I'd say lock strength is very important to me. You can do a lot of cuts with a slipjoint and good technique. Where a strong lock saves you are the edge cases where you have limited access/range of motion. Sometimes you don't have the freedom to use the best technique. In those instances I like knowing I have a reliable lock keeping my fingers safe.
I think I mostly agree, but think about it in terms of reliably more than ultimate failure strength. I think all the locking knives i own have locks that are plenty strong for what I do.
By reliability i mostly mean unlikelihood of accidentally unlocking in use.
Last edited by Enactive on Fri Jan 03, 2020 6:12 pm, edited 2 times in total.
I can't think of too many things I care less about in a pocket knife. If I'm concerned about the lock failing, I'm using the wrong tool for the job. Fixed blades exist for a reason.
“Very” for me, but only if there is a lock to form a dependence/habits on. Any Spyderco lock will do, though I prefer midlocks (especially Golden ones) and compression locks.
With a slipjoint, I don’t look for something not there. I know beforehand never to put uncontrolled downward pressure on the spine.
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100% depends on context and use. I lived many years with slip joints and I don't have a need for spine whacking so I've never had a lock fail and the locks I use I don't see it happening so it's not a concern.
If it’s strong enough to be reliable it’s fine. Extra strength past that is more for peace of mind in a potential emergency, but is unlikely to ever actually be necessary.
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Top 5 folders I’ve owned: Serrated Caribbean Leaf, Shaman, Manix XL, ZDP-189/CF Caly 3.5, Native LW.
Top 5 steels I’ve owned: LC200N, K390, CPM S90V, M390, CPM REX45.
Top 3 steels I want more of: M390 class, A11 class (including K390), CPM REX45.
I can't remember the last time I used my pocket knife in a manner in which I would truly benefit from having a lock. While I do appreciate locks, especially Demko's Tri-Ad lock (I'd love to see this on a Sage someday), I don't think I'd care much if all my folding knives became slip joints with strong back springs. Though, there is peace of mind provided by a lock.
I'm more concerned about detent/self-close bias and ease of opening/closing. Generally, backlocks fill the bill for me.
I am enjoying the Spy-DK and Pingo right now, but... if it’s a locker I’m using, to heck with liner locks. I don’t trust them, they don’t have a strong, secure close detent, and that ball can wear out quite fast, in my opinion . Back lock any day... and don’t call me the back lock brigade. Not cool, and I’m not trying to stir up crap. :rolleyes:
Realistically, I wouldn’t trust any lock, if I had to, in self defence, stab, and contact something hard. Glad I don’t ever plan on it. It’s a scenario when you’d need a strong lock, though.
1) It takes extremely precise machining, QC, and geometry to make a good lock. So they are a sign of quality and craftsmanship.
2) The different designs and engineering that goes into locks makes knives 1000x more interesting. At least for me they do, but I find slip joints boring.
3) Sorry for the car analogy. But I find the "My slip joint is good enough" to be like saying "The drum brakes stop my car just fine, why would I want disc brakes?" Yes if your slip joint is used safely it will still cut, but locks do allow for harder use and more peace of mind.
4) Slip joints are either stupidly overpriced for any decent quality, or they are the same quality as a gas station special. You get way better value for your money with locking knives.
There is nothing wrong with slip joints, some places in the world people can only carry slip joints.
There are some very nice modern ones on the market too like the Chris Reeve Impinda as an example.
Also Spyderco makes some and there are quite a few more traditional, but with more modern material ones on the market today.
Some of us here grew up using only slip joints, I didn't get my 1st locking knife until I was 16 back in the 70's, but still had and carried slip joints most of the time.
I don't remember when I started really carrying locking folders all the time, I think it was sometime in the early 90's.
Lock strength is very important logically otherwise why have a fixed blade? Liner locks have significant advantages and that they can be open back construction. That can be handy. However they are not very strong compared to other lock types. When I workEd heating and air-conditioning in new construction and when we had Our small ranch we discouraged people from using Linerlocks as I have seen them fail and people get cut severely many times. Of course it’s best not to trust any lock but sometimes you have to. If I’m going to have to put my faith in a lock it’s going to be one that’s strong.
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I voted very important....but after few days I think it would less then very important but more then somewhat important.
My first Spydie was PM2 (gave it to my dad) and I really enjoyed the comp locks.....But, after buying Native Chief I discovered backlocks and I like them better, mainly for lack of detent and bias to closed position. I carry my knives IWB and backlock keeps the blade closed better then detent on comp lock or liner lock.
