Vertical play with American Lawman?

CrimsonTideShooter

CrimsonTideShooter

Joined
Oct 23, 2010
Messages
3,196
I have 3 American lawmen with the tri-ad lock, and all three of them have some vertical blade play. Is this a common thing with the tri-ad lock? Also can it be fixed?
 
I`ve had 1 of the original versions (with liners), and have 1 now without. Both lockup solid with no play in any direction. I`ve had 2 of the new recon1`s with the triad lock and both those were solid as well.

You have 3 with vertical play, that would lead me to believe that there might be a bad run of them. I would contact CS customer service and let them help. I`ve had 1 dealing with them last year, and they were more than happy to help, and replace my knife.

I`m not aware of any remedy that would stop vertical play. Those triad locks are built to wear in as time goes by too, so maybe some knifesterbation is in order.
 
Does the Triad Lock suffer from the same tendencies of some lockback knives where there is inherent, miniscule vertical play under pressure?
 
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Yeah I was thinking that possibly the lock may set deeper with some wear but I wasn't sure if that was correct or not.


serratededge said:
I`ve had 1 of the original versions (with liners), and have 1 now without. Both lockup solid with no play in any direction. I`ve had 2 of the new recon1`s with the triad lock and both those were solid as well.

You have 3 with vertical play, that would lead me to believe that there might be a bad run of them. I would contact CS customer service and let them help. I`ve had 1 dealing with them last year, and they were more than happy to help, and replace my knife.

I`m not aware of any remedy that would stop vertical play. Those triad locks are built to wear in as time goes by too, so maybe some knifesterbation is in order.
Click to expand...
 
Reeek said:
Does the Triad Lock suffer from the same tendencies of some lockback knives where there is inherent, miniscule veritcal play under pressure?
Click to expand...

I am curious as well. Hopefully someone who knows notice this thread before it's lost to the ages. :)
 
CrimsonTideShooter, look up Ankerson aka Jim Ankerson he is our resident american lawman expert, if anyone knows he will.
 
Either what MikeC said or contact Andrew Demko himself, the inventor of the Tri-Ad lock. I'm sure he will be very interested in your problem and might be able to help you out. His username is DemkoKnives.
 
J.Vervoorst said:
Either what MikeC said or contact Andrew Demko himself, the inventor of the Tri-Ad lock. I'm sure he will be very interested in your problem and might be able to help you out. His username is DemkoKnives.
Click to expand...

And if all else fails, get in touch with STR in his forum. He has had experience with those knives as well.
 
I think now we have covered all the Tri-Ad lock experts! :D
One question to the original poster: how are you holding the knife when checking for bladeplay? Is your hand by any chance pushing down on the lockbar, slightly loosening the lock? I'm just asking because that has happened to me before.
 
I just tested mine after reading this...rock solid. I have not had any play in the American Lawman, Rajah III, or Spartan.
 
I have a Black Rhino - zero blade play in any direction. Also have a Mini Lawman. Flawless, zero blade play. Also have a Magnum Tanto IX - zero blade movement except when I make a move with it :D
 
Mine didn't have blade play out of the box, but it developed up-and down play within a day or so. It's quite noticeable now.

I have yet to purchase a lock back that didn't have up-and-down blade play, come to think of it...
 
Reeek said:
Does the Triad Lock suffer from the same tendencies of some lockback knives where there is inherent, miniscule vertical play under pressure?
Click to expand...

Not in my experiance with them. New, old, used, all the triad locks I`ve had have been solid.

I do know what you mean by miniscule vert play. 90% of the knives I have and use are lockbacks. Some low end, some mid, and some higher end. A few non triad lock knives have minor play. Not a jiggle by any means, but if you grasp the blade while open, you can feel it with a little pressure up and down. My Caly 3.5 does this. Not much of a bother to me though. It still slices like butter.

But so far (knock on wood), I`ve not had a bit of play in any of my triad locking knives.
 
Its been my experience that most lock-back style knives will have some small amounts of play or none at all. Luck of the draw I guess.

Both my AK-47 and my AL have some small amounts of play but on average its not as bad as most lock-backs I've seen or owned. Enough to feel but not enough to create any gaps.
 
My American Lawman (a few weeks old now) has no blade play in any direction, and I have been using it quite a bit.

My Pohl Force lockback also very very tight - no play in any direction.

My Buck 110 - mucho bladeplay out of the box.
 
This happened to me when I got a good amount of "camp crud" in mine and additionally had a loose pivot screw. A big ol blast of WD40 in the pivot & spine cleared it out and I'm running with teflon tape on the pivot screw now, no problems. There's just the smallest hint of side to side play but that keeps it fast.
 
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