Using one side of the AXIS lock.

[marrenmiller]

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.

Yep. As long as the axis lock moves, the springs get compressed equally, or at least enough to where you'd say they're loaded identically. Wearing out an axis lock by using one side is a bad myth I wish would just die out.

I've had tons of axis locks and derivatives and not once have I seen one made sloppily enough to where you could asymmetrically load the springs.

 

[jumpstat]

What I found is that, the satin axis lock (satin liners) fares better than the black axis version. The satin ones are smoother in operation and so far I can operate the lock either one sided or both however habitually I do it on both sides.

 

[SALTY]

I have a couple of knives with the Axis lock; I'm not a fan, though I otherwise like the knives.
For hunting and fishing the Axis lock is a place vulnerable to clogging and/or contamination.

I had a spring failure in an Adamas. BM's wonderful customer service took good care of me and sent the knife back working fine and sharpened. When I spoke with BM's service department they did tell me to be sure to use both button actuator knobs and pull back both sides together to reduce the likelihood of failure.

I still have that Adamas and while I do like the knife, it only use it for clean and easy use because of the Axis lock; kind of ridiculous I'll admit for an otherwise overbuilt and quit robust knife.

 

[Pilsner]

I have a couple of knives with the Axis lock; I'm not a fan, though I otherwise like the knives.
For hunting and fishing the Axis lock is a place vulnerable to clogging and/or contamination.

I had a spring failure in an Adamas. BM's wonderful customer service took good care of me and sent the knife back working fine and sharpened. When I spoke with BM's service department they did tell me to be sure to use both button actuator knobs and pull back both sides together to reduce the likelihood of failure.

I still have that Adamas and while I do like the knife, it only use it for clean and easy use because of the Axis lock; kind of ridiculous I'll admit for an otherwise overbuilt and quit robust knife.

Crikey! That’s a big old folder to fail on you! I assume only one spring broke?! I have an Adamas, it’s a surprisingly fun knife in my view. Cuts a lot better than one would imagine if looking at it casually.

 

[DMG]

My Contego and Ritter Griptilian have both been unlocked thousands of times using one side of the axis lock and are both on their original decade? old omega springs.

(Now I have jinxed myself and they will both break)

 

[Knives&Lint]

Another one here that has never had an Omega spring fail in all my years of carrying Benchmade. Honestly, I don't think it has ever occurred to me to open with one side of the lock, as my thumb and pointer just seem to naturally fall in a pinch grip there.

Also, I am one that predominantly uses the lock to open the knife rather than flicking it open with the thumb-stud. I have noted that on occasions when I do flick it open without the lock sometimes the lock is not as smooth to disengage and even sticks ever so slightly (worse on some than others). Perhaps opening with the lock engaged is easier on the springs somehow? No real knowledge here, just an observation.

 

[Velitrius]

I had a spring failure in an Adamas. BM's wonderful customer service took good care of me and sent the knife back working fine and sharpened. When I spoke with BM's service department they did tell me to be sure to use both button actuator knobs and pull back both sides together to reduce the likelihood of failure.

Thank you for posting this, SALTY. I've never spoken to BM about their lock, but that's good to know there's a recommendation from the MFR.

So I'm doing it right at least half of the time, that's cool. But hey, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

The Adamas is cool, but too big for me... so bring on that MINI ADAMAS!

And yeah, BM's CS is A-OK in my book.

 

[DocJD]

pull back both sides together to reduce the likelihood of failure.

Grain of salt . I've heard lots of bogus explanations of stuff failing that puts the onus on the customer rather than the product .

 

[SALTY]

Crikey! That’s a big old folder to fail on you! I assume only one spring broke?! I have an Adamas, it’s a surprisingly fun knife in my view. Cuts a lot better than one would imagine if looking at it casually.

Yes, it was only one spring that broke.

DocJD, I do not disagree with you. The Douglas DC-4 (civilian version of the C-54) was used in the early days of airline passenger transport and eventually received the upgraded and more powerful Dash-13 variant engines. On a night flight over the Pacific enroute to Hawaii, just after levelling off to cruise, a flight crew experienced experience engine failure ... of all four engines! They fiddled and futzed with everything they could and, after a descent, got the engines to belch, fart and kinda/sorta run. After a deviation and emergency landing, the passengers were off loaded, perhaps given a drink voucher, and mechanics went though the engines and aircraft very thoroughly - finding nothing wrong. The flight crew, not backing off of their story refused to fly the plane again. Engineers from the engine manufacturer were summoned and they too thoroughly went through everything - again finding nothing wrong. They suggested that it was pilot/flight crew error(s) in adjusting engine controls after climb and transitioning to cruise. Well, the flight crew and the engineers went up for a test flight (this time over the airport contra to out over the Pacific) and when the all four engines quit again at the same altitude and flight profile, the engineers finally realized, maybe something needs to be re-designed. Chapter XVII of Ernest K. Gann's book, Fate is the Hunter, details that incident. If you're a pilot it's a good read.

I certainly don't want to turn this thread into a bash on BM but I am not a fan of the Axis lock but do have to give credit where credit is due for the customer service I received from BM. With all due respect to BM and to those who may have a different opinion, me thinks the Axis lock was a much better idea on paper.

 

[DocJD]

Yes, it was only one spring that broke.

DocJD, I do not disagree with you. The Douglas DC-4 (civilian version of the C-54) was used in the early days of airline passenger transport and eventually received the upgraded and more powerful Dash-13 variant engines. On a night flight over the Pacific enroute to Hawaii, just after levelling off to cruise, a flight crew experienced experience engine failure ... of all four engines! They fiddled and futzed with everything they could and, after a descent, got the engines to belch, fart and kinda/sorta run. After a deviation and emergency landing, the passengers were off loaded, perhaps given a drink voucher, and mechanics went though the engines and aircraft very thoroughly - finding nothing wrong. The flight crew, not backing off of their story refused to fly the plane again. Engineers from the engine manufacturer were summoned and they too thoroughly went through everything - again finding nothing wrong. They suggested that it was pilot/flight crew error(s) in adjusting engine controls after climb and transitioning to cruise. Well, the flight crew and the engineers went up for a test flight (this time over the airport contra to out over the Pacific) and when the all four engines quit again at the same altitude and flight profile, the engineers finally realized, maybe something needs to be re-designed. Chapter XVII of Ernest K. Gann's book, Fate is the Hunter, details that incident. If you're a pilot it's a good read.

I certainly don't want to turn this thread into a bash on BM but I am not a fan of the Axis lock but do have to give credit where credit is due for the customer service I received from BM. With all due respect to BM and to those who may have a different opinion, me thinks the Axis lock was a much better idea on paper.

Springs fail from metal fatigue . Repeated movement , back and forth . That's normal , but a good steel and HT will give long service .

Premature failure is usually due simply to substandard steel / HT .

Cold Steel's only AO , the Swift , initially had very high early failure rate due to poor tempering of the big weird wishbone spring that powered the opening , but also was necessary to keep the knife open or closed . If it broke , knife was unusable .

They corrected the spring problem and added a secondary lock , but the damage was done . Part of why it failed to sell well .

I love to fidget and play with axis locks , but really not my preference on a hard use folder .