Just received my Tempest, love it. But am I wrong when I worry about the blade smacking the inside of the handle? I try to be aware of this when closing the knife but feel for the money I paid I should not have to baby it. Suggestions anyone?
Jeff
Tempest question
-
Michael Janich
- Member
- Posts: 3289
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Longmont, CO USA
- Contact:
Dear Jeff:
The guts of the Tempest are a little different than most liner locks, so what you categorize as "smacking the inside of the handle" may be normal. Also, if you are used to lockback knives and this is your first liner lock, you may be used to having a bit of "spring" in your blade in the closed position.
If you look at the heel of the Tempest's blade (the part of the edge near the handle), you'll notice a small choil or scallop. The forward-facing part of this choil, which kind of blends into the shape of the front of the handle when the blade is open, serves as the "kick" for this knife. The kick is the part of the blade that contacts the inside of the handle to protect the edge.
Inside the handle, directly beneath the locking bar, there's a small ramp. It's actually part of the inside slot of the handle. When the blade is closed, the kick surface of the choil bottoms out against the ramp. When done with authority, there is an audible metal click. However, if your knife is made properly, the click is caused by the contact of the kick, not the blade edge.
With a lockback knife, the kick typically extends below the blade edge and contacts the lock bar. If you close the knife and push on the back of the blade, the kick pushes against the spring-loaded lock bar and you'll feel some give. This doesn't happen with a liner lock. (OK, for you Spydernuts out there, I know it doesn't happen with Spydercos either because they use a flat kick that completely bottoms out on the locking bar and doesn't have spring in the closed position. Relax.)
I've been carrying my original Tempest since mid-1998 and have probably opened and closed it more than any other Tempest user. When I really work the knife hard and fast, I open and close it inertially. Although I have succeeded in getting the blade edge to slightly touch the inside of the handle with snap closings, the fact that the edge is much harder than the aluminum handles left the edge unaffected. Over time, these hard closings produced a slight mark on the inside of the handle, but the knife remains extremely tight and functional and the edge is unharmed.
If the edge of your new knife is actually contacting the inside of the handle when the blade is casually closed, something is wrong with the knife and it should be returned for warranty repair or replacement. MOD is very good about this and stands behind their product.
I hope this helps.
Stay safe,
mike j
The guts of the Tempest are a little different than most liner locks, so what you categorize as "smacking the inside of the handle" may be normal. Also, if you are used to lockback knives and this is your first liner lock, you may be used to having a bit of "spring" in your blade in the closed position.
If you look at the heel of the Tempest's blade (the part of the edge near the handle), you'll notice a small choil or scallop. The forward-facing part of this choil, which kind of blends into the shape of the front of the handle when the blade is open, serves as the "kick" for this knife. The kick is the part of the blade that contacts the inside of the handle to protect the edge.
Inside the handle, directly beneath the locking bar, there's a small ramp. It's actually part of the inside slot of the handle. When the blade is closed, the kick surface of the choil bottoms out against the ramp. When done with authority, there is an audible metal click. However, if your knife is made properly, the click is caused by the contact of the kick, not the blade edge.
With a lockback knife, the kick typically extends below the blade edge and contacts the lock bar. If you close the knife and push on the back of the blade, the kick pushes against the spring-loaded lock bar and you'll feel some give. This doesn't happen with a liner lock. (OK, for you Spydernuts out there, I know it doesn't happen with Spydercos either because they use a flat kick that completely bottoms out on the locking bar and doesn't have spring in the closed position. Relax.)
I've been carrying my original Tempest since mid-1998 and have probably opened and closed it more than any other Tempest user. When I really work the knife hard and fast, I open and close it inertially. Although I have succeeded in getting the blade edge to slightly touch the inside of the handle with snap closings, the fact that the edge is much harder than the aluminum handles left the edge unaffected. Over time, these hard closings produced a slight mark on the inside of the handle, but the knife remains extremely tight and functional and the edge is unharmed.
If the edge of your new knife is actually contacting the inside of the handle when the blade is casually closed, something is wrong with the knife and it should be returned for warranty repair or replacement. MOD is very good about this and stands behind their product.
I hope this helps.
Stay safe,
mike j
I have been carrying the same Tempest almost every day since 1998.
If I look at the butt of the knife, with the blade closed, the point rides well above the inside of the handle. There are no wear marks on the inside of the handle, and no indication that the edge of the blade is contacting the inside of the handle.
The knife is held shut by a detent, for added safety. You will see a small hole at the base of the blade. With the knife open, it is just above and in front of the pivot pin. When you close the knife, the detent engages with a distinct click. Perhaps that is what you are hearing.
Qship
If I look at the butt of the knife, with the blade closed, the point rides well above the inside of the handle. There are no wear marks on the inside of the handle, and no indication that the edge of the blade is contacting the inside of the handle.
The knife is held shut by a detent, for added safety. You will see a small hole at the base of the blade. With the knife open, it is just above and in front of the pivot pin. When you close the knife, the detent engages with a distinct click. Perhaps that is what you are hearing.
Qship
-
Michael Janich
- Member
- Posts: 3289
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Longmont, CO USA
- Contact: