Should the compression lock idea just be abandoned?

[The Deacon]

longer length of the locking insert would make it much more vulnerable to twist :) I believe one of the underlying principles of the design is that all of the forces are close to the pivot and are in a straight line :)

Unless the locking arms on the new ones are considerably shorter than those on the Lil Temp and ATR, I don't think it would make the locking insert longer, Charlie. OTOH, I agree it probably wouldn't be a good idea. I think it might make the lock impossible to close reliably because there'd be more chance of the arm flexing between the release tab and the "business end" of the arm. It would also give you less leverage, and reduce the movement of the tab, both of which would likely result in greater effort being needed to unlock.

[kbuzbee]

I love compression locks and find them incredibly easy to use but really hard to design a knife around. I have been doing my darndest to modify my knife design to utilize a compression lock. Dialex and Michael Janich have climbed that ladder, and I am working to follow in their footsteps in knife design.

Is there a "hint" buried in there, brother?

Ken

[spydie fanatic]

I absolutely love the compression lock on my para2. I can easily open and close the knife with one hand; I don't understand why so many people don't like it. :confused:

Maybe I'm just gifted with ninja skills to open/close it easily??? :p

[dbcad]

Unless the locking arms on the new ones are considerably shorter than those on the Lil Temp and ATR, I don't think it would make the locking insert longer, Charlie. OTOH, I agree it probably wouldn't be a good idea. I think it might make the lock impossible to close reliably because there'd be more chance of the arm flexing between the release tab and the "business end" of the arm. It would also give you less leverage, and reduce the movement of the tab, both of which would likely result in greater effort being needed to unlock.

I hear you Paul :) The only model I have with a compression lock is the Superleaf.On the Superleaf there is no horizontal cut in the liner that serves as the locking insert, only a single vertical cut about 1/2" from the pivot. Looking at the knife in locked position I can see the locking liner, full width, flexing back to the pillar that anchors it.

My concern about twist is much less revelant. I was assuming incorrectly that the locking insert was not full liner width and the liner had a horizontal cut as well :o My mental picture was incorrect :o We all learn :)

Agreed that moving the tab back 1/2" or so would make it more difficult to reliably unlock the blade. It feels right that the "business end" of the liner/insert is right at the lock tab.

[Onionman]

I assume that this thread was started just to elicit a response, since the compression lock has IMO opened the door to all kinds of new designs for pocket knives. The Junior, my favorite knife and the most ergonomic knife I have ever used, would not have been possible if not for this lock. So mission accomplished kgriggs8, you got us talking, but the idea of abandoning the compression lock is absurd.

I think I'll now start a thread touting the benefits of knife abstinence.

[dbcad]

RFLMAO.....very well put :D

[Jazz]

Abandoning it is absurd, but it needs to be easier to use with the thumb. I have been using my Para 2 all week by the way. It's definately not my favorite lock, but I trust it, so I just try to get over it's wierdness in closing.

- best wishes, Jazz.

[Zenith]

My friend is left handed and has no issues. Neither do I. Different strokes for different folks.

[Gary W Graley]

Well, not totally against that lock, although, hmm it is a show stopper for me to buy one with it, so, maybe I really am?
I think it's just my ignorance, of which my kids will vouch for that when I had one in house for a visit, I'd pinch myself when using it, I'm sure it's just a learning curve kind of thing to get the hang of using it, but, for me the regular liner lock, integral lock or mid lock work better for my inept fingers :)
And I think the idea of the start for that style of lock was to keep your fingers from the path of the knife as you go to close it, making it a safer knife to close?

I prefer the integral lock, my favourite right now is the PPT, while not listed as an integral, the 'liner' is above the scales far enough that when you grip the handle, you also would be gripping the lock bar, aiding in keeping it closed while in use.

just my two cents...
G2

[Evil D]

This entire mess of a thread could've been avoided if the OP had just done a 3 second search for "favorite lock" which would have yielded this very recent thread about this subject which clearly shows the compression lock winning the poll with almost 4x the amount of votes as the second favorite lock. I find it amusing as i sit and fondling my Yojimbo 2 and can easily close it left handed, since i'm a very dominantly right handed person. Some people either love to stir the pot or refuse to learn new things.

http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... e-tell-why

[psychophipps]

I'll freely admit that I was pretty "meh" on the compression lock when I first tried it. It's not close to as easy to close one-handed as other lock types and if it wasn't randomly slapped onto some otherwise excellent knives, my world wouldn't be a dimmer place without it. I think that the excellent blades that the compression lock has been a part of has driven it's popularity far more than the locking mechanism itself. Can you honestly say that the Paramilitary would be any less of the excellent blade it is if had an, also MBC-rated, CBBL that is more intuitive to use and far more lefty-friendly?

