p'kal locking system

gamma_nyc

gamma_nyc

Gold Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2007
Messages
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How does the locking system in the P'Kal compare to other popular lock systems, ie benchmade axis, linerlocks, etc.?

I like the way the knife looks, and would like to order, but want to see what you all think about that lock first.

Thanks
 
gamma_nyc said:
How does the locking system in the P'Kal compare to other popular lock systems, ie benchmade axis, linerlocks, etc.?

I like the way the knife looks, and would like to order, but want to see what you all think about that lock first.

Thanks
Click to expand...

The best lock to compare it to is the axis lock. It works essentially the same way. BM uses a bar and spyderco uses a ball. It is also comparable to spydercos ball lock on the D'allara and the Polywog. I found that the pkals lock was much smoother than the rest and rather comfortable to manipulate. Hope that helps
 
An advantage the caged ball lock on the P'kal has over the Axis lock is the spring system. The Axis lock uses a pair of small diameter omega springs to wedge a steel bar between the tang of the blade and holes in the liners. The ball lock uses a coil spring to wedge a steel ball between the blade tang and the steel backspacer. In absolute terms, I believe that the ball lock is stronger. In relative terms, either lock is probably stronger than you could break without a cheater bar, but I have read reports of Axis omega springs breaking and I have heard no such reports on the much heavier coil springs in the ball locks failing.
 
yablanowitz said:
An advantage the caged ball lock on the P'kal has over the Axis lock is the spring system. The Axis lock uses a pair of small diameter omega springs to wedge a steel bar between the tang of the blade and holes in the liners. The ball lock uses a coil spring to wedge a steel ball between the blade tang and the steel backspacer. In absolute terms, I believe that the ball lock is stronger. In relative terms, either lock is probably stronger than you could break without a cheater bar, but I have read reports of Axis omega springs breaking and I have heard no such reports on the much heavier coil springs in the ball locks failing.
Click to expand...

I have to agree. Those ball locks are much stronger. I have also heard of a few axis springs breaking, but only due to neglect.
 
yablanowitz said:
An advantage the caged ball lock on the P'kal has over the Axis lock is the spring system. The Axis lock uses a pair of small diameter omega springs to wedge a steel bar between the tang of the blade and holes in the liners. The ball lock uses a coil spring to wedge a steel ball between the blade tang and the steel backspacer. In absolute terms, I believe that the ball lock is stronger. In relative terms, either lock is probably stronger than you could break without a cheater bar, but I have read reports of Axis omega springs breaking and I have heard no such reports on the much heavier coil springs in the ball locks failing.
Click to expand...

The ball locks use two coil springs, one inside of the other.

sal
 
Wow, thanks for the info guys.

I'm sold.

PS: I think it is very cool to see the president of Spyderco (Sal) on here. I have been using/buying Spyderco knives for 17 years, and think they are great.

Brgds
 
It's not something I would expect someone to know. It's really not a marketable feature as it only makes sense to some "afi's". Most knife people don't have a clear understanding of locks, you are an exception.

sal
 
While I do think the the Ball lock design is probably stronger than the Axis, I don't think it's fair to compare broken springs as an example. There are simply more Axis locks out on the market and more people on these forums specifically who EDC axis lock knives over ball locks. The Axis has also been out longer. So because of the exposure, I don't think it's a fair comparison. I think it's also one of the factors for why we see so many examples of liner lock failure over other locks, it's simply the most popular lock out in the folder world at this moment.

Don't get me wrong, this is not to say that the omega springs aren't easier to break or that liner locks aren't inferior to some of the "premium" lock designs. I just haven't seen many people point this factor out.
 
In my considerable but far from infinite experience, coil springs are more reliable and longer-lasting than leaf springs, torsion springs and other single-strand springs such as the Axis omega spring in a wide variety of mechanisms including, but not limited to, knife locks.

Did that sound pretentious? :D

In all seriousness, I like the Axis lock, and I think it is a fine mechanism. It would not have lasted this long on the market if it wasn't. I have never had an omega spring break on me personally, I was merely relating a problem that I have been told about by others who have had such breakage. Since the information seemed to be common knowledge on the Benchmade forum, I believe it to be an uncommon, but not unheard of, problem. It is even remotely possible that all the springs that have ever broken came from a single batch with a heat-treat problem, but that is pure speculation.

As for liner-lock failures, I suspect we hear about so many failures not simply because there are so many liner lock knives in use, but because there are so many poorly made liner locks in use. Being easy to crank out is what makes it popular, not being a good lock. A properly engineered and executed liner lock is great, but it is as expensive to do right as any other good lock. A wild guess based on personal observation would put great liner locks as less than ten percent of all the liner locks on the market today. In other words, there are a lot of crap knives out there, and a lot of them are liner locks. That has a big effect on the failure rate.

Just out of curiousity, does anyone know if the two coil springs on the ball locks are counter wound (one left-hand pitch and the other right-hand pitch)? It would make sense to me to do it that way, but I may be the only one that thinks that way.
 
yablanowitz said:
As for liner-lock failures, I suspect we hear about so many failures not simply because there are so many liner lock knives in use, but because there are so many poorly made liner locks in use. Being easy to crank out is what makes it popular, not being a good lock. A properly engineered and executed liner lock is great, but it is as expensive to do right as any other good lock. A wild guess based on personal observation would put great liner locks as less than ten percent of all the liner locks on the market today. In other words, there are a lot of crap knives out there, and a lot of them are liner locks. That has a big effect on the failure rate.
Click to expand...

I forgot to mention this and totally agree:thumbup:.
 
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