Inkosi Lockup Question

JITDC

JITDC

Gold Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2013
Messages
595
Hey CRK gang I had a question about the lockup on my small Inkosi. Coming from traditional folders I’m still learning all of the terms and nomenclature so forgive me if I say something incorrectly.

My first Inkosi is about a month old, took it apart to clean and figure it all out. After reassembly it seemed like the lockbar traveled further than before, closer to the opposite scale. That’s completely subjective as I don’t have a pic of lock up prior. But the blade is dead center and opens and closes just as smooth as day one if not even better.

After Inkosi #2 arrived I compared the two. The lockbar on #2 seems like what the first used to look like. Pics attached...

Did I reassemble #1 incorrectly, or am I just imagining things? My main concern is becoming more familiar with the normal range of lockup so I can recognize normal vs not. Any thoughts? Thank you for any input you can provide.


B6613708-836F-4141-8242-6068979E36B7.jpeg 4CAC07FF-134B-49CA-9342-A04A316C254E.jpeg
 
My Small Inkosi looks like #1 and I have never had it apart. Very smooth action and centering is perfect. Seems fine to me.

Curious what the veterans have to say. I only have the one and I’ve never had it apart.
 
The Inkosi, Umnumzaan, and 25 have the same lock ball, and the Sebenza 31 will have it also. I have all three and the lock up differs. The 25's looking at the lock bar appears to have around 80% lock up. Looking at where the ceramic ball marks on the blade, they're about 60%. The Umnumzaan's have the earliest lock up and the Inkosi is around 45/50%..
Is #2 new ?, maybe it hasn't settled in yet and #1 has. That would be my guess. Unless you got grease on the lock interface, the lock position will remain the same. I've heard that the lock ball will move some if grease gets on it. Don't know how true that is. Maybe break it back down use less grease and make sure there's no grease anywhere near the lock face.
Both of yours look perfectly normal. IMO, it's nothing to worry about.
 
Both are fine, but it shouldn't move after a single disassembly. Is it smooth?
 
Both are completely normal and fine mate, my inkosi and umnumzaan both are slightly different and have never moved. Enjoy them.
 
Awesome! Thank you all for your input. Yes #2 is new, I hadn't thought about grease but that would make sense. Both function great, centered, smooth etc. I’ve had a few small Sebenza’s and they seemed to be pretty much identical. Hence the wondering what was the normal range for the CRK’s with a ceramic ball. Thanks again!
 
I just received a new small Inkosi and my lockup is like #1. I have owned around 10 CRKs over the years and noticed that they typically lock up later than most other brands. However, I view that as a good thing as I have never had any issue with the lockup on CRKs. (I have had issues with other brands though locking up to early)
 
Every inkosi I have ever owned had lockup exactly like #1 in your photos.
 
Both are fine. The point of a knife from a quality manufacturer like CRK is you don't have to worry about it...so don't :)
 
From a Tim Reeve YouTube maintenance video, CRK aims to put the chamfer on the lockbar in line with the inside of the frame exactly as pictured in #1.

So, as many have already responded, you're good.
 
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