A co-worker asked me for a recommendation on a better quality folding knife. I suggested Benchmade or Spyderco and he decided on a Benchmade axis lock. He bought a BM 960. It is really nice. However, the lock springs do not push the blade closed as the blade nears the fully closed position. On my axis locks, the blade is pushed closed. So, is his knife atypical or is this common? Also, he lubed the pivot with a product called kleer oil and the action seems a bit stiffer than before he lubed it. Will the knife smooth up with use? Should he try to remove the oil? Thanks for any answers you all might have.
A couple of axis lock questions
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Sometimes Benchmades come with the pivot set a bit too tight. The proper size torx wrench will allow you or him to adject the pivot and may solve most of your problems.
IIRC, Benchmade's come lubed with Miltec, which is great. I'm not familiar with "kleer oil", but that could have essentially disolveand/or flushed away the good lube that it came with.
IIRC, Benchmade's come lubed with Miltec, which is great. I'm not familiar with "kleer oil", but that could have essentially disolveand/or flushed away the good lube that it came with.
The Axis lock should help pull the blade closed and keep it closed.Sometimes the blade hits the backspacer. My first 705 needed some backspacer work for the blade to close right. It was not a function of the Axis lock. My other two 705s worked fine out of the box.
Check the blade for a flat spot on the edge. Where there's a flat spot, that's where it's hitting the backspacer.
Phil
Check the blade for a flat spot on the edge. Where there's a flat spot, that's where it's hitting the backspacer.
Phil
Sorry I didn't make myself clear. The knife functions as it's supposed to. It's just that when you close it, you have to push the blade all the way closed. The lock springs don't snap the blade shut the last quarter inch or so. Not a problem really, just something that is different from what my experience has been. Thanks for the replies.
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FWIW, I understood what you meant. I thought that given the pivot is stiff, the springs simply don't have enough tension to overcome the over-tightened pivot. The closing mechanism is super simple -- it's just the Axis bar pushing against the tang. Anyway, it shouldn't cost you anything (except maybe the price of a Torx wrench set, available for <$10) to try adjusting the pivot.
Lil Timmy said:
False. The Axis lock is supposed to bias the blade closed in the final arc of knife motion much as the ball detent does in a linerlock or framelock. It qualifies as such under the California law that AKTI had a hand in forming to protect the knife industry and users.
Phil
The axis bar's assistance in closing engages right around here:
Here the axis bar is keeping the knife closed:
Does the knife in question stay closed well? Does the closed blade wiggle a bit before you can feel the tang hit the axis bar? Does the blade open easier than you are used to with a flick of the wrist?
About the axis lock being smooth, mine have just gotten smoother as time goes on. Really a great lock design.
-Duffin
Here the axis bar is keeping the knife closed:
Does the knife in question stay closed well? Does the closed blade wiggle a bit before you can feel the tang hit the axis bar? Does the blade open easier than you are used to with a flick of the wrist?
About the axis lock being smooth, mine have just gotten smoother as time goes on. Really a great lock design.
-Duffin
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KeithAM said:
Keith is right, loosen the pivot a bit. I like my pivots tight so I tighten them just to the point where the lock does not draw the blade closed and then back it off a touch.
You will see this same thing happen on lockbacks and slipjoints as well.
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Thanks Duffin! Did you draw these up yourself, or are these from the Benchmade website?
The Axis lock really is a great lock. The only downside is the possibility of a spring failing, although this has never happened to me. I wonder if they could find a way to make a more robust spring. The only problem with this is it would take more effort to pull back on the lock bar.
The Axis lock really is a great lock. The only downside is the possibility of a spring failing, although this has never happened to me. I wonder if they could find a way to make a more robust spring. The only problem with this is it would take more effort to pull back on the lock bar.
phatch said:
Yes, for the last inch or so of movement the axis will snap the blade into place, just like on a liner or frame lock. But I think some people who havent used the axis lock assume that because a spring is involved, that it's like an assisted opener, which it isn't.
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Duffin444 said:
I wonder if they could find a way to put in 4 springs, two on each side, maybe have each pair seperated from each other with a thing piece of metal so they don't rub against each other. Like if they ever made a heavy duty Axis model that had a wider handle. They could call it the "Redundant Axis Lock" hehe.