Difference in types

MidnightMarauder

January 29, 2022 04:52

[@mention:690239965978035438] posted:

what is the difference between the axis assist and the auto assist?

Welcome lonestar! So on both Axis Assit and Axis Auto models, you see the Axis Lock mechanism - that’s the double-sided switch in each side of the knife, located in the bolster. That mechanism is pushed forward - towards the blade of the knife - on every Axis-equipped Benchmade knife, but depending on the type of knife, it performs one or more functions.

1. On all Axis-equipped knives, when the blade is closed, the Axis lock keeps the blade in the closed position with some amount of tension.

2. Also in all Axis-equipped knives, when the knife is open, the Axis lock keeps the knife open with more than just tension - it completely locks the knife open and the only way to close the blade is to pull back on the Axis lock to release a bar that slides across the pivot area of the blade inside the knife and prevents it from closing.

3. Once you get past those two constants, you have three different types of Axis-equipped knives - Axis Lock, Axis Assist, and Axis Auto.

a. A knife described as simply an “Axis Lock” knife is a fully manual knife. This means that when the knife is closed, the Axis mechanism uses a bit of spring tension to hold it closed, when you flick the thumb stud hard enough, you can push past that resistance and flip the blade open where it will then lock in place. You can alternatively pull back on the Axis lock when the knife is closed and release the tension holding the knife closed and it will freely swing out of the closed position. Most Benchmade knives fall into this category (such as the 940 and the Bugout).

b. A knife described as an “Auto Axis” knife is a fully automatic knife. This means that when the knife is closed, the Axis mechanism actually does more than just use spring tension to hold it closed - in the Auto Axis, the Axis mechanism locks the blade closed. The blades in these knives lack holes or thumstuds in their blades because they would be incapable of opening the knife. To open the blade on an Axis Auto, you pull back on the Axis mechanism and the blade fires out the side into a fully open position and locks open. Much like an Axis Lock manual knife, you then pull back on the Axis Lock to disengage the lock - then you would push the blade closed. Closing the blade requires pressure since you are re-coiling the spring inside the knife that fired the knife open. Benchmade makes different kinds of automatic knives (push button, out-the-front, etc…), but there are some popular Auto Axis knives. The full-size Auto Adamas 2750, the Auto Fact 4170, the Mini Rukus auto 6150, and the Bedlam 8600 are all Auto Axis knives. All of Benchmades automatic knives have a 4-digit number, but not all Benchmade autos use an Auto Axis mechanism. Side note that fully automatic knives have a lot of legal issues depending on your state’s laws.

c. A knife described as an “Axis Assist” knife is somewhat in between and Axis Lock and and Auto Axis knife. This means that when the knife is closed, the Axis mechanism still uses a bit of spring tension to hold it closed just like it does in a manual Axis Lock knife. However, much like an automatic knife, there’s a spring inside the pivot of the Axis Assist knife. Usually Axis Assist knives will have a thumb stud on the blade that is used to open them…again like the Axis Lock manual knives. However, when you push out on the thumb stud of an Axis Assist knife, you feel some resistance - the knife tries to pull itself closed. However, once you push the thumb stud past about 10 degrees, the knife’s spring kicks in and fires the knife open into a locked open position. It takes very little pressure on the thumb stud for this to happen. That’s the “Assist” - it’s assisting you in opening the knife unlike a manual where you have to do all the pushing open. Closing the blade requires pulling back the Axis mechanism and then putting pressure since you are re-coiling the spring inside the knife that fired the knife open - in this way it is just like an Auto Axis knife. Benchmade makes different kinds of Axis Assist knives (flippers and thumb stud models). The most well-known Axis Assist knife is probably the Barrage (which uses a thumb stud). Assisted knives can feel a lot like Auto knives BUT assist knives don’t lock closed using the Axis mechanism (whereas the auto knife does lock closed with just the Axis mechanism) and auto knives only require putting pressure on a single spot to open while assisted knives require you to manually start to open the knife yourself and then having the assist take over.

There are several other novel and infrequently used lock and assist types that Benchmade has used in the past, but that covers the “Axis” mechanism.

Hope that helps!

4

lonestar

January 29, 2022 07:33

Thanks, that is just what I needed. I'm new to the knife world, so I'm starting with the basics.

1

billhammer

January 29, 2022 11:10

/|\ MM great explanation 👍🏻

3

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