New Umnumzaan

JJ_Colt45

JJ_Colt45

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I recently added an Umnumzaan to my CRK collection ... and I absolutely love the knife ... made me sorry I waited so long to get one.

But I do have a question ... I have done searches and found a couple threads from several years ago about this issue but one thread went one way and the other went the exact opposite so I thought I would ask some opinions ...

The new Umnunzaan is supper smooth and perfect with one exception and I am wondering if it might be just the "new" and needing a break in period or if it's an actual issue to have adressed ...

The issue is this ... I don't flip my CRKs I like the nice smooth opening slowly and feeling the lock engage ... well in handling the knife I found if I open it slowly that it locks up but not securely enough ... I can just put heavy pressure with my thumb on the blade and the lock with slip open ...

now if I open it a bit firmer it locks up solid ... and if I push it open slow and watch the lock after it locks ... if I simply put more pressure on the thumb stud I can see the lockbar slide slightly and it locks firmly ...

I am assuming that it's the O Rings that cause this and when opened slowly they aren't compressed enough to safely engage the lock ...

So my question is ... is this normal or common? ... Will it change as it's used more? ... Or do I need to just open it with a bit more authority to be sure it locks up solid? Or push it that lil extra after it's open to be sure the lockbar engages safely? ... Or is this an issue I should send it in and have the lockbar tension adjusted?

One old thread said it was normal just open it with more pressure ... and the other recommended to send it in to have the lockbar adjusted that it should lock up safely even if opened very slowly.

So I would like to hear from those that have owned some new Umnumzaans and what your thoughts are about it ... I hate to send it in if it's not really an issue because the knife is so smooth as it is ... but I also don't want to end up with a bad injury if this should be adressed.

Thanks for your thoughts and recommendations JJ
 
How often are you realistically going to open it that slowly? I'd say use it and open it normally and you should be fine.
 
I usually open them fairly slow pace rather than flip them but it wouldn't be an issue for me to push a bit more if that's all it truely needs ... or for the O Rings to wear in and compress a bit more if that's normal ...

but after reading the old threads one had everyone saying it should lock up solid even it you open it slowly with two hands ... so I was just wondering if others had the same issue and thoughts on it.
 
And I have never had to adjust the lockbar on a CRK but I guess I could take it apart and bend the lockbar myself if that would be a suggestion ... It just surprised me after all my other CRKs ... but thinking the O Rings are probably the cause ... just wasn't sure if it was a normal issue or if it should be addtessed.
 
Mine may have done that initially, but I just open it regularly, not flicking or flipping it and it's fine. Just open it a bunch and you should be ok.
 
Don't take it apart and bend the bar. Use it for a bit and see what happens. Then if needed send it in.
 
Thanks ... I figured it might not be uncommon with the O Rings and seems a bit of extra pressure locks it solid ... just wondered about others experiences.

I'll use it awhile and see then thanks again JJ
 
I'm not talking about pushing the lockbar over to a 70% or 80% lock up ...

My issue is opening the blade slowly the lockbar is engaging ... but not enough to be safe and solid ... I can hold the knife in one hand ... hammer fist and using my thumb exert high pressure and cause the lockbar to disengage and free the blade ... not a late lockup.

So what I'm talking about pushing is my thumb on the thumb stud ... after I open the blade slowly and it engages but not enough to be safe ... I can just push with added pressure on the thumb stud and as I do I can visably see the lockbar slide slightly deeper into a safer lock up that I can not push on the blade and get the lock to slip.

So I guess mine could be consider a very early lockup ... needing a later lockup ... but I'm thinking it may just be the rubber O Rings causing this ??? ...

so was wanting people that have owned some new Umnumzaans to see if they had similiar issues and if it will get better using it? ... or if it should be sent in to CRK to adjust the lockbar tension?

I ask because it's my first Umnumzaan and any of my other CRKs lockup perfect no matter how slowly or gently I open them ...

So I'm looking for and open to others experiences and opinions on this ... whether it will get better or if it is a danger that should be sent it to have adjusted.
 
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Take off the orings to confirm your theory

In my experience, they do need some break in. The wear path on the lockbar ceramic ball needs to get established better. Right now, there is a bit of resistance because of the surface finish on the tang..once it smooths out from use and opening,..it should be much better.
The positive note is that it doesn't matter if you use it..the warranty is the same as long as you don't modify it. (please don't attempt to modify the lockbar tension)

Hope that helps
 
bhyde bhyde & unwisefool unwisefool ... thanks for your replies ... I'll try to remove the O Rings to see if that is what's causing the issue ... I'm thinking and hoping that's all it is ... should know trying without the O Rings and I will break it in more over the weekend ...

