New Para 3 lock "catching"...

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Pcexbird
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New Para 3 lock "catching"...

#1

Post by Pcexbird »

When I use my spydie hole to open it normally and gently with my thumb the lock is firm yet doesn't "grab" much when I engage it to close

When it's flicked open or deployed rapidly the lock is then tough to press and it very much "grabs" or almost sticks until it breaks free. So much so it actually is audible when I press the lock from this friction.

Please help, it's a brand new knife from a reputable seller and I'm hoping this is new knife blues?

If not is there a solution
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Rymanz
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Re: New Para 3 lock "catching"...

#2

Post by Rymanz »

This is called "lock stick" and is not a big deal. It will get better with time as you use the knife. Not uncommon with comp lock knives.
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Pcexbird
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Re: New Para 3 lock "catching"...

#3

Post by Pcexbird »

Confession: When this "lock stick" started happening I tried to resolve it and like an idiot I loosened up the pivot a bit and then there was blade play... I tightened it back up "snug" and no more blade play

But did I mess up the locktite they put on it (if they did) I don't want to mess up the knife? I know in the future to leave it alone and let it break in. Does it need to be taken apart and re-loctited?
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metaphoricalsimile
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Re: New Para 3 lock "catching"...

#4

Post by metaphoricalsimile »

Pcexbird wrote:
Sun May 08, 2022 1:44 pm
Confession: When this "lock stick" started happening I tried to resolve it and like an idiot I loosened up the pivot a bit and then there was blade play... I tightened it back up "snug" and no more blade play

But did I mess up the locktite they put on it (if they did) I don't want to mess up the knife? I know in the future to leave it alone and let it break in. Does it need to be taken apart and re-loctited?
If it loosens up again, you can clean the pivot screw with rubbing alcohol, re-loctite, adjust to the desired level of smoothness/play, then let sit for a say so the loctite actually sets up. That being said, I have disassembled knives without reapplying loctite and had them maintain my desired action, so it's not always necessary.
Pcexbird
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Re: New Para 3 lock "catching"...

#5

Post by Pcexbird »

It's strange that when I finesse the opening ... Open her slowly she closes like butter (like double drop close) with purrrfect detent. But when I snap her open like a madman she acts up. Maybe she likes being handled with care
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Evil D
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Re: New Para 3 lock "catching"...

#6

Post by Evil D »

It'll usually get better over time. You have two pieces of metal that are wearing into each other's shape.
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metaphoricalsimile
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Re: New Para 3 lock "catching"...

#7

Post by metaphoricalsimile »

Pcexbird wrote:
Sun May 08, 2022 2:39 pm
It's strange that when I finesse the opening ... Open her slowly she closes like butter (like double drop close) with purrrfect detent. But when I snap her open like a madman she acts up. Maybe she likes being handled with care
It's not strange at all. When you open the knife fast, the lock bar springs open faster, so it wedges against the lock face with more force.
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Accutron
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Re: New Para 3 lock "catching"...

#8

Post by Accutron »

metaphoricalsimile wrote:
Sun May 08, 2022 3:15 pm
It's not strange at all. When you open the knife fast, the lock bar springs open faster, so it wedges against the lock face with more force.
That's not what's happening. No matter how slow or fast you open a comp lock, the lockbar is going to move across the lock face at the same speed. When you flick a comp lock hard, the higher amount of force acts on the very slight amount of flexibility in the system. This causes the lock face to rotate slightly farther downward than with a slow roll opening, allowing the lockbar to move slightly farther across the lock face.
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Re: New Para 3 lock "catching"...

#9

Post by Ramonade »

Pcexbird wrote:
Sun May 08, 2022 2:39 pm
It's strange that when I finesse the opening ... Open her slowly she closes like butter (like double drop close) with purrrfect detent. But when I snap her open like a madman she acts up. Maybe she likes being handled with care
My PM2 does the same. The lockbar is actually getting a bit higher because of the force put in the blade when "flicking" it open. You can try untightening and retightening every screw, putting some graphite with a wood pen, playing with the pivot screw and the stop pin screw to reduce the lock stick.

I've rotated the stop pin many times before finding a point in wich lock stick is reduced. Then, I've tried to find a balance between tightening of the pivot screw and stop pin screws. Then, I added some graphite to the lock face on the blade tang. There is still lock stick, but nothing like there was before.

Otherwise, you can use your knife for some time and the lockstick will diminish, and maybe go away completely once the lock interface is polished by the repeated friction and chocs.
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Re: New Para 3 lock "catching"...

#10

Post by metaphoricalsimile »

Accutron wrote:
Sun May 08, 2022 3:54 pm
That's not what's happening. No matter how slow or fast you open a comp lock, the lockbar is going to move across the lock face at the same speed. When you flick a comp lock hard, the higher amount of force acts on the very slight amount of flexibility in the system. This causes the lock face to rotate slightly farther downward than with a slow roll opening, allowing the lockbar to move slightly farther across the lock face.
That does make more sense!
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