Massdrop/Laconico Keen

I'm hoping I'm getting my bronze lefty I just ordered. Said there were 16 left overall between those and one purple variation. Already deducted the $144.99 from my PayPal funds, then a redirect back to MD and a yellow dropdown saying the order was cancelled and I need to enter valid payment information. o_O:confused: where my munny?

Anyway, after taking about 1/4 the seats on the first page of the 'Best of 2018' thread, I've decided I couldn't hold out on this super clean, titanium frame, ball bearing offer from WE any longer.
 
I held out for a while, but... A Keen with the exact configuration I would have chosen (bronze w/portals) came up on the exchange at a good price, so, now I have one incoming.

The primary reason I waited was that I hoped that a second gen would come out that had a D-shaped pivot interface with the opposing scale to prevent spinning - but, nobody seems to mind -that- much, so, whatever, I guess it’ll be fine. It’s a seemingly simple design change to make, though.
 
[gratuitous pic-bump]
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I got mine in just today. Pretty good stuff. I don't know if I'd argue it is some sort of super amazing incredible deal, but it is a very good knife. It cuts well (if nothing gets caught on the sharpening choil) and has pretty smooth pivot action. I wouldn't say it's the best I've had, even in the price range, but I have no complaints.

My only gripe is that mine cannot be closed using my preferred closing method that works with the vast majority of linerlocks and framelocks. With most, one can disengage the lock bar just enough to get the blade past the lock interface and rest the tang of the blade on the side of the detent ball. This allows one to get their fingers entirely out of the way and flip it closed from that position. The Keen, or at least the one I have, has a detent ball that protrudes out from the lockbar so far that the tang just hard stops on the detent and cannot be flipped closed without applying so much pressure that (1.) I would be worried about damaging / displacing the detent ball and (2.) the force required also sends the blade flying shut so quickly that it bounces partway back open.

Anyway, I only mention this because I have found it is taking me a little bit of adjustment to get to a point where I'm not at risk of accidentally injuring myself while closing the knife. The flipper tab is relatively small, so you need to be nearly at the tip of the lockbar when disengaging it for the flipper tab to hit your thumb.
 
RBid said:
Agreed. My enthusiasm for it hasn’t lessened in the slightest. I don’t even blink at the old “if you could have only one” question any more.
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yup this knife is awesome. I've recently come back to it after getting a new knife and it blows me away. I keep trying to find a fault in it....my OCD working.... and I can't find a damn thing wrong. I love this knife.
 
R RBid Crazy question: I’ll preface it by saying that my understanding of how the mechanics of a folder work is rudimentary at best. Here’s the question - I found that any pressure on the lockbar while opening the knife made it very tough to open. (No biggie, as I had easily remedied by changing my finger positions). After tightening the pivot just a tad (just experimenting), I’ve found that the above “issue” has essentially resolved. Does that make any sense at all, or am I imagining things?
 
HappyDaddy said:
R RBid Crazy question: I’ll preface it by saying that my understanding of how the mechanics of a folder work is rudimentary at best. Here’s the question - I found that any pressure on the lockbar while opening the knife made it very tough to open. (No biggie, as I had easily remedied by changing my finger positions). After tightening the pivot just a tad (just experimenting), I’ve found that the above “issue” has essentially resolved. Does that make any sense at all, or am I imagining things?
Click to expand...

That’s curious. I suppose it’s possible that the tweak in pivot tension may have made a subtle change in the line up of detent ball and detent hole. With the sample EZC I have, very slight changes in pivot tension lead to surprising amounts of change in blade centering, so I could see that change in position at the detent area effecting things.

Keep me posted as to whether it stays or breaks in differently?
 
RBid said:
That’s curious. I suppose it’s possible that the tweak in pivot tension may have made a subtle change in the line up of detent ball and detent hole. With the sample EZC I have, very slight changes in pivot tension lead to surprising amounts of change in blade centering, so I could see that change in position at the detent area effecting things.

Keep me posted as to whether it stays or breaks in differently?
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Thanks. This was on my Keen. My EZC is at my Post Office, with no one to bring it to me today! Your theory makes some sense. It was odd. Before the tweak to the pivot, it took very little pressure on the lockbar in order to make it very difficult to open (as has been discussed). Not now.
 
I hope she asked for a knife. I once gave a now ex-wife a fish poacher for Christmas. It didn’t go over too well.
 
So I installed the deep carry clip from my Ruike P801 on my Keen, and while i don't like the blue clip on the gray Ti scales, it is highly functional and deep carries well. I may have to get a custom deep carry clip for the Keen.
 
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