redhawk44357 wrote:liner for me. it can be adjusted as far as smoothness, can easily be opened and closed with either hand, easier to clean out from pocket lint. my .02
How do you adjust a liner lock for smoothness? Sometimes there is a sort of rough feeling as the liner slides off the tang of a couple of my knives. Oil makes it a little better for a day or two but I just live with it and it truely is no big deal. But if there is a way to adjust a liner lock I'd like to know. So if you don't mind can you explain what you mean?
For half my life I carried knives with nothing more than a detent. Never did I cut myself due to unwanted closing. If you need to worry about a lock not being strong enough, I think you must be doing something that folding knives should never be used for.
The first time I handled a compression lock, I thought it was the most intuitive and versatile lock I ever experienced. I can open it by pinching the lock and let the blade fall by gravity, middle finger flicking, thumb, or grabbing by the Spyder Hole and flicking the handle out. Many times I grab the blade and open it using both hands. I have two PM2s and a Para 3. Don't know how other compression lock knives feel.
It is also, by far, the easiest knife to close. I still cannot picture how someone gets their fingers in the way while closing. While I do close my compression locks one handed, I realized the majority of the time I close all of my knives two handed. My first knives were SAKs and a Boy Scout knife. I've seen knives advertised as one handed opening, but not closing.....
I think that Smock Knives has taken the compression lock up