Why Izzit?

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:52 am

I can't wait any longer to ask this, 'cause the curiosity is driving me nuts! Why is it that on some leverlocks(and it looks to me like all the Hubertus), there is what looks like a narrow, maybe 1/4" cut out slot with metal showing at the bottom of it? Some have it, some don't. What's the function or reason? For some reason, to me, this detracts from the appearance. And it's always on the front scale. I'm trying to learn to like yhis feature and maybe would if I knew its purpose. Maybe then I'll no longer steer away from these kinds of LL's, and not just go for the "smooth ones" as I call them! Thanks, dudes!

hawk

Post by **jim d,** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:10 am

Blackhawk,

If I understand your question correctly, it is the spring that holds the lever in its upright position. It can be either exposed or covered.

Jim

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:46 am

Thanks jim d. I guess it's just a personal preferrance. I'm new and awaiting my first LL next week. Plan to get several more, as well.

hawk

Razor_54 · Post by **Razor_54** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 4:19 am

I kind of like the exposed spring, got used to them over the years. You can also make your own scales and customize them to your own personal tastes. LeverLocks make a very good edc. I've been carry a Leverletto every day since i got it.

Mr_Guano · Post by **Mr_Guano** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 7:20 am

On the "smooth ones" the material covering the spring slot can sometimes be very thin in order to give the spring enough room to lift.
I'd think that it would make it more prone to breaking/chipping the scale, but I can't recall ever hearing about that.
My experience is limited, but I do have a few "closed" LLs that I've carried,
and never had one break (at least not in that place).

I also carried a Leverletto until I Falconized it.
Very nice knife.

G

JerrBear · Post by **JerrBear** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 3:48 pm

Blackhawk wrote:I can't wait any longer to ask this, 'cause the curiosity is driving me nuts! Why is it that on some leverlocks(and it looks to me like all the Hubertus), there is what looks like a narrow, maybe 1/4" cut out slot with metal showing at the bottom of it? Some have it, some don't. What's the function or reason? For some reason, to me, this detracts from the appearance. And it's always on the front scale. I'm trying to learn to like yhis feature and maybe would if I knew its purpose.

Mr. Blackhawk,

I think this is a mos' excellent question, and not adequately answered.

I, too, dislike the exposed spring. I think the exposed spring definitely detracts from the appearance of a knife and makes it look "unfinished." Since customizers seem to have no trouble putting scales on them that enclose the spring, apparently, there is no mechanical reason for them to be exposed.

Perhaps Mr. Bill DeShivs would be so kind as to weigh-in on this as his Leverletto is so designed...

Post by **tr4252** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 4:06 pm

To each his own, I guess. I was just looking at a Leverletto, and noticed that the slot is about .060" from the surface of the scale to the spring. Then, when I depressed the lever, the spring projected another .030" or so. If you mortised for the spring with an .090" deep slot on the underside of the scale, then had it covered by another 1/32" or 3/64" of scale material, that scale would have to be well over 1/8" thicker than it is. The one on the other side would have to be the same thickness, if you wanted them equal, and the knife would end up being a 1/4" or more thicker.

Then I got out the Forum Old Fashioned, the one with the briar scales. It has the covered spring, and measures about 3/16" thicker than the average Leverletto. If you push the lever down until the blade flicks out, everything is fine, but I noticed that the lever has enough travel that if you were to continue pushing, the spring would go still higher, and probably crack that thin section of the scale.

I prefer a thin knife, personally, and kind of like the exposed spring because it looks more businesslike and deadly to me.

Just my opinion.

Tom

JerrBear · Post by **JerrBear** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 4:16 pm

tr4252 wrote:To each his own, I guess. I was just looking at a Leverletto, and noticed that the slot is about .060" from the surface of the scale to the spring. Then, when I depressed the lever, the spring projected another .030" or so. If you mortised for the spring with an .090" deep slot on the underside of the scale, then had it covered by another 1/32" or 3/64" of scale material, that scale would have to be well over 1/8" thicker than it is. The one on the other side would have to be the same thickness, if you wanted them equal, and the knife would end up being a 1/4" or more thicker.

I prefer a thin knife, personally, and kind of like the exposed spring because it looks more businesslike and deadly to me.

Just my opinion

Mr. tr4252,

AH SO!

In other words, the exposed spring allows for a thinner, lighter knife. That makes sense...

(I still can't be liken it!

).

Thank you!

Post by **tr4252** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 4:25 pm

Hi Jerr,

Aesthetics aside, I don't see how it makes much of a difference. If you like the covered up spring, and don't mind a thicker knife handle, your opinion is at least as valid as mine.

Funny you should mention the word unfinished. The way that the scales on most knives are so much thicker than the bolsters, and are then just abruptly cut off where they meet, looks unfinished to me. You'd think they'd at least chamfer the ends of the scales or something, so that the transition would be more planned-looking.

Any way, I respect your preferences; 20 million knife collectors can't be wrong.

Tom

Teddy · Post by **Teddy** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 4:37 pm

Here's a pic...

The one on the left is the Leverletto... the other is the "Old-Fashioned" Forum Knife ... personally I find the forum knife cumbersome and unwieldy... it's difficult to know which way the blade is facing purely by holding it... as it's virtually square ... the Leverletto feels very natural to grip and requires no thought whatsoever to open and use... I find the metal strip adds a little "something" to the character of the knife.. I have another leverlock that's a fair bit bigger than the "Old-Fashioned" and that one doesn't suffer from the same problem... as it's much wider than it is deep.

Just my 98 cent's worth
Teddy

Teddy · Post by **Teddy** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 4:40 pm

PS...

I also have a very-much older LL that I used to carry at work and that avoids the problem completely by doing away with the spring that stops the lever from flopping about.... it's VERY much slimmer..

Best wishes
Teddy

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