Gayle Bradley 2

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AH80s
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Gayle Bradley 2

#1

Post by AH80s »

I have just received a GB2 new and it has a very sticky lock. So much that it takes all my thumb strength and more to disengage it.
I don’t want to return it as I am in Australia.
Will this get better and is there a solution to improve it. I have tried the lead pencil and also a smidge of 5wt nano oil but neither has worked. Awesome knife otherwise.
Any help or advise appreciated.
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nerdlock
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#2

Post by nerdlock »

Hi! I live in SE Asia but I got my GB2 in the US too because of the pricing disparity. Like you I got mine with terrible lockstick. Which was too bad because the design and ergos, as well as the beefy build quality of the knife was great. I really loved how it looked like the more contemporary knife designs without sacrificing blade length and shape and retaining the trademark hole without a pocket-hogging hump at the back. It sucked that the lockstick was so terrible that it took both of my hands to disengage the lock.

Anyways, I may have a solution to your problem. It solved mine but it is quite risky and if not done properly, you could ruin your knife. Warning - I do not recommend doing this unless you are aware of the risks in possibly destroying the lock action but if you want to proceed then you have been warned. ;) This requires you to dismantle the knife (I used Youtube videos to do this, there are some out there). I sanded down the tang of the blade where it meets the lockbar face carefully until I had eliminated the extreme lockstick of the knife.

I'll try to post pictures later.
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Sharp Guy
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#3

Post by Sharp Guy »

Are you sure the lock is actually sticky or could it just be difficult to unlock because it's harder to access than most liner locks. Try pushing down with your thumb and then move the lock bar over. Does that change anything?

Regardless, I wouldn't do anything but keep using it. I've had a few knives with sticky locks and it went away completely after awhile
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nerdlock
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#4

Post by nerdlock »

When I first opened the GB2 after the terrible lock stick issue, I noticed it had this hollow in its tang/lockbar interface. I wasn't sure but it seemed that it contributed to the lock stick .


Image


I disassembled the knife,


Image


Then took 800 grit and 2000 grit sandpaper and some water, then carefully sanded off the tang, making sure I was doing it a few strokes at a time while maintaining the same level and angle (this is important because the tang and the lock bar interface interact at a certain angle). It really helps if you put the sandpaper on the edge of a table and run the blade tang over it, so that the sandpaper can maintain a level surface.


Image


Every few careful passes, I had to assemble the knife again and check if the lock stick has improved. This is important as you do not want to over-sand the tang and affect the lock action.


My end result is this,


Image


And after finally reassembling the knife, the lock stick is gone and the knife has a smooth locking and unlocking action and I can finally do it using one hand.

Again, strong words of warning using this method. I won't be liable for any irrepairable damage if this route is taken. But like I said, it worked 100% for me and the difference before and after is night and day.
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AH80s
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#5

Post by AH80s »

Sharp Guy wrote:
Wed Oct 14, 2020 7:12 pm
Are you sure the lock is actually sticky or could it just be difficult to unlock because it's harder to access than most liner locks. Try pushing down with your thumb and then move the lock bar over. Does that change anything?

Regardless, I wouldn't do anything but keep using it. I've had a few knives with sticky locks and it went away completely after awhile
Thanks Sharp Guy for the suggestion.
I realised after I posted that I should have said that I can access it sufficiently, sorry for that. It’s just the actual amount of force needed that’s the problem. I have found the easiest way is for me to use my left thumb.
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anycal
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#6

Post by anycal »

First day I had the knife, definitely got a sore thumb from getting used to it, and playing with it way too much. Not the easiest lock bar to access, so it takes a bit of a push. And although useful for the traction, the jimping can chew up your thumb if you keep using it all day... unnecessarily.

Once the initial fascination wore off, and as I now only open it when I need it (who am I kidding, still play with now and then), I don't have an issue with the lock and the access to it.

The above is not a complain. Just my experience and observation. The GB2 is a great knife. One of my favorites.
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AH80s
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#7

Post by AH80s »

Thanks everyone for the replies.
Appreciate the detailed post description Nerdlock. My tang appears flat enough, definitely no hollow point that I can tell. May resort to your solution further down the track.
I have done that before on another knife. Will persist with it for now. Cheers.
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AH80s
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#8

Post by AH80s »

anycal wrote:
Wed Oct 14, 2020 9:11 pm
First day I had the knife, definitely got a sore thumb from getting used to it, and playing with it way too much. Not the easiest lock bar to access, so it takes a bit of a push. And although useful for the traction, the jimping can chew up your thumb if you keep using it all day... unnecessarily.

