Native 5 salt lockbar tightness

[sengel]

https://youtu.be/KUN_XFmfp48

Comparing the action of a few Spyderco backlocks. The Native 5 salt stands out a little bit.

[bbturbodad]

It'll loosen up with use, or you can loosen the pivot a bit. The N5 Salt is known to be pretty stiff from the factory but yours looks like tighter than most.

[sengel]

It'll loosen up with use, or you can loosen the pivot a bit. The N5 Salt is known to be pretty stiff from the factory but yours looks like tighter than most.

I actually don't think it's the pivot. If I clamp down all the way on the lockbar the blade will swing pretty freely until it contacts it again. Adjusting the tension didn't seem to do much. It's smooth, just a lot of tension pushing down on the tang. I'll give it time, and if that's the way this knife is that's the way it is. It's not tactical or anything so it's not a huge issue

[Doc Dan]

If you can get inside under the lock bar there is a spring. If you move it out or in a bit it changes the tension on the lock bar. Try that and let us know how it goes.

[Leksy]

Check this topic out: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=83339

IIRC, Salt has some difference over standard Native 5:
- much stiffer spring
- slightly different (improved?) pivot
- uses only T8 screws, coated for corrosion resistance

Stiffer = more detent force = safer for carrying, for example IWB with a board shorts, etc..
also that means less blade play.
T8 = more reliable than T6, more comfortable to service the whole knife with only one driver.

Overall I believe that stifness is not a bug, but a feature. Love my N.Salt, it feels sturdy and solid in hand.

[sengel]

Check this topic out: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=83339

IIRC, Salt has some difference over standard Native 5:
- much stiffer spring
- slightly different (improved?) pivot
- uses only T8 screws, coated for corrosion resistance

Stiffer = more detent force = safer for carrying, for example IWB with a board shorts, etc..
also that means less blade play.
T8 = more reliable than T6, more comfortable to service the whole knife with only one driver.

Overall I believe that stifness is not a bug, but a feature. Love my N.Salt, it feels sturdy and solid in hand.

I actually saw that thread first, which pretty much convinced me it's a design choice, or at least common. It's just so different from the others that it caught me off guard. There is no conceivable way this thing is opening or closing without deliberate effort, even in the absence of a boye dent.

Oh and dan, that's probably my only option, but I know I'd screw it up somehow so I'll probably just use it as intended

[Leksy]

To my mind it's definitely a conscious choice, doubt there was any problem for Spyderco to use that "old" spring.
For another example, I would not swim, workout or climb on trees with PM2 or Para 3 LW or (even more so) some assisted knife IWB, but I do it without any worries carrying Native Salt :)

[pantagana23]

It'll loosen up with use, or you can loosen the pivot a bit. The N5 Salt is known to be pretty stiff from the factory but yours looks like tighter than most.

No, it's the lockbar spring. When I press my lock on N5 Salt, blade goes down freely, even can be wiggled a bit side to side, and the pivot is tightened to max.

The other thing I noticed on my N5 Salt is that the upper part is not completely perpendicular to the sides, it falls to one side.

[Evil D]

Try putting a little lube in the lock bar where the lock bar pivot is. There's a lot of friction in that spot from the scales pinching against the sides, some lube will loosen it up. It's a spot most people overlook when lubing their knives.

[TenGrainBread]

My Native 5 Salt has one of the easiest-to-depress lock springs of my Spyderco backlocks. Huh.

[James Y]

I don’t have a Native 5 Salt, but I do own a couple Native 5’s, and the ones I have are not overly tight. Individual variances.

If the lock bar is too tight, you might try leaving it halfway open for an hour or so. I did that with a Cold Steel Code 4 (Triad Lock; basically a back lock on steroids), whose lock bar was too tight; it was so tight I left it half-open overnight to loosen enough to become comfortable to unlock. I cannot imagine a Native 5 would take even close to that much time.

Jim

[FourStringFiend]

In actual use I use a slow roll to open a Native 5. They require more force to flick open than any of my other lock backs.
If you do want to flick it open.
- a couple drops of lube could help
- less sideways wrist flick
- more thumb power (see link)
https://streamable.com/23boqk

[TenGrainBread]

In actual use I use a slow roll to open a Native 5. They require more force to flick open than any of my other lock backs.
If you do want to flick it open.
- a couple drops of lube could help
- less sideways wrist flick
- more thumb power (see link)
https://streamable.com/23boqk

EDIT wrong thread

[JRinFL]

My N5 Salt is the same way with constant spring tension on the tang. I believe Michael Janich said the N5 is designed differently from other lock backs. My N5 is not flickable with normal effort. Lubing and use have not reduced the effort and I also believe it is designed to function this way. I have no worries about this one opening unless I make the conscious effort to open it.

[Michael Janich]

Dear Sengel:

The tang shape of the Native 5 is different than all the Japanese-made back locks it's compared to in the video. Although they're all back locks, the engineering of the Native 5 is different. It emphasizes lock strength over "flickability." Also, the Native 5 is "humpless," so the leverage point for the Round Hole is lower than blades with humps. That also makes it less "flickable."

There's probably nothing mechanically wrong with your knife, it's just different.

Stay safe,

Mike

[James Y]

Personally, I’ve never understood nor cared about flickability or ‘drop-shuttiness’ in a knife. As long as the action is decent and the lockup is solid has always been fine with me.

Jim

[Evil D]

I think I've had five Native 5s at the house now and they're definitely harder to open than other back locks, especially compared to the Rock Jumper. A big part of it is the leverage, as Mike mentioned.

[Lumpy]

I bought two and they’re both stiff, though I opened up one and bent the spring ever so slightly. Definitely made a difference, it’s a fair bit smoother now. Not flickable or anything but it’s less stiff than the untouched one.

[Sharp Guy]

I think I've had five Native 5s at the house now and they're definitely harder to open than other back locks, especially compared to the Rock Jumper. A big part of it is the leverage, as Mike mentioned.

I think I currently have 10 (5 LWs + 5 other variations) and they don't seem any harder to open that the Seki back locks I have. I've had a couple LWs that were kind of stiff at first but I loosened the pivot a tiny bit and they're fine now. Maybe I'm just used to them

As far as flicking a back lock. It's a non-issue for me. It seems like it's hard on the lock and I've read it's a good way to induce lock rock. So I don't do it on any of my back locks

[Wartstein]

In actual use I use a slow roll to open a Native 5. They require more force to flick open than any of my other lock backs.
If you do want to flick it open.
- a couple drops of lube could help
- less sideways wrist flick
- more thumb power (see link)
https://streamable.com/23boqk

This.
And you vid shows quite perfectly what I always struggle to explain in words...
The key for flicking more "stubborn" folders is really to do as if one wanted to shoot the whole blade out the front of the handle with the tip of the blade still facing backwards.
So the thumb does a forward, and not a sideways motion as much as possible.