Using one side of the AXIS lock.

Wolverine666

Wolverine666

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I just saw on a YT video concerning the new BM Presidio 2 Auto M4 due out next month. The guy said that you can unlock the blade by using just one side of the AXIS lock. I always thought using just one side would put too much stress on the omega spring and thus causing it to break.

So my question is : Should you use both sides of the AXIS when deploying the blade? Or is using just one side fine too?
 
I've always used both sides. The motion feels more natural to me, and keeping the wear on both springs equal sounds reasonable to me.
 
Dadpool said:
I've always used both sides. The motion feels more natural to me, and keeping the wear on both springs equal sounds reasonable to me.
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Same here. However , with the auto AXIS , I think using one side would be a little easier to deploy the blade. For me anyway. But using both sides seems like the proper way.
 
Depending on the knife, I'll do either way.

The Mini Grip and Bugout I am accustomed to activating both sides when I close it. Bigger Axis lock blades get one side or the other.

If I get done cutting something and have some grease or other pollutant on my thumb or finger, then I'll activate one side with the clean digit.

I've done Axis locks both ways forever. Still have never seen a broken Omega spring.

The way some folks talk, there is an epidemic of spring breakages out there.
 
My 5000 Auto Axis opens equally well using either side or both, which is exactly why it’s my offside carry. I usually close it using both, though, just out of habit from my other Axis lock knives.
 
I usually use both studs to open/close my Axis lock blades, but I doubt using just one side would overload the Omega springs. I haven't had a problem in over ten years with broken springs on any of my Benchmades: 710, Mini-Rukus, a pair of Grippies. I do lube them with BreakFree occasionally.
 
I’ve also never broken an omega spring, in any of my many Benchmades over many years. Not to say it can’t or won’t happen, but it hasn’t happened to me yet.
 
When I first had my 940-2 I would use primarily one side of the lock.
My omega spring broke after about 4 weeks of reasonably heavy break-in fidgeting.

Maybe it was a bad spring to begin with, and would’ve snapped anyway. Ultimately, however....
 
How would pulling on one side of the Axis put “too much stress” on a single omega spring? The Axis bar is in a track and can’t be twisted or torqued in a way to cause a wildly different amount of stress on only one side. If you are able to unlock the knife, both springs will be compressed essentially equally.

I just tried it on my 810 Contego and only pulling one side retracts the Axis bar 100% on the side I’m pulling and 99.9% on the opposite side. The stress on both springs, while different, is so close they may as well be the same.
 
Silvanus said:
How would pulling on one side of the Axis put “too much stress” on a single omega spring? The Axis bar is in a track and can’t be twisted or torqued in a way to cause a wildly different amount of stress on only one side. If you are able to unlock the knife, both springs will be compressed essentially equally.

I just tried it on my 810 Contego and only pulling one side retracts the Axis bar 100% on the side I’m pulling and 99.9% on the opposite side. The stress on both springs, while different, is so close they may as well be the same.
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Finally, thank you, I thought it was included in the design and I am sure they thought of this. i never use both sides and never had spring issues. Perhaps the whole broken spring issue is with this fidget thing that some are compelled to do. I don't fidget with my knives and I don't have spring issues
 
I typically use both sides of my axis locks, mainly because it seems to be a little easier on my fingers. I pull the lock buttons down with a thumb and finger, then flip the knife closed. This wouldn't work very well if the blade doesn't drop shut. If that were the case it would be awkward to use two fingers to unlock and and another finger to push the blade closed.

I could imagine that using only one side might place more stress on the spring or other parts of the lock, but I don't know if this can lead to early failure.
 
Benchmade recommends using both sides to reduce stress on the springs. Yes it's possible to move the bar from one side, but it puts an asymmetric force on the springs, which can reduce their lifespan.
 
Silent H said:
. Yes it's possible to move the bar from one side, but it puts an asymmetric force on the springs, which can reduce their lifespan.
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How? If you are somehow only putting 100% force on one spring and 0% on the other, how does that "reduce lifespan"? You are exerting the same amount of force on one spring as you are both springs when retracting the axis bar.

Think of it this way. Lets say each spring takes 10lbs of force to compress completely to unlock the knife. If I somehow ONLY compress one of the springs (which is impossible because of how the Axis bar moves in the lock mechanism), I'm still putting only 10lbs of force on it. The springs dont move independently of each other, so regardless because the Axis lock moves in a linear motion it is impossible to impart substantialy more force on one spring than the other.

ETA: Another way of looking at it is like this. Let's say a perfectly made omega spring has a lifespan of 1000 cycles. Whether one spring is being cycled or both springs are being cycled, they still have a lifespan of 1000 cycles. This is not like a car with a broken suspension on one side and the other takes up all the force. In that scenario the single still working suspension is handling a load that should be handled by two. This puts more wear on the suspension and will reduce life.

This is not how Axis locks work.
 
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Silvanus said:
How would pulling on one side of the Axis put “too much stress” on a single omega spring? The Axis bar is in a track and can’t be twisted or torqued in a way to cause a wildly different amount of stress on only one side. If you are able to unlock the knife, both springs will be compressed essentially equally.

I just tried it on my 810 Contego and only pulling one side retracts the Axis bar 100% on the side I’m pulling and 99.9% on the opposite side. The stress on both springs, while different, is so close they may as well be the same.
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Just from logic , this what I always thought had to be the case . :)

There could be slightly more compression on the one side , but not a significant amount .
 
The Anthem can be used either or both simultaneously since the axis lock was built in a slightly different manner being a coil spring in the middle of the axis.
 
You end up putting more stress on the side you're pushing back, and the opposite spring ends up pushing the bar back towards the pivot. It makes the bar move unevenly, so you have to push it further to clear the tang, and it creates a twisting motion on the springs.
 
Not had a failure yet, but think one cause is spring rub against the liner.
I look and adjust mine now on arrival.
 
Silent H said:
You end up putting more stress on the side you're pushing back, and the opposite spring ends up pushing the bar back towards the pivot. It makes the bar move unevenly, so you have to push it further to clear the tang, and it creates a twisting motion on the springs.
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Just playing with mine , I can't see that there's enough slop /room to do very much twisting .

At least not enough to worry about .
 
Those of you that own an Axis knife, when you actuate the lock, use one side, then use both sides. You should notice that it is a lot more strain on your finger/thumb when using one side.
Why is that?
You literally have to use double the force to move the bar, because you are now only using one digit to move BOTH omega springs.
Like it was said earlier, If it takes 10 lbs of pressure to move a lockbar. That means each spring is a 5 lb spring and you always need to actuate both springs to unlock the blade.
If the bar twists a little then it is more strain on your finger, not the spring, because you are now fighting the friction of the bar dragging on the scale.
 
NorthernSouthpaw said:
Those of you that own an Axis knife, when you actuate the lock, use one side, then use both sides. You should notice that it is a lot more strain on your finger/thumb when using one side.
Why is that?
You literally have to use double the force to move the bar, because you are now only using one digit to move BOTH omega springs.
Like it was said earlier, If it takes 10 lbs of pressure to move a lockbar. That means each spring is a 5 lb spring and you always need to actuate both springs to unlock the blade.
If the bar twists a little then it is more strain on your finger, not the spring, because you are now fighting the friction of the bar dragging on the scale.
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OK , but you are not damaging the knife ...just your thumb or finger . ;)

Moot point for me . I usually use thumb and finger together , because for me it's definitely easier . :cool::thumbsup:
 
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