David Boyle dents on lockbacks

[paladin]

Obviously, we're in disagreement. It's just easier to feel it. It's not like we're handicapped and need it to find the lock. It also feels better to me pushing on a curve than flat. I had to smooth the edges on my Chap's lockbar. Would have made a Boye dent if the cutout was curved, not angular. Yet, the Natives feel fine.

Without looking, I'd say the Native's lockbar is a little thicker stock than the Chap's.

So pushing on a piece of thinner stock is definitely less comfy than pushing on a more substantial piece, Boye dent notwithstanding.

If I remember Junior High physics correctly...pressure is force exerted over a certain area...so, a thicker lockbar would require less pressure to disengage than a thinner one, all other things being equal < a huge assumption, I admit :o --- but still >.

Likewise, in my totally anecdotal, otherwise non scientific, and probably totally biased < > opinion it would seem to me that a Boye dent could marginally add a bit of comfort in lock bar disengagement because the thumb pressing force is spread over a larger area of the dent's arc.

Insert eye roll :rolleyes: ... but suffer just a moment more with me because when you think about the density of nerve endings in your fingertips, even a seemingly insignificant increase in area for the force to be applied could lead to some noticeable added comfort. I know, I know....totally first world issues. :rolleyes:

However, I do concede that those Delicas in the post above are so butt ugly <because of the off-kilter dents>, the sheer ugliness would negate any added comfort advantage for me, real or imagined. Seriously, those are so bad they needed to be sold at the Factory Seconds Sale.

[Sharp Guy]

I have a bunch of knives with the Boye dent and I kind of like it. However, I do agree with Zenheretic that it would look a little nicer if the dents in the lock bar were centered in the cutouts in the scales. I've always assumed that the placement was by design. If so I have no problem with that. I'll take function over form any day.

On knives I have without it (several Natives and a Chap) I don't miss it at all. I have no problems releasing the locks and they look nice. Although the Chap was kind of hard on the thumb until I took it apart and corrected the problem.

[Sirens1]

I personally would like to see either jimping on the DBDent or jimping in its place.

[marboleda]

Just got my first Native, a cruwear Native 5 Knifecenter exclusive. I love the thing, and it is very ergonomic but I very much wish it had a Boye dent. In fact, this is my first and last Native unless a Boye dent is reintroduced (I believe it was present on some previous models).

Here's why: I am a knife user with large sized miscular and callused construction worker hands, and I collect only knives I will actually use. I got this Native 5 for the steel properties and the hype of how great a knife it was. The first time I picked it up I got it in my natural 4 finger grip (the handle barely barely fits my paws) and laid into some wood, nothing special nor particularly hard, and the blade felt like it came loose there was so much vertical play! I stopped cutting immediately and just put the blade on the wood and put some pressure and the same thing happened, massive vertical blade play. I thought I got screwed with a defective knife with bad lockup the blade was moving so much but when I grabbed the blade with the other hand and wiggled it there was nothing, no play whatsoever. After examining the issue again I realized that there is no possible way to hold the knife in a full grip and put any substantial pressure whatsoever without depressing the lock bar a little bit and introducing significant blade play, a LOT of play actually. Withput the dent there is no possible way to prevent my hand muscles from pressing into the lock bar a little bit, not enough to actually unlock the blade, but enough to make it FEEL unlocked during use. Because of this the knife is really only a very light duty gentleman's folder or collection showpiece and cannot be put to actual use doing real work.

[Robbob]

Just got my first Native, a cruwear Native 5 Knifecenter exclusive. I love the thing, and it is very ergonomic but I very much wish it had a Boye dent. In fact, this is my first and last Native unless a Boye dent is reintroduced (I believe it was present on some previous models).

Can you add the dent yourself?

[Evil D]

Much easier to add one than to remove it.

[Notsurewhy]

Took a close look at my native 5 and I think the reason it doesn't have a dent is that you have to depress the lock bar almost to the bottom of the scale cutout before the lock disengages. If there was a dent, it couldn't be very deep or you wouldn't be able to disengage the lock because you'd bottom out first. I'm pretty sure that had to do with the very deep and secure engagement of the native's lock design.

Personally I've never had any use for the dent. It's there on some knives and doesn't bother me, but I've never noticed any advantage to it. I think it’s aesthetically ugly, but it hasn't and wouldn't keep me from buying a knife that appeals to me otherwise.

[Sharp Guy]

Took a close look at my native 5 and I think the reason it doesn't have a dent is that you have to depress the lock bar almost to the bottom of the scale cutout before the lock disengages. If there was a dent, it couldn't be very deep or you wouldn't be able to disengage the lock because you'd bottom out first. I'm pretty sure that had to do with the very deep and secure engagement of the native's lock design.

I remember Sal saying awhile back that some models won't work well with one. I assumed the Native was one of those. I was going to pull out one of my Natives for a closer look but you beat me to it.

[James Y]

I like the David Boye dent, as it helps me to locate the lock bar for unlocking without having to look. I can do that with Spydercos without the Boye dent, such as my Police 4 LWT, Native 5, etc., but I still prefer the dent wherever it's possible to have one.

That said, either my average-sized hands or my grip method must be different, because I've never even come close to accidentally depressing a lockbar while using a mid-lock/back lock knife. And I have a pretty strong grip.

Jim

[Hardbawl]

When in doubt get the knife out! I just now pulled out my Native. Point # 1: When the lock bar is depressed to release the blade, I have a fat 1/32" of the bar above the scales. This does not allow much of a "dent" for this knife. Point # 2: With my eyes tightly shut, I have no problem locating the sweet spot on the lock bar to unlock the knife. My fat thumb feels the ample dent in the scales. Conclusion: If it aint broke, don't fix it.

[Sumdumguy]

I like the Boye dent. At first, I was not a fan because I didn't like the look. However, after comparing two similar models, I can say with certainty that there is an advantage to having it.

The models in question are the Calypso VG-10 and Caly 3.5 SB.
I had the lock on the Calypso be slightly disengaged by the meat between my thumb and index finger. The disengagement wasn't severe enough to unlock the blade, but there was the possibility.

FF to the Caly 3.5, same force being applied and the dent provided just enough of a void in the lockbar so that the meat of my hand filled it rather than pushed against it.

Now, the Baby Horn does not have the dent and I absolutely love that knife. On knives that small, I can take or leave it. On anything larger, that will see serious work, the dent serves a purpose and should be there for safety.