Once the initial fascination wore off, and as I now only open it when I need it (who am I kidding, still play with now and then), I don't have an issue with the lock and the access to it.

The above is not a complain. Just my experience and observation. The GB2 is a great knife. One of my favorites.
Thanks anycal, I will re examine how I’m accessing it but I think it’s just getting stuck. The end of my thumb is definitely feeling it. Too soft maybe. :)
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#9

Post by nerdlock »

AH80s wrote:
Wed Oct 14, 2020 11:43 pm
Thanks everyone for the replies.
Appreciate the detailed post description Nerdlock. My tang appears flat enough, definitely no hollow point that I can tell. May resort to your solution further down the track.
I have done that before on another knife. Will persist with it for now. Cheers.
No problem. To be honest, I spent 2 weeks trying to wear down the lock stick by opening and closing the knife, thinking that it would wear out by itself and smoothen over time. Didn't happen at all. Did the pencil and Sharpie trick and while the pencil actually did work, after a while it went back to the old lock stick, in fact weirdly the lockstick became more troublesome after that. Chewed the tip of my thumb too. That's why I resorted to sanding down the contact areas. Of course your mileage may vary and try to carry it for 2-3 weeks, see if it will wear down to a more acceptable level.
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#10

Post by mikey177 »

With my thumb on the scale, I squeeze the locking liner with my index finger. This is how Michael Christy does it around the two-minute mark in the video below.

https://youtu.be/xbuGMQPN4rs
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#11

Post by Bloke »

G’day AH80s, where at Oz are you?
A day without laughter is a day wasted. ~ Charlie Chaplin
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AH80s
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#12

Post by AH80s »

nerdlock wrote:
Thu Oct 15, 2020 12:10 am
AH80s wrote:
Wed Oct 14, 2020 11:43 pm
Thanks everyone for the replies.
Appreciate the detailed post description Nerdlock. My tang appears flat enough, definitely no hollow point that I can tell. May resort to your solution further down the track.
I have done that before on another knife. Will persist with it for now. Cheers.
No problem. To be honest, I spent 2 weeks trying to wear down the lock stick by opening and closing the knife, thinking that it would wear out by itself and smoothen over time. Didn't happen at all. Did the pencil and Sharpie trick and while the pencil actually did work, after a while it went back to the old lock stick, in fact weirdly the lockstick became more troublesome after that. Chewed the tip of my thumb too. That's why I resorted to sanding down the contact areas. Of course your mileage may vary and try to carry it for 2-3 weeks, see if it will wear down to a more acceptable level.
Thanks. Will be putting up with it for now. :)
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AH80s
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#13

Post by AH80s »

Bloke wrote:
Thu Oct 15, 2020 12:21 am
G’day AH80s, where at Oz are you?
Brisbane
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#14

Post by Bloke »

AH80s wrote:
Thu Oct 15, 2020 1:18 am
Bloke wrote:
Thu Oct 15, 2020 12:21 am
G’day AH80s, where at Oz are you?
Brisbane
:cool:
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#15

Post by soc_monki »

Mine was very sticky, sometimes had to use quite a bit of force to unlock it. It is now smooth and easy to unlock. Just takes a bit of break in.
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#16

Post by AH80s »

soc_monki wrote:
Thu Oct 15, 2020 4:03 am
Mine was very sticky, sometimes had to use quite a bit of force to unlock it. It is now smooth and easy to unlock. Just takes a bit of break in.
Thanks, that’s something positive then.
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AH80s
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#17

Post by AH80s »

mikey177 wrote:
Thu Oct 15, 2020 12:14 am
With my thumb on the scale, I squeeze the locking liner with my index finger. This is how Michael Christy does it around the two-minute mark in the video below.

https://youtu.be/xbuGMQPN4rs
Thanks mikey. That or pinching between thumb and index of the left hand is the only way at present. Even then it’s hard.
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#18

Post by WRB »

Mine was sticky as well. Take a pencil and with the knife closed, draw on the part of the blade where the lock catches when the blade is open. It took a few applications for it to take permanent, but it smoothed it right up immediately.
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#19

Post by AH80s »

WRB wrote:
Thu Oct 15, 2020 11:11 am
Mine was sticky as well. Take a pencil and with the knife closed, draw on the part of the blade where the lock catches when the blade is open. It took a few applications for it to take permanent, but it smoothed it right up immediately.
Thanks WRB. Have tried that, but it didn’t help with this one.
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Re: Gayle Bradley 2

#20

Post by WRB »

I totally missed that in your original post. My bad. The lock is definitely the low point in the design. I'd like to see a CQI where they make it easier to access and actuate and smooth out the pointy bits. The knife would be a 10/10
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