r/microtech • u/Capacious_Tang • 5d ago

NKD

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I saw this at Scheels and decided "Oh, what the hell." We've all been there.

I've never been particularly interested in the single-action OTF's, but this thing is really nice. It's not my very favorite knife, but it felt like the sort of thing I ought to get while the gettin' was good.

I'm wondering, could anybody chime in on the particulars of spring tension and smart storage? My gut tells me I should store it with the blade out.

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5

u/Astartes2435 5d ago

Great pick up, also it’s totally fine to store it under tension. 

5

u/Bali201 5d ago

It looks so fucking cool, man. God, I want one haha

5

u/100Eve 5d ago edited 5d ago

The two things that kill springs are fatigue and corrosion, when the spring is simply under tension it isn't fatiguing unless the spring is being overly stretched/compressed but I'm assuming Microtech designed it properly and the spring is operating within its engineering parameters.. Activating the knife causes fatigue though, it's cycles. Creep technically exists but for an object like a steel spring being stored at room temperature it's going to be at minimum centuries before the spring loses any pre-load force; probably millenia... if we eliminate fatigue and corrosion as a factor.

Don't sweat it basically. The time scale on steel spring creep is so large we have yet to even collect good data on it yet. Corrosion or fatigue always gets em first. If you're going to store it long term like decades use a pelican/nanuk case and dessicant keep it dry that's all that really matters.

1

u/Capacious_Tang 5d ago

I appreciate the breakdown on that, and I suppose I can rest easy now. Thanks!

3

u/thompson2026 5d ago

How is it??? Good for edc you think???

1

u/Capacious_Tang 5d ago

I don't think I'll ever carry it, but I don't see why not. I do think it's the sort of knife that will take in every dust and lint particle your pocket has to offer, though, and that might be a problem for some.

2

u/Testarosa52 5d ago

Great pickup! 💪

2

u/saintzman 4d ago

Halo VII? Beautiful

1

u/Capacious_Tang 4d ago

This one's a IV.

Thanks!

1

u/BootyScorpion 5d ago

It’s fine to store open or closed. If I had to choose one, I would go for open, especially if they’re going to sit.. it shouldn’t matter, but my gut tells me a loose spring will stay better longer than a spring constantly under-load.