Quote:
Originally Posted by Chad
I tested it as recomended by Mcharon slapping the spine against the table edge... it failed to stay locked open under even the most gentle of taps.
A dismal performance.
I will return to have work done on it.
Am I being unrealistic in expecting it to perform flawlessly, out of the box untill the day it suffers catastrophic failure due to metal fatige of the liner lock/spacer?
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Several comments, Chad. First, yes, it's unrealistic. I've had all kinds of folder locks fail, including lock backs and liner locks. You get a piece of lint under the lock and it doesn't close completely. Lubricant from the pivot can cause it to slip. The blood, the mud, and the beer don't help things.
Stabbing into the deer and (especially) hitting any bone is a job for a fixed blade, and it's unrealistic to expect a knife that is made to fold to do what a knife that can't fold will do. Folders are neat little utility slicing tools, not heavy duty stabbing tools. Unless you are very familiar with any given animal's anatomy stabbing may not kill it right away. As someone said, slicing a major blood vessel is better, and your folder is primarily a slicing tool. If you had been slicing with your knife it would not have closed on your finger.
That test of rapping the blade back on a table may indicate too little pressure from the lock bar or (more likely) less than optimal geometry between the lock bar and the blade, usually too steep an angle on the blade and/or too short a lock bar. However, this test never did thrill me. It sets up a vibration that can easily cause the lock to break loose. While a liner lock may be more susceptible to failing with this type of test, I've seen well made lock backs fail under a similar test. By all means send it back to the maker to see if there is anything he can do to strengthen the lock, but don't have unrealistic expectations that it won't ever close up under the same circumstances.
Lastly, I'm glad you are alright and that your finger will heal. Like you, I make my living with my hands. I have a nasty cut on my right thumb and trying to grind blades this last week has been difficult.
David