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Seeking all Leek owners.
- Thread starter vanc99
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2006
- Messages
- 776
?? Can you be more specific? The first picture is a little fuzzy, but it looks like the lock doesn`t fully engage when opened. The second picture looks fine. Did you have to push the lock into place? If so I would send it back.
- Joined
- May 3, 2005
- Messages
- 959
First picture.... you need some free space in the blade side of the lock to allow for wear. You don't want it touching the opposite side because you just ran out of space and vertical play may ensue.
You shouldn't be able to force it over after you open it.
It should just engage over about half the tang, and should stay there.
Something isn't fitting right if you can force the lock over like that.
I'd send it back to kershaw, there customer service is top notch and they fix the problem in no time
It should just engage over about half the tang, and should stay there.
Something isn't fitting right if you can force the lock over like that.
I'd send it back to kershaw, there customer service is top notch and they fix the problem in no time
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2004
- Messages
- 12,957
I would just use it normally and break it in. In my own Leek, and Storm II knives as well as others from Kershaw, Emerson and others it was just like that until I put it to work on some hemp cutting or some other task putting a good bit of force into some push cuts and shortly after this I noted the lock moved in farther after that. When new the locks simply don't contact as far in. This is not uncommon and not just seen in Kershaw knives as I said.
Generally its not a good idea to put a new integral lock with little contact like that through severe tests like spine whacking and tip pressure until you have had the chance to break in the knife from normal use to allow the lock to start moving out better to provide more metal for support. In my opinion its not a bad move to push the lock in like you have done to give it a better security. I've done that myself.
Again even though I've said this before: New liner locking knives made this way are typically very easy to defeat the locks on at first and its only after use that you want to begin to pass judgements on the lock ups and reliabilty of them. Its the nature of liner locks in my opinion and although unfortunate there is little you can do to get around it but be aware of it. Break in periods are as unique as individuals are. For some its a day or two, others its a week, and still others can carry a knife for months without seeing a lot of change so base it on the movement of the lock and not so much anything else.
STR
Generally its not a good idea to put a new integral lock with little contact like that through severe tests like spine whacking and tip pressure until you have had the chance to break in the knife from normal use to allow the lock to start moving out better to provide more metal for support. In my opinion its not a bad move to push the lock in like you have done to give it a better security. I've done that myself.
Again even though I've said this before: New liner locking knives made this way are typically very easy to defeat the locks on at first and its only after use that you want to begin to pass judgements on the lock ups and reliabilty of them. Its the nature of liner locks in my opinion and although unfortunate there is little you can do to get around it but be aware of it. Break in periods are as unique as individuals are. For some its a day or two, others its a week, and still others can carry a knife for months without seeing a lot of change so base it on the movement of the lock and not so much anything else.
STR
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2004
- Messages
- 12,957
I want to add another reply to the thought that you can't or shouldn't be able to move the lock across. Well, you can actually do this on a great deal of frame locks but on many it is more difficult and on some extremely hard to do that and even harder to close once you do because it can cause them to stick once you force the lock in further. However, with that said I think anyone that has owned a Leek, or Storm or some other frame lock by Kershaw with the 'flatter' contact area that you are surely aware that they do allow you to snap the lock out there easy enough to place it behind the blade better and you can push the lock in and get it to seat and then close it quite easily. My Chive and all four of my Leeks are the same way in this regard.
On all but one of these Leeks the locks are hardened stainless so there is very little concern for excess wear from doing this but this will slow down the break in also since stainless does in fact wear slower than titanium. To the original starter of this thread, if a magnet sticks to your frame its a stainless lock so you may be waiting a while to see the lock move in more rather than see it happen sooner. I'd just keep moving the lock out like you did in that one picture, I think it was the second one, and do this when you know you want or need more support for the blade. If yours is like all of mine I doubt its any harder to close the lock after doing this or if so not enough to be of consequence.
In my opinion this is typical of Kershaw Leeks when new and is not call for mailing it to customer service.
STR
On all but one of these Leeks the locks are hardened stainless so there is very little concern for excess wear from doing this but this will slow down the break in also since stainless does in fact wear slower than titanium. To the original starter of this thread, if a magnet sticks to your frame its a stainless lock so you may be waiting a while to see the lock move in more rather than see it happen sooner. I'd just keep moving the lock out like you did in that one picture, I think it was the second one, and do this when you know you want or need more support for the blade. If yours is like all of mine I doubt its any harder to close the lock after doing this or if so not enough to be of consequence.
In my opinion this is typical of Kershaw Leeks when new and is not call for mailing it to customer service.
STR