Paramilitary 2 difficult to disengage lock?

cougar337 · #1

I picked up my Para2 from the SFO yesterday and I love all the updates they have made to the Paramilitary but disengaging the lock is really difficult! I thought I could just work through it and have it loosen up over time but I really don't think that would happen.

so is it common for it to be so difficult to disengage the lock? How many have had this issue?

I took my Para2 back to the SFO today, they have also had some reports that some of the locks are difficult to disengage but it's hit or miss. The 3 others they had in stock all were difficult as well. I hope to go back when they have more in stock to see if I can find one that isn't a pain to close.

I LOVE everything else about the Para2 and all the refinements they have made so I hope to have one again soon.

SpydieZ · #2

It goes away with use. Mine was like that now I've broken it in it is as smooth as my para 1

gbelleh · #3

Mine was smooth and easy out of the box, but has smoothed out even a bit more. Now it's just about exactly like the PM1.

catamount · #4

Open and close it with both hands a few hundred times. It will break in and close nice & smooth. A little bit of a pain, but totally worth it for a knife this sweet.

I had a similar experience with my Yojimbo and Superhawk, so I don't think it's unique to the Para 2.

SecSpyral · #5

it starts off a little stiff, which is a good sign btw. The lock "sticks" to the blade but the more you disengage it, the less "sticky" it gets. Ask anyone who has ever owned a Strider framelock and they'll tell you the same thing; you have to break it in....and mine is FULLY broken in haha

dc50 · #6

Mine came totally smooth out of the box. This one, has both Sal's and Eric's sig's together on the blade,which makes it awesome-errr! :D

Scottie3000 · #7

Is it more the stiffness of the lock spring or the "sharp corner" people have commented on that is the problem?

alancamby · #8

For me it was not the stiffness. More the fact that the lock tab had to be firmly pushed agaist the scale. Increasing the tab width would have helped, and it would be nice if the knife unlocked just before hitting the scale. I need to check in on my Para 2 (that I sold) next week to see how it is doing before I vote.

STR · #9

If it has to be closed purposefully its a good thing. Makes it that much more unlikely to happen by accident in my mind. I only see this as a problem for anyone that sits around flipping their folder opened and closed a lot. If you just pull it out when you need it its no big deal.

STR

alancamby · #10

STR wrote:If it has to be closed purposefully its a good thing. Makes it that much more unlikely to happen by accident in my mind. I only see this as a problem for anyone that sits around flipping their folder opened and closed a lot. If you just pull it out when you need it its no big deal.

STR

Still, it would be nice if the lock tab was at least extended torward the blade (looking at it when open). My mind wanted me to press on the tab as close to the blade as possible to get more leverage. Mayby I am wrong but I can't see extending this tab as a possible safety problem.

Pneumothorax · #11

Scottie3000 wrote:Is it more the stiffness of the lock spring or the "sharp corner" people have commented on that is the problem?

My Para 2 lock was nice and smooth, but since the tab is kinda small, the corner came into play. I took my sharpmaker rods and rounded the corner a bit.

cougar337 · #12

Scottie3000 wrote:Is it more the stiffness of the lock spring or the "sharp corner" people have commented on that is the problem?

alancamby wrote:For me it was not the stiffness. More the fact that the lock tab had to be firmly pushed agaist the scale. Increasing the tab width would have helped, and it would be nice if the knife unlocked just before hitting the scale. I need to check in on my Para 2 (that I sold) next week to see how it is doing before I vote.

Pneumothorax wrote:My Para 2 lock was nice and smooth, but since the tab is kinda small, the corner came into play. I took my sharpmaker rods and rounded the corner a bit.

I have to agree with alancamby The spring is on the stiff side but I am ok with that by itself, it was the fact you has to push the lock bar against the scale to even get the blade to unlock added to the stiffness of the spring it is rather tough. It seemed that that the first Para had some room to go beyond where it 'needed' to unlock from and that made a difference (to me).

Pneumothorax - that is really good information, I may have to do just what you suggested once I buy another Para2

It's interesting to see peoples responses and all the input is GREAT! If it's just a matter of it loosening up over time I can live with that, I just didn't want to commit if that was how the Para2 was going to be.

If anyone else has had experiences or an opinion I would sure like to hear it, lets keep this going.

BigBrad75 · #13

Mine will be here wednesday, I'll vote then!

gbelleh · #14

BigBrad75 wrote:Mine will be here wednesday, I'll vote then!

You finally found one? :)

It seems there is some variation between examples of these, at least in this early production run. Mine was never stiff and doesn't require pressing uncomfortably hard against the frame to disengage the lock. The action is almost exactly the same as the Para1.

I do have a Yojimbo that had a very stiff lock (similar to some of the descriptions of the stiff PM2 lock). But it has since loosened up nicely.

markg · #15

STR wrote:If it has to be closed purposefully its a good thing. Makes it that much more unlikely to happen by accident in my mind. I only see this as a problem for anyone that sits around flipping their folder opened and closed a lot. If you just pull it out when you need it its no big deal.

STR

Yea what he said.

Stony · #16

I voted no, I think mine is easier to close than the original Para I have.

BigBrad75 · #17

STR wrote:If it has to be closed purposefully its a good thing. Makes it that much more unlikely to happen by accident in my mind. I only see this as a problem for anyone that sits around flipping their folder opened and closed a lot. If you just pull it out when you need it its no big deal.

STR

I'm one of those guys that just sets there and opens and closes a new knife the first few days I have it. Maybe more if I fall completely in love with it, like I'm hoping to do with the Para 2. It left LA tonight via Priority, so I'm hoping like **** it'll be here by Wed.

BlackNinja · #18

Yes, my Para2 is a pain in the a$$ to close! :mad: I’m pretty disappointed as this knife cost me $170 + via store credit (because of a lock problem on a Kris that couldn't be fixed)! What are people doing about this problem?

The Para1, IMO, is a much better knife than the Para2.

BigBrad75 · #19

Well, I'm proud to say that I received my Para 2 today (finally). The lock on it disengages very smoothly. I must say that I was starting to get a little worried after hearing a lot of you say that they stick at first, but I took it out of the package and... smooth as silk. I've tested it out a good forty of fifty times already, and there was only once that it kinda stuck on me, but not very badly. I'm extremely pleased with mine at the moment. It's everything I had hoped for and more, thanks yet again Sal and Eric!

catamount · #20

BlackNinja wrote:Yes, my Para2 is a pain in the a$$ to close! :mad: I’m pretty disappointed as this knife cost me $170 + via store credit (because of a lock problem on a Kris that couldn't be fixed)! What are people doing about this problem?

catamount wrote:Open and close it with both hands a few hundred times. It will break in and close nice & smooth.

:spyder: :spyder: :spyder:

Spyderco Forums

Paramilitary 2 difficult to disengage lock?

Is your Paramilitary 2 difficult to disengage the lock?

Paramilitary 2 difficult to disengage lock?