Spyderco Chokwe Lock issues

[Slimman]

Hello...........My Chokwe has been smooth as silk since the day I have got it. I haven't used it much at all. It has seen very light duty. The hardest I have used it was a few days ago cutting through some thick, tough cardboard. I would say I used moderate pressure. Shortly after that the lock has been very sticky, and gritty feeling. (I don't know for sure if the cardboard is what caused it but it is the only thing I could think of that I used the knife for lately) Anyway it has been quite noticeable and annoying so I decided to break it down and have a look at the lock face and blade tang. (Anyone who feels the need at this point to tell me how I voided my warranty please save your energy. I break down all my knives to clean and lubricate them to my liking) Upon closer inspection I noticed some wear on the inside edge of the frame lock. I only have two other titanium frame locks so i am not sure if this would be considered normal wear. The other two have seen much harder use and have no signs of wear like this. Any constructive comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.[URL=http://s524.photobucket.com/user/slimman222/media/20140223_232637.jpg.html][/URL]

 

[SouthEast]

Have you tried putting some graphite/pencil lead or sharpie on the lock face? I get my chokwe suffering sticky lock from brand new, and that trick makes unlocking it so smooth.

btw, my chokwe also has that "steel insert" (in your pic it's the shiny part of the lockface) and I do think Spyderco does that to their R.I.L titanium folders, as my Spyderco Techno (sold it long ago) also have that. it is normal, i think.

 

[Cereal_killer]

Um that's not a steel insert, here's a good pic showing a real steel insert (domino, steel interface/OTS)

On the Chokwe it's simply a hardened lock face. As to if that's normal or not I can't answer that, my only Ti frame lock is a Sebenza and it isn't like that.

 

[Slimman]

Have you tried putting some graphite/pencil lead or sharpie on the lock face? I get my chokwe suffering sticky lock from brand new, and that trick makes unlocking it so smooth.

btw, my chokwe also has that "steel insert" (in your pic it's the shiny part of the lockface) and I do think Spyderco does that to their R.I.L titanium folders, as my Spyderco Techno (sold it long ago) also have that. it is normal, i think.

Yes have tried both the pencil trick and sharpie trick..even tried a small dab of grease I use on my firearms. I have only had this knife apart once when I first got it to clean it and lube it, and there was no sign of wear at that point. The lock was super smooth. It just starting developing this gritty, grinding feeling as of late.
I have both the Chokwe and the Techno..neither one of them have a steel insert. That shiny spot it where the titanium lock face has worn down. The Techno shows no signs of wear.

 

[B.F.U]

My Chokwe got gritty/sticky last night. I kept opening and closing it then added some graphite (from a pencil) and not its silky smooth to close again. I don't think the lock up moved at all.

I never heard the Chokwe lock was hardened like the techno, and wished it was. Can someone with in for sure on that? Is the flat/shiny area in the op's pic definitely a hardened area or could it be wear?

I would really love definite answers on this stuff.

 

[Barman1]

My Chokwe got gritty/sticky last night. I kept opening and closing it then added some graphite (from a pencil) and not its silky smooth to close again. I don't think the lock up moved at all.

I never heard the Chokwe lock was hardened like the techno, and wished it was. Can someone with in for sure on that? Is the flat/shiny area in the op's pic definitely a hardened area or could it be wear?

I would really love definite answers on this stuff.

I was carbidizing a while ago and had the Chokwe apart but the lock face looks hardened already so I left it alone. The OP's picture looks like there's some galling though. Maybe some tungsten carbide wouldn't hurt after all.

 

[B.F.U]

I was carbidizing a while ago and had the Chokwe apart but the lock face looks hardened already so I left it alone. The OP's picture looks like there's some galling though. Maybe some tungsten carbide wouldn't hurt after all.

So I guess it'd be best to just wait and if it wears, get it carbidized. I know nothing about carbidizing.

 

[Barman1]

So I guess it'd be best to just wait and if it wears, get it carbidized. I know nothing about carbidizing.

