Mini Mojito

J

JNieporte

Joined
Nov 1, 2004
Messages
3,352
I really like the looks of the Mini Mojito, but the Stud Lock really turns me off. It's one of those things that's such a big turn-off for me that it's keeping me from buying the knife. I think "if that Mojito had a linerlock instead of a stud lock, it would be great". But lots of people have the Stud Lock knives and almost all seem very happy with them. My two issues with the Stud Lock are possible lock failure and one-handed closing.

Am I worrying over nothing? Has anybody had their Stud Lock fail to engage or to keep the blade open? Has the blade ever collapsed unexpectedly? Can you close the blade one-handed?

Any stories or experiences that might alleviate my worries? It's a great knife in every other department and I really want to want to buy it.
 
JNieporte said:
I really like the looks of the Mini Mojito, but the Stud Lock really turns me off. It's one of those things that's such a big turn-off for me that it's keeping me from buying the knife. I think "if that Mojito had a linerlock instead of a stud lock, it would be great". But lots of people have the Stud Lock knives and almost all seem very happy with them. My two issues with the Stud Lock are possible lock failure and one-handed closing.

Am I worrying over nothing? Has anybody had their Stud Lock fail to engage or to keep the blade open? Has the blade ever collapsed unexpectedly? Can you close the blade one-handed?

Any stories or experiences that might alleviate my worries? It's a great knife in every other department and I really want to want to buy it.
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Buy a studlock knife if you are curious, you won't be disappointed. The studlock is actually very simple and stable. Once you see it in person you will realize that it is one of the least likely to fail locks out there. Also, a studlock knife is easier to close one handed than a liner, frame, axis or arc lock IMO....I guess the only things that close easier are slipjoints, and some button locks.

Try a studlock for a week and you will be looking for it for a month if you switch back to another lock. It's that natural and solid :thumbup:
 
Spiral is dead on. It is scary solid, and it is actually easier to close one handed once you get used to it. Give a mini-mojito a try, you'll love it :)
 
Also agree. Haven't had mine long but feels super solid. Don't ever see it
failing. Great little knife.
 
JN, here's a little something about the stud lock that should ease your mind. From the Master himself!

Now, a little about the Mojo/Mojito...if you really want the 13C26 steel, make sure the seller identifies the blade as August 07 or later. July 07 and prior was the 440A steel (Mojo). There are some dealers out there advertising the Mojito because that's what Kershaw has on their website, yet selling new old stock with the 440A blade.

It's the best little big knife I've ever had. The safety built into the flipper is very nice, and even the 440A will get razor sharp! It's the only Kershaw I've cut myself with! Deceiving little thing...

Go ahead...you won't be disappointed!
 
JNieporte said:
but the Stud Lock really turns me off. It's one of those things that's such a big turn-off for me that it's keeping me from buying the knife.
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I WUV my stud-lock Speed Bump. Very stout lock. Easier to close one-handed than say, a Shallot. Very good lock-up.

You NEED a stud-lock. :thumbup::thumbup:
 
I see some Speed Bumps on sale for $51, and the mini Mojito on sale for $50.

Looks like I'm getting one of these.
 
I fixed that for you.

JNieporte said:
I see some Speed Bumps on sale for $51, and the mini Mojito on sale for $50.

Looks like I'm getting both of these.
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The Min Mojito is an amazing little knife with some really innovative features.
The flipper safety is pretty unique. The stud lock is fast and easy to use one handed (either one!). The lock is solid, I've never had a problem with it.
The entire mechanism is exposed so there are no surprises (easy to clean). If, in the unlikely event the spring pushing the stud to the back end of its keyway were to fail or somehow come out, you could easily wedge the stud in the locked position with a small piece of twig, cardboard etc. The pressure from the spring doesn't keep the stud from sliding as much as the pressure on the faces of the stud against the bearing surface.

The same applies to the Spec and Speed Bumps (except for the flipper safety part).
 
The stud lock is great - I almost like it better than a liner lock for one handed closing. Unfortunately, I don't use my Mini Mojito because I just can't get the hang of the flipper safety. I always end up bruising my fingertip on it.
 
shadowsong42 said:
The stud lock is great - I almost like it better than a liner lock for one handed closing. Unfortunately, I don't use my Mini Mojito because I just can't get the hang of the flipper safety. I always end up bruising my fingertip on it.
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i actually think the flipper safety is one of the best kershaw/ken onion inventions to date. its not really something to get the hang of, its designed to disengage with a normal flipping motion rather than a deliberate motion directed at the safety itself. just try pulling back on the flipper with light enough pressure that you feel the safety move before the flipper and it will become part of your muscle memory very quickly and you can resume normal flipping soon therefafter.
 