Only exception I want to make from no-detent-for-me-rule is Military with some tool steel or Caribbean.
I still want to try CBBL, most likely in XL Manix.
In the pocket: Chaparral FRN, Native Chief, Police 4 K390, Pacific Salt SE, Manix 2 G10 REX45
I have an extremely strong preference for locking knives, simply because they generally require less effort to open and close than conventional slip-joint folders. Within that category, I have a very strong preference for Spyderco knives with midlocks. That's because the midlock is hand neutral and reasonably easy to open and close, because it places the lock release in an easily accessible position for one hand closing, and because it has the strongest bias to closing of any lock Spyderco uses on their non-automatic folders.
However, in terms of lock strength, all I require (but what I absolutely require) is that the lock keeps the blade from closing in normal use. To me, that means I should be able to press on the blade's spine as hard as I can with my thumb without causing the blade to close and that a blade that becomes "stuck" in something I'm cutting can be wiggled free without causing it to close.
I think a lot of people are conflating lock strength with reliability. To me they are different concepts. Strength = how much force can be applied to the lock before it bends or breaks to the point of failure. Reliability = does the knife lock every time and not get disengaged accidentally. Reliability is important to me, strength just isn't. Strength of any lock I've seen is more than sufficient my for my needs as long as it is reliable.
I think a lot of people are conflating lock strength with reliability. To me they are different concepts. Strength = how much force can be applied to the lock before it bends or breaks to the point of failure. Reliability = does the knife lock every time and not get disengaged accidentally. Reliability is important to me, strength just isn't. Strength of any lock I've seen is more than sufficient my for my needs as long as it is reliable.
Well said. That's exactly what my question was about, however, it's still interesting to see what people think of locks in general. So far, I'm surprised at how wrong my prediction was.
I chose “very” but like many have posted I’m more interested in reliability than strength per say. All things being equal I want high strength. On slippies like the Urban or my SAKS I know the tool and use it accordingly. Haven’t had an injury from folding the knife up in use since Boy Scouts where I learned how to use a knife. I like the Axis lock, and have never had a spring failure. I like the compression lock very well, no issues there. And I’ve rekindled an affection for the back/midlock. But I’m not particularly fond of liner or frame locks. The only liner I have is a cruwear millie; the only frame lock I have is a Kershaw Leek. That one is too thin and slippery to hold and I never use it.
I’d also agree that different locks are interesting, and reflect the quality of craftsmanship. For the most part I have no interest in traditional slipjoints. I despise nail nicks; I’ve had knives I could barely open, others I had to open one blade to get the desired blade out. Like trying to pick up a dime off a marble floor with freshly cut fingernails. No thanks. Some knives have a long deep groove instead of the crescent sliver nick; those are much easier to open.
I’ll share something regarding a lock’s brute strength and safety that I have shared before in another thread(s).
Brute strength-wise, the Cold Steel Triad lock is arguably the strongest. That said, IMO, there is a danger in many of those models, and that is during the unlocking/closing phase. Back in 2015, I had a Cold Steel Code 4 close on my right index finger (and it’s admittedly my own fault) while foolishly trying to one-hand close it. It got my finger right on the last joint, cutting the tendon. I immediately went to urgent care, and ended up losing four months of work (my job depends on using both hands), and having months of physical therapy to regain the use of my finger. Luckily my finger is OK now, except the last joint remains slightly bent when the finger is fully extended.
User error? You bet. But once unlocked, that blade swung closed like a guillotine. So the fact that it was safe in the locked position made no difference. Had I used my brain, I would have realized that (for me) trying to one-hand close such a design was not a smart idea. Unlike Spyderco’s back locks, the way the Triad lock design is set up is simply not ideal for safe one-hand closing (again, IMO).
Now, I’m sure there’s people out there who will say they one-hand close their Triad lock knives all the time, and that’s great for them. That doesn’t erase the potential danger of a sudden, guillotine-like closure during the unlocking/closing phase, especially on ones with heavier blades. In my experience, even liner and frame locks that require you to put your thumb in the blade path are safer in operation, because there is no extra-heavy back spring action to pull it shut in addition to the weight of the blade. Needless to say, I avoid Triad lock knives for my personal use.
So to me, in addition to locked-open safety, reliability and staying closed until I choose to open a knife, I value safety during unlocking and closing actions.