[Mr Blonde]

I was curious about the compression lock when I got my first one on a Li'l Temperance, but I loved it since. I consider the lock very lefty or ambi-friendly. The ball lock is better IMO, because to me it disrupts the handle design less than a compression lock.

[Evil D]

I'll freely admit that I was pretty "meh" on the compression lock when I first tried it. It's not close to as easy to close one-handed as other lock types and if it wasn't randomly slapped onto some otherwise excellent knives, my world wouldn't be a dimmer place without it. I think that the excellent blades that the compression lock has been a part of has driven it's popularity far more than the locking mechanism itself. Can you honestly say that the Paramilitary would be any less of the excellent blade it is if had an, also MBC-rated, CBBL that is more intuitive to use and far more lefty-friendly?

If we only go by the poll that was created here which clearly shows that at least among us Spyderco forum users, the lock has 4x the amount of votes as any other lock, why would it be the knife itself that drove the popularity and not the lock? Wasn't that poll asking what is your favorite lock design, not knife design? I can see where a popular knife would also make a lock design popular, but just because a person loves the Para 2 doesn't mean the CL will automatically be their favorite lock design because of it. Take me for instance, i prefer the CBBL lock over the CL, despite liking the Para 2 much more than the Manix 2. In fact, i owned a Manix 2 and loved the lock but sold the knife because i didn't like anything else about it except the lock. I bought the knife because i liked the lock, but couldn't get past not liking the rest of the knife.

Do you think the popularity of the Para 2 is enough for people to overlook a lock that they don't like? That poll seems to suggest otherwise. If the majority of Para 2 users couldn't stand using the lock, why would they keep buying them? Consider this...maybe the popularity of the Paramilitary is because of the LOCK more so than the rest of the knife. If the Para debuted with a back lock, do you think it would be as popular? I don't, even though it would be more lefty friendly. I can tell you this much...it took me years to buy a Military, but if the Military had a CL, i'd have owned one years sooner.

So, to answer your question, i think lock design drives knife sales more so than the rest of the knife itself. Personally i don't see anything appealing about 99% of Benchmade folders except the lock itself. The knives and their designs do nothing for me. I think if the Para 2 was a back lock, it wouldn't be nearly as popular of a knife.

I bet Spyderco could print their own money with a compression lock Stretch..

[The Deacon]

The Junior, my favorite knife and the most ergonomic knife I have ever used, would not have been possible if not for this lock.

Really? I realize conventional liner framelocks would not work, but I'm hard pressed to understand why a midlock wouldn't.

[JCP1969]

I think the OP is right. I took an outside poll. Everyone I have talked to outside the forum. family, friends, acquaintances and passer byers have all said they don't care about the compression lock. Then again they said. What the **** is a compression lock and who is Spyderco? J/K

James

[Onionman]

Really? I realize conventional liner framelocks would not work, but I'm hard pressed to understand why a midlock wouldn't.

Not knowing about lock design myself, no one has said that putting a midlock on this knife is impossible. However, just from what I heard on past threads and descriptions of this knife from Alex and Sal, the Junior did not become a realistic knife design until the idea to apply a compression lock came into play. Even in the description on Spyderco's website says "Position of the guard in the G-10 handle leaves little room for a locking mechanism and a Spyderco Compression Lock is added for its compact components and impressive strength." So I am sure someone with more knowledge about designing locks could elaborate, but it appears the compression lock was required for the Junior.

[Blerv]

The Comp Lock was likely the only way to give the Junior an "extra heavy duty" lock rating without making it weigh 5oz. The lockback would also have a more aggressive self-close which probably went against the thought of kids using it. <--- All speculation of course.

[DeathBySnooSnoo]

The ball lock is better IMO, because to me it disrupts the handle design less than a compression lock.

I think that can be said about every other lock type...and I agree and that is why I would like to see the tab moved a bit to move it outside the area where thumbs are used.

[LC Kid]

Hi folks!

The compression lock, the answer to the question nobody was asking. What's the point of it?

Really? :rolleyes:

My old man would've said: 'This Is a Misinformation Statement...'


The Compression Lock must be the BEST folder knife lock design made in the last 15 years. Period.

You may like or not, but you just can't denied this.

The strenght, security and confidence it has is unsurpassed. And is one of those very few locks that disengages the blade when you release it, making the closing of the blade way easier and without having to move your fingers in the edge way.

Obviously you can't use this lock in every kind of folder. But if you really want to lock a real user blade, that one that you could even trust your life to, this is it. Hands Down.

[Minibear453]

I don't like the compression lock and I stick to my liner locks. Just easier for me. And the cut out for the compression lock kind of breaks up the whole knife's flow in my opinion. I've found liner locks the easiest to use, aside from the AXIS lock, but we don't talk about that here do we? . I do admire the compression lock's strength though. It's probably a bunch stronger than the liner lock, but since I don't feel as if I need all that strength, I just stick with the liner.