When Talking Folder Lockup

Grimspoon

Grimspoon

Joined
Nov 23, 2007
Messages
2,198
When people talk about lockup with regards to folders, and say it's like 50% or 60%, what exactly are they referring to?
 
The percentage of the way across the tang the liner-lock bar engages at.

ETA: This would be considered 75%-90% depending on who you asked and how they measured.
DSCF1470.jpg
 
Its the percent of engagement the liner/frame lock locking bar has against the lock face/tang of the blade. The above picture looks like a LH millie and if so would have about a 40% engagement.
 
So a lower percentage doesn't necessarily mean that there is anything wrong wit the knife itself.

Thanks for clearing that up!
 
30 to 60% is what I call ideal, any less and you chance the lock slipping against spine pressure, any more and you loose space for future wear of the lock. As the lock wears with time the % of engagement will increase.
 
knifenut1013 said:
30 to 60% is what I call ideal, any less and you chance the lock slipping against spine pressure, any more and you loose space for future wear of the lock. As the lock wears with time the % of engagement will increase.
Click to expand...

Hi all...I'm a newbie...first post.

I hope you're correct that in time the % of engagement will increase. While not a fan of liner locks or frame locks, I could not resist buying a ZT 0301. What a brute. Anyway, I'm very disappointed with the engagement or lockup of this knife. It appears to be about 30% and if I press hard or whack the back of the blade against my other hand, it will fold. I've always felt safe with my Cold Steel knives with the Axis Lock or Tri-Ad lock. I guess I'll start using it more and more and maybe it will wear.
 
Welcome to the forums ziltoid! :) Is it new? I assume it is. If it's really dangerous (soft spine whacks), I'd send it in to be replaced or repaired.

We shouldn't really be doing hard spine whacks as I feel that borders on "abusive" use of the knife. I'm sure others will chime in shortly.
 
ziltoid said:
Hi all...I'm a newbie...first post.

I hope you're correct that in time the % of engagement will increase. While not a fan of liner locks or frame locks, I could not resist buying a ZT 0301. What a brute. Anyway, I'm very disappointed with the engagement or lockup of this knife. It appears to be about 30% and if I press hard or whack the back of the blade against my other hand, it will fold. I've always felt safe with my Cold Steel knives with the Axis Lock or Tri-Ad lock. I guess I'll start using it more and more and maybe it will wear.
Click to expand...


ZT has a no questions asked warranty, send that puppy in.


Welcome to BF :)
 
I purchased brand new. E-mailed the manufacturer this morning and am waiting a reply.

As for the "spine whack". Is it not a fair method of testing engagement? I didn't even smack it that hard against my hand. I've retired a couple other knives for the very same reason. Makes me nervous if I need to stab or use the knife heavily.
 
My Sebenza is close to 60% which Chris Reeve says is optimal. It hasn't moved in thousands of openings.
 
The lockbar on every framelock, titanium or stainless, that I have ever owned has moved over a bit in the first 100 or so openings. This happens because the force of the lockbar hitting the blade tang will change the surface of the lockbar ever so slightly. Usually it rounds the leading corner a bit and allows the lockbar to travel a little bit further. Its usually not a big difference and after this first work in period they tend to stay in the same place for years after that. Of course it all depends on the quality and components of the lock. I would imagine that your ZT 301 will work its way up to about 40 or so percent if it was 30% out of the box.

Give it a week and see what happens. It really can make a huge difference. However if you're still unhappy send it to Kershaw/ZT in Tualatin and they will fix/replace it very quickly. I've used their warranty department more than once and have nothing but good to say about their service!
 
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