the tip to induce lock failure. Before sending my knife in for warranty service, I also hit on the spine and nearer the tip when the lock on my Stitch failed.
 
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