Axis Locks Wear Out, Too

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PoserHoser

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Had a griptillian wore out the axis lock and it never got used for anything but cutting.
 
floorit76 said:
I'd like a further explanation of "wearing out" an axis lock.
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I don't want to derail the thread but I would too. Ive been curious about that style of lock and was thinking of buying something just to try it.





From the OP:
Looking for a quality fixed blade between 3-4 inch blade. Must be quality steel somewhere around 154cm hardness would be ideal. Knife will be batoned <snip>
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I have to give this more thought too.... I don't think Ive ever considered baton-ing a 3-4" blade. But then again, I haven't really batoned much.
 
I've carried an axis (940) for 5 years, using it several times daily. Hard use, 'm an electrician. The only thing worn out on the knife is the finish on the pocket clip.
 
Ditto to the above. My Griptillian is 7 yrs old of daily carry and going STRONG.

To get back to fixed blades though, How about a Becker BK11. About $35, and really as strong as anyone could hope for knife. And if you do somehow manage to break it, it's so far below your budget, that you could get a replacement. I don't see breaking one, short of absolute, unjustifiable abuse though.
 
I'd like a further explanation of "wearing out" an axis lock.
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It was opened and closed thousands of times. Lint and fine gravel mixed together becomes pretty abrasive to the internals of a folding knife. Just carrying one for 5 years isn't going to wear it out like a knife that gets used for cutting in sand and gravel.
As far as using a knife as a prybar iv'e only used them for that when it was all I had.
Just need a tough knife under 4 inches with good edge retention for hard use and edc.
 
What part of the mechanism failed?
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Nothing "failed" knife is just extemely lose at locking and yes it's been tightened . Friction just slowly wore the internals down to a point were they don't lock up as tight.

Currently looking at the ESEE 3. Thanks for the suggestions.
 
I live on and work frequently in sand, dirt, and mud. My knife goes in the creeks and rivers in my pocket when we canoe, camp, dirtbike, etc. How long, and where, under what conditions did you damage your knife? There is only one moving part, and one spring involved in an axis, it makes no sense to say that it "wore out" without further explanation.
 
The springs rust out on the axis lock. The only way to prevent that is to take it completely apart and clean it frequently. It works good though....but when a spring goes it's a paperweight.
 
Seems i stumbled into a Benchmade fanboy forum:rolleyes: The knife was a great little knife it just became too loose for my preferences. Same thing happened with my SOG Spec Elite I. Thats why im looking for a sturdy fixed blade. If a knife works for you thats great. I have my own preferences for knives.
 
No need to resort to name calling, tongue in cheek or not. Noone attacked you, or tried to convince you the axis were superior to whatever you choose. A few of us asked you for further explaination, and gave our own experiences.
 
...became too loose for my preferences.
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A folding knife can become loose in at least 3 ways I can think of, and each of them means something a little different.

When you say it's loose, do you mean that when the knife is locked it is:

...loose in terms of side-to-side motion (wiggles from side-to-side)
...loose in terms of forward or backward motion (play toward/away from the point of the blade when locked)
...loose in terms of motion along the cutting direction axis (has play in the closing/opening direction when locked)
 
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No need to resort to name calling, tongue in cheek or not. Noone attacked you, or tried to convince you the axis were superior to whatever you choose. A few of us asked you for further explaination, and gave our own experiences.
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When the blade is locked it will rattle if shaken. Where the top pin meets the blade is where its worn down. The knife still works fine it just to loose for my taste. Never said anyone attacked me and i appolgize for the sarcasm; I was raised with humor. Theres your explanation.
 
I would guess that installing an oversized lock bar would take up the slack that the mechanism has developed over the years. I would further guess that if you sent it back to Benchmade they would do the work at no charge. I think the service folks would be happy to see a knife that needs service due to years of honest use as opposed to the ones they normally get that were reassembled improperly or used as pry bars.
 
It's currently MIA ,but when i find it i'll try and post some pictures. I got more than my moneys worth out of the knife and would buy another one anyday for a lightweight EDC.
 
When the blade is locked it will rattle if shaken.
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Is the play side-to-side, forward and back (along the spine of the blade) or up and down (along the cutting direction)?

If the play is forward to back, your only option would be to send it back to the manufacturer for a new pivot. The pivot hole in the blade could be worn, but if that's the case the only real option would be replacement.

If it's side-to-side, you may be able to tighten the pivot screw and eliminate the play.

If it's up and down (in the opening/closing direction) and the blade extension shows wear where the locking button crossbar engages it, then you may be able to fix it by using a needle file to extend the channel that the locking button rides in forward to allow the crossbar to move farther up the blade extension to a point where the blade extension is not worn. If the blade extension doesn't show wear then replacing the locking button crossbar should fix the knife.

I agree that the knife company would very much like to see the knife and would likely be willing to replace or repair the knife at no charge. As mentioned, seeing a knife worn out by hard use provides them with valuable data.
 
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PH, I'd still send it back to Benchmade if you find it. They have excellent customer service and I'm also confident that they'd like to see one of their folders that has seen true hard use. Benchmade, like any other serious manufacturer, wants to see the examples of their products that have been used the hardest out in the wild. That's the only way they can analyze a failure or weakness, and correct or improve it on future models.
 
I'm still using my Benchmade D2 910 Stryker, going on decade #2 if I'm not mistaken. However, if my liner lock Stryker ever wears out, I'll give an axis lock a shot (only because they no longer make my 910). I do drool copiously at the sight of the Benchmade 730-801.

Sam Cade, that visual of the axis lock answered a lot of the questions I had yet to ask. It looks to be a beautifully simplistic design. Thanks for posting that!
 
I'm amazed that it took until post #19 before it was suggested to return it to Benchmade. Aside from quality and liking the design of the axis lock the lifetime warrantee is a major reason I spent $120 on a knife for the first time in my life when I bought my Griptillian 6 years ago. There's no reason Benchmade shouldn't be able to make it right, if/when you find it.
 
My mini griptilian has had two sets of springs replaced. It needs a third, but I haven't sent it in again yet. It chewed through the latest set of springs with very little use, and very few openings and closings, as I barely used the thing for over two years while hospitalized and recovering.

The lifetime warranty is great. Benchmade's service is great. But the knife cost me $69 plus tax, and after the next trip, I'll have spent nearly half that in shipping it to Benchmade. (They've picked up the return shipping.)

Also, the last time they sharpened it for me, which screwed up the edge, which is a PITA to fix on the hard 154CM steel. (They do this as a free courtesy, whenever they service a knife. However, it seems not all of their sharpeners are equally skilled.)

All that said, I'm convinced I just have a weird knife. I haven't found anyone else who has had so many springs blow. I'm not rough on the thing, either, use it for light cutting and don't flick it open or any other nonsense. I do like the lock, and may one day pick up a higher end axis lock knife. For now, I carry a Spyderco Byrd traditional lockback or a Buck Vantage linerlock. I'm not spending any more on fixing my lemon knife. One of these days, I may see if I can find replacement springs and fix it myself.
 
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