Like you said won't do any harm to try and can always contact CRK next week if it isn't the O Rings ...

Thanks JJ
 
JJ_Colt45 said:
Thanks ... I figured it might not be uncommon with the O Rings and seems a bit of extra pressure locks it solid ... just wondered about others experiences.

I'll use it awhile and see then thanks again JJ
Click to expand...

If I am understanding this correctly you are saying that when opening it slowly the lockbar (with ceramic ball lockface) is not locking up at as high a percentage as if you open it firmly.

This in itself is not uncommon. On many knives the force of opening causes the lock percentage to have some variation.

But you are also saying that when opening slowly and it locks at that lower percentage the blade is not secure? As in if you push on the spine when the lock is in this earlier percentage the knife will unlock? If that is the case then it is a flaw. I would return it for warranty if that’s the case.
 
That is correct Lapedog Lapedog ... if opened slowly it locks but not far enough ... I can hold it hammer fist style and with my thumb on the back of the blade (although it's a high pressure) ... but it will cause the lock to slip open and blade to disengage from the lock up ...

so I was wondering if on the Umnumzaan this was normal with the rubber O Ring or if it should lockup no matter how slowly it's opened?

I searched and found 2 old threads on this exact issue but one thread was all for it's normal it will get better ... and the other everyone was saying their Umnumzaan locked up completely no matter the speed or the force used to open ... and it should be sent in to have the lockbar adjusted.
 
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Where is the lock ball falling on the blade tang ?
If you look at the lock bar, does it look like an early lock up ?
My Umnumzaan's and my Inkosi from the lock bar, appear to have early lock up. But if you look at where the lock ball is settling on the blade, it's normal. None of mine when they were new, had any issues regardless of the speed opening the blade. Once you remove the O rings see if the lock ball makes a mark closer to the middle of the blade tang.

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It does appear to have an early lockup if opened slowly ... and I can watch the lockbar and just apply extra pressure to the thumb stud and see the lockbar move slightly to a later lockup ... and then it does not disengage the lock with thumb pressure on the back of the blade ...

so I'm not sure if it's an issue of the lockbar tension not being quite enough ... or if it's just the O Rings preventing a safe lockup ...

I was going to remove the O Rings and see how it acted as byhde suggested but I'm have trouble removing them ... think I will probably ruin them if I remove them ... which isn't a big deal they aren't expensive ... but I'm going to wait until I'm home tomorrow and see if I can get them off without ruining the O Rings ... and then see if the lockbar engages enough to be safe without any extra pressure on the thumb stud ...

I can't see a real difference in comparing my new Inkosi with the Umnumzaan as far as how the ball sets ... but there is a slightly earlier lock up ... meaning the lockbar doesn't settle as deep unless I open harder or push extra on the thumb stud after the initial slow opening of the blade.
 
Trust me, you're not going to break the O-rings, you can pinch it and slip a paper clip or tooth pick under it and it will come off. O-rings have good memory when they're new and are tuff to break. Meaning, if you take one off, you won't damage the shape of it. Now, after a couple of years and a flat spot later, I wouldn't reuse the same one.
 
Ok that makes me feel better ... Ill be home tomorrow where I can get good light and something to help get them off ... and then see how the knife locks up.
 
Seriously, just open it normally for awhile for it to break in and then you can slow open to your heart's content.
 
I got the O Rings off and it eliminated the issue completely ... it locks up normal and slightly deeper which corrected any issue ... I can put as much thumb pressure on the blade jimping as I can and it is solid and safe ...

So I think you guys were right ... think it's good to go I will just work on breaking it in more and think as soon as the O Rings break in a bit I think it will lock up solid and safe ...

Thanks for all the replies and suggestion to remove the O Rings ... I'll be sure to post again if after some more use if the O Rings still cause any issue ...

but it's locking up like all my other CRKs with the O Rings removed.

Thanks again JJ
 
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That's one thing that kept me from liking the Zaan. That freakishly silent lockup...it weirds me out I guess. I guess I like a little feedback to my lockup, like bank vault sound!
 
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