Silvanus
Gold Member
- Joined
- May 17, 2012
- Messages
- 1,623
Lock interface geometry is a huge factor in both lock security and lockbar lifespan, be it steel or Ti. This was likely a problem with a lot of the HD-7 models (not the XHD ones) because they had extremely fast lockbar wear. I'm going to guess that it was a geometry problem as they would go from about 20% lockup out of the box to touching the opposite scale within a week of mild use. If you see any sales threads with an HD-7 you will almost always see 100% or greater lockup.
Another thing to bring up with Ti lockbars is the fact that the lockface can be carbidized for heightened wear resistance. This does not make the Ti as resistant to wear as a steel lock, but it greatly increases the hardness and thus extends lockbar life much longer than an uncarbidized lockface. This gives you the light weight and corrosion resistance of the Ti without sacrificing too much in the way of lockup. In more "manual" opening folders (non-flippers, non waved, just opened with a thumbstud or similar) this can negate the need for a steel lockbar insert and thus save some money on both machining and materials. As far as I know Emerson does not carbidize their locks but I could be wrong about that. That said I've owned many Emersons made between 1998-present and I've never had a lockbar wear out or have issues, with the exception of the HD-7 I had. I use my knives, sometimes pretty hard, and they hold up very well over time.
Another thing to bring up with Ti lockbars is the fact that the lockface can be carbidized for heightened wear resistance. This does not make the Ti as resistant to wear as a steel lock, but it greatly increases the hardness and thus extends lockbar life much longer than an uncarbidized lockface. This gives you the light weight and corrosion resistance of the Ti without sacrificing too much in the way of lockup. In more "manual" opening folders (non-flippers, non waved, just opened with a thumbstud or similar) this can negate the need for a steel lockbar insert and thus save some money on both machining and materials. As far as I know Emerson does not carbidize their locks but I could be wrong about that. That said I've owned many Emersons made between 1998-present and I've never had a lockbar wear out or have issues, with the exception of the HD-7 I had. I use my knives, sometimes pretty hard, and they hold up very well over time.