Question for BKC from a long-time Axis nerd re: variance between Axis models...

BM,

Thank you very much for your response. I'll digest and be back with more questions, I'm certain. This much is for sure, the Axis, when executed the way in which it is on my BC's, seems to me to be the pinnacle of the Axis' evolution to date and is easily my favorite locking mech of all time. Thanks again.

Prof.
 
Professor,
I have an answer for you from our engineers:

1. Regarding the "radiused" tang ramp improvement: The Bone Collector AXIS geometry does not actually utilize a radiused tang where it locks up. There is a flat plane (where the lock stud actually interacts with the blade) and a radiused section that does nothing as far as the lock is concerned. The radius is solely there to increase the cross-sectional area of the blade around the pivot. In other words, the lock stud never reaches that radius. Actually, having the lock stud interact with an increasing radius would decrease both the strength and stability of the lock.

I think that should clarify any confusion. The Bone Collectors use the same style of lock geometry as the rest of our AXIS locks.

2. Now for the lock triangle geometry: The original poster was correct in his theory. Increasing the lengths of the "legs" of the lock triangle (distance from pivot to lock stud, pivot to stop pin, stop pin to lock stud) does generally make for a more stable lock. The most important thing to keep in mind is that we engineer all of our knives to meet the intended customer’s needs. Some of the extremes are very small gent knives which have smaller components and a smaller envelope of space for lock-up geometry as opposed to our larger heavy use folders with more space for not only larger lock-up geometry but larger components as well. These are only some of the other factors at play, but of course, the main goal is to maximize the resistive moment arms of each component with respect to the pivot of the knife. The larger the triangle the easier the components can resist forces applied to the blade. This is what you feel when testing for up-and-down tip wiggle (vertical play).

I hope this answers your question. I have also posted this on our company forums. If you have further questions check out this link:
http://benchmadeforum.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/558000917001
Our engineers are available on there to answer more in depth questions. I will cross post here as well so we can build a strong database of information.

Thanks for a great read and valuable info passed along to us! :thumbup:
 
I now see EXACTLY what you're talking about, BM, and you're spot on. The lockbar doesn't come close to the radiused part of the tang ramp.

There is definitely a secondary bevel to the tang ramp on the mini BC's (regardless of the radiused area) that serves to facilitate tighter lockup based on leverage points per everyone's assertions. The large Lum Onslaught and Adamas for example, by contrast, have a single beveled tang ramp, though perhaps at the same angle as the secondary bevel on the mini BC; my Onslaught (and other Axis knives) locks up like a vault whereas the Adamas has significant vertical play regardless of my every effort to remedy -- probably going to be making a return trip to the Motherland. Solid lockup with the Axis would seem to be a combination of all factors as opposed to one or two features alone.

Ah, lock science.

Thanks again.

Prof.
 
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