I've been keeping an eye on mine and it's not wearing much at all. Just a little shiny on the contact patch.
Tungsten carbide applied on the lock face of the softer titanium makes it more resistant to wear against the hardened steel blade.
I picked up a carbidizer a while back and have been going a little nuts with it.

Here's my Chokwe with the blade spine carbidized for added thumb traction.

 

[B.F.U]

I've been keeping an eye on mine and it's not wearing much at all. Just a little shiny on the contact patch.
Tungsten carbide applied on the lock face of the softer titanium makes it more resistant to wear against the hardened steel blade.
I picked up a carbidizer a while back and have been going a little nuts with it.

Here's my Chokwe with the blade spine carbidized for added thumb traction.

Nice! I actually like the lack of jimping on the Chokwe, but I dig the functionality of your mod!

Mines riding at like 60%, but I'm not worried about it. It locks up super solid, and I don't have much experience with ti frame locks but the bar seems thick even at the cut out.

That scale looks awesome also, I've been thinking about getting either a full ti or wood (burl or cocobolo) scale for the non lock side.

 

[Barman1]

Nice! I actually like the lack of jimping on the Chokwe, but I dig the functionality of your mod!

Mines riding at like 60%, but I'm not worried about it. It locks up super solid, and I don't have much experience with ti frame locks but the bar seems thick even at the cut out.

That scale looks awesome also, I've been thinking about getting either a full ti or wood (burl or cocobolo) scale for the non lock side.

Function is what I have in mind with most of my modifications. It takes some modding to get the fit right, relative to the user, and the spine is where my thumb naturally rests on the Chokwe so it needed some traction in my case.

 

[Molle Ninja]

Mine has the same wear. The pencil and sharpie are only temporary fixes to the "grabby" bar. My Techno doesn't do this.

 

[Slimman]

Function is what I have in mind with most of my modifications. It takes some modding to get the fit right, relative to the user, and the spine is where my thumb naturally rests on the Chokwe so it needed some traction in my case.

That is a great looking scale.

 

[yoko]

I just had this same problem, used nano oil, worked it ... let it sit over night, worked it again, then used a q tip and wiped everything off of the lockface and the blade.....

works like a champ, and I open and close mine a lot while using it at work

 

[Inkbender]

^ +1 on Nano Oil as far as lubes go

 

[SouthEast]

Um that's not a steel insert, here's a good pic showing a real steel insert (domino, steel interface/OTS)

On the Chokwe it's simply a hardened lock face. As to if that's normal or not I can't answer that, my only Ti frame lock is a Sebenza and it isn't like that.

sorry, i guess you're right.


i just carried my chokwe for a week and today when I cleaned it (warm water and soap) it came out sticky-lock again, even after I put some WD40 on it, turns out the pencil marks comes off when I cleaned it and when I applied the pencil again, the sticky-lock's gone.

 

[B.F.U]

sorry, i guess you're right.


i just carried my chokwe for a week and today when I cleaned it (warm water and soap) it came out sticky-lock again, even after I put some WD40 on it, turns out the pencil marks comes off when I cleaned it and when I applied the pencil again, the sticky-lock's gone.

I know a lot of people say to use it, but I skip the soap unless the knife has like dried gunk that won't come off with water. I think it makes knives sticky often. Also wd40 can gunk up itself.

 

[SouthEast]

I keep on using WD40 because once I tried using the tuf-glide (that one lubricant that is sold inside a syringe) the opening-closing become so stiff/gritty. I know this should not happen, but I keep getting that results on my folders... am I missing something? hope i don't ruin the thread.

 

[chucknoll]

I am having the exact same problem. Just yesterday, the lockbar on one of my chokwes started sticking, and now it's very difficult to unlock. I think I will have to send it back in to Spyderco. It's a shame, because I love this model and it looks like this is something that is going to happen to all of them.

 

[B.F.U]

I'm gonna get mine carbidized or a steel insert put in asset some point I think.

@SouthEast don't worry about ruining the thread, it's definitely pertinent to the issue. I've never used tuff glide, so I don't know.

 

[B.F.U]

Does anybody know what spyderco's position would be on carbidizing or adding a steel insert?