I have to say that the flipper safety bugs me. It may just be that I'm left handed, but I have a hard time getting my finger on it right. I'm sure I'd get used to it, however, if I owned one.

I will argue that a safety is unnecessary on a speedsafe knife. I never use the safety on my other knives and have yet to experience an accidental opening. The edge of my pocket prevents the blade from being deployed (left pocket).
 
firebert, the left-handed tip down will keep the blade spine against your pocket, so that's one safety. SpeedSafe itself acts as a safety. When you close the blade, the torsion bar is pre-loaded for the next release. This pre-loading holds the blade in the handle, until you start the blade motion open. I've never had a SpeedSafe open accidentally.

As for the Mini Mojo/Mojito, it requires just a little movement of the safety before the flipper can be activated. Sandy carries one, and even with long fingernails, she can snap hers open in a second.

Shadowsong, some Kershaws require a little flipper training: The Lee William's designed ENER-Gs come to mind. It takes a little time to get it just right, but when you get it down, they'll fire as fast as an AO model.
 
The Mini Mojo is my favorite Kershaw knife. For my Stonework's it is the one I recommend for people wanting one for a EDC as the stone insert is protected from drops on all but the one side..... I have two of them (both in dinosaur bone) in my own personal collection.... I highly recommend the Mini Mojo for a EDC.
 
firebert said:
I have to say that the flipper safety bugs me. It may just be that I'm left handed, but I have a hard time getting my finger on it right. I'm sure I'd get used to it, however, if I owned one.

I will argue that a safety is unnecessary on a speedsafe knife. I never use the safety on my other knives and have yet to experience an accidental opening. The edge of my pocket prevents the blade from being deployed (left pocket).
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Try sliding your index finger down the spine of the knife to open . This will release the safety. If you just try to push the flipper you won't be able to release the safety and will just wear yourself out trying. If you look at the flipper you will see that one side is black(safety side ) and one side is plain(flipper) You will notice that upon close examination that the black side extends past the flipper and hooks into the stop pin . You must disengage this safery befor the blade will open. It's amazing how many people think there knife is broken or defective due to this safety however once you figure it out ,it makes all the sense in the world and is super easy to use.
 
KenOnion said:
Try sliding your index finger down the spine of the knife to open . This will release the safety. If you just try to push the flipper you won't be able to release the safety and will just wear yourself out trying. If you look at the flipper you will see that one side is black(safety side ) and one side is plain(flipper) You will notice that upon close examination that the black side extends past the flipper and hooks into the stop pin . You must disengage this safery befor the blade will open. It's amazing how many people think there knife is broken or defective due to this safety however once you figure it out ,it makes all the sense in the world and is super easy to use.
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It isn't that I can't get it to work, it's just that I have to think about it. I'm very used to my speed bump, so when I pick up the mini mojito, I have to remember to press on the black thing. I is a good design, it just kinda bugged me when I used it. I want an AO knife to open quickly and easily, and this one didn't do it for me. I'm sure that if it was my edc, (and not my friend's knife), I'd get used to it and forget it existed.

(if the black thing was on the other side, my finger would press it automatically)

Phillip
 
The easiest way I found to work the Mojo/Mojito safety flipper is to off-center my finger on the spine, centering my finger directly over the flipper safety instead. Use a pull back motion rather than a push down motion. Like I said earlier, Sandy has long nails, and she can fire that thing open in a flash! She holds it the same way. Just takes some getting used to, kinda like the Lee Williams' flippers on the ENER-G's!
 
I used a chive a lot as my EDC knife at work before I retired from the Post Office. I really never even noticed anything different with opening the Mini Mojo's..... To me, they seem to open like any of the other assisted Kershaws. :confused:
 
Ken Onion has told me that he thinks the Stud Lock is the strongest lock out there, stronger than any liner lock or framelock. I don't think you will have any problems with its strength.

Once you get the hang of it, the Stud Lock is actually easier and faster to disengage one-handed than a liner lock or framelock. Here's a video that shows one way of unlocking it fast: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPolVDAyg34
 
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