Questions about the Benchmade Axis Lock

Does axis locks wear out?

  • Yes, like any other locks

  • Probably not for a long time

  • Don't know

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Bobchicken1201

Joined
Nov 6, 2018
Messages
71
Hi guys, I've been lurking around here for about a year and finally have questions that I haven't seen asked:
1. Any locking mechanism on knives will wear out eventually. Frame locks, liner and compression locks wear out by the locking tab going to the right. How does the Axis lock wear out?(If the lock wears out by the bar moving forward then this leads to my second question)
2. If the lock bar keeps moving forward then would it be long for it to hit the washers?(right now it seems like it is less than a millimeter until it hits the washers on my mini grip) https://imgur.com/a/YRTigFC if you need more pics pleas tell me.
3.Are stronger/stiffer homemade omega springs gonna wear out the lock faster(the stock ones broke.:confused:)
Sorry for the long thread and thank you for those of you who read it. I recently acquired a pm2 and a mini grip and the hype was real:), the pm2 is so dropshutty. Anyhow, please reply if you have any answers to my question(s). Any help is appreciated!
Have a great day:thumbsup::)
 
I think the most likely wear would be a broken spring or jammed mechanism from dirt or sand in it.

But it would take neglect or many thousands of cycles.
 
I doubt an Axis lock would "wear out". Broken Omega springs sure, but that little Axis bar and blade tang should last a LONG time.
 
It's also worth reminding that if it ever DID break, you'd be fine, as long as you had a back-up knife for when it was at Benchmade awaiting repair or replacement.

That warranty is part of why they're so expensive for their spec.
 
X2 on the Omega spring ^^ Easy fix and I hear they send them to you for free but I could be mistaken.
 
I have a 707 that is about 15 years old and opened thousands of time. Tight and strong as the day I got her.

RKH
 
Far as I can tell axis locks "wear out" by the springs breaking.

BUT
And that is a mighty big but.
Pretty much only (?) from using the Axis from one side; just a thumb instead of index finger and thumb.
Have you been doing that ? Is that why your spring broke to start with ? ? ?

I don't fidget my axis locks (much) and I am confident mine will last the rest of my life / or thirty plus years.
Along those lines I used to not take some of my threaded and heat treated aluminum sports equipment apart as often as I would have liked to stave off "wear" on the threads.
Now that I am an old fart I have thrown caution to the wind and swap parts with abandon. And you know what ? After twenty years of this cavalier behavior the parts still fit super well and I have detected no noticeable wear in the threads.

What I am saying is use it and don't worry about it.
 
Wowbagger said:
Far as I can tell axis locks "wear out" by the springs breaking.

BUT
And that is a mighty big but.
Pretty much only (?) from using the Axis from one side; just a thumb instead of index finger and thumb.
Have you been doing that ? Is that why your spring broke to start with ? ? ?

I don't fidget my axis locks (much) and I am confident mine will last the rest of my life / or thirty plus years.
Along those lines I used to not take some of my threaded and heat treated aluminum sports equipment apart as often as I would have liked to stave off "wear" on the threads.
Now that I am an old fart I have thrown caution to the wind and swap parts with abandon. And you know what ? After twenty years of this cavalier behavior the parts still fit super well and I have detected no noticeable wear in the threads.

What I am saying is use it and don't worry about it.
Click to expand...
It broke because I rinsed out the knife after cutting something nasty and forgot to spray compressed air and i think the springs rusted then broke.
 
Smaug said:
It's also worth reminding that if it ever DID break, you'd be fine, as long as you had a back-up knife for when it was at Benchmade awaiting repair or replacement.

That warranty is part of why they're so expensive for their spec.
Click to expand...
I would rather buy cheaper benchmade knives than having the over-the-top wonderful warranty because I don't send my knives in for warranty after one f them got lost in the mail. Thank you for the reply.:D
 
Last edited:
If you have already seemingly fixed the problem, just what are you asking?

Yes, the omega springs break. They are easily replaced. Don't overthink it.
 
Was the wire you used Spring Steel? Spring steels are purpose made with low-alloy manganese, medium-carbon steel or high-carbon steel with a very high yield strength. In other words they are made to bend/deform or return to their original shape. If you made something that is working then good on you and no the extra tension will not make the blade wear out faster but if I were you I would contact BM and have them send you some Omega springs anyway. BTW nice job on the MacGyver fix:thumbsup:
 
AntDog said:
If you have already seemingly fixed the problem, just what are you asking?

Yes, the omega springs break. They are easily replaced. Don't overthink it.
Click to expand...
I did fixed A problem but another one( i think) popped up: how long does the axis lock wear out and if the bar moves forward even more and hit the washers, what can i do? :(
 
Night Rider said:
Was the wire you used Spring Steel? Spring steels are purpose made with low-alloy manganese, medium-carbon steel or high-carbon steel with a very high yield strength. In other words they are made to bend/deform or return to their original shape. If you made something that is working then good on you and no the extra tension will not make the blade wear out faster but if I were you I would contact BM and have them send you some Omega springs anyway. BTW nice job on the MacGyver fix:thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Thank you but fixing omega springs will probably not gonna match up with MacGyver:). I contacted benchmade but they insisted that I have to send the knife to them because I live in the U.S. I don't send knives in for warranty because I lost one in the mail:(.
Thank you for the reply
 
If you need new omega springs, get some. If you have to send the knife in, do it. So you lost a knife sending it in. It happens. That's why you insure packages.

If it happened once, you probably have great odds of it not happening again.

If you are unwilling to send your knife in, then you are stuck cobbling your own springs together. Not much more I can say, seems pretty cut and dry at this point.
 
AntDog said:
If you need new omega springs, get some. If you have to send the knife in, do it. So you lost a knife sending it in. It happens. That's why you insure packages.

If it happened once, you probably have great odds of it not happening again.

If you are unwilling to send your knife in, then you are stuck cobbling your own springs together. Not much more I can say, seems pretty cut and dry at this point.
Click to expand...
Yeah.... I think I'm stuck making my own springs.:(. Thanks for the reply tho:thumbsup:, I'll probably man up and send this knife in at some point in my life:confused:
 
Bobchicken1201 said:
I did fixed A problem but another one( i think) popped up: how long does the axis lock wear out and if the bar moves forward even more and hit the washers, what can i do? :(
Click to expand...
The washers are on the inside of the liners and the Omega springs are on the outside of the liners and the lock bar can only travel forward till it hits the blade. No way can it hit the washers.
3m3ks9i.jpg
 
Night Rider said:
The washers are on the inside of the liners and the Omega springs are on the outside of the liners and the lock bar can only travel forward till it hits the blade. No way can it hit the washers.
3m3ks9i.jpg
Click to expand...
Yeah, but I'm wondering if the axis lock can wear out the part it makes contact of the blade and then move forward and hit the washers. I'm probably worrying too much:confused:. Thanks for the reply and picture:thumbsup:. BTW which BM knife is that, it's beautiful.:)
 
Bobchicken1201 said:
Yeah, but I'm wondering if the axis lock can wear out the part it makes contact of the blade and then move forward and hit the washers. I'm probably worrying too much:confused:. Thanks for the reply and picture:thumbsup:. BTW which BM knife is that, it's beautiful.:)
Click to expand...
Thanks it's a Grizzly Creek. That slot on the back is a Gut hook
XEACPyI.jpg
 
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