Sounds like too much tension on the lever to me.

derSammler wrote:

Sounds like too much tension on the lever to me.

The lever does lift quite easily up to a point, and after that it takes a considerable amount of force and a pop to lift up completely. Why, I do not know. Mechanically something may be going on in the socket..

You could always pop the sliding part of the socket off, and take a closer look inside. I'd guess there's something stuck behind the contact plates, preventing them to give way for the pins when you close the socket, or perhaps the plates themselves being seated too low, so the plastic frame blocks them. Should be obvious once you got the sliding part removed.

Open the socket (lever upwards) and insert a small flatblade screwdriver in one of the slots along the edge on the side opposite to the lever. Pry the edge outwards/upwards. The plastic is durable, but don't use too much force, it should come off quite easily. Repeat on the other slots if needed.

Oh, and the additional force needed to open the lever completely is due to how the lever itself is designed, it has nothing to do with the force applied to the pins, that is still linear. Will also be obvious once you pop the socket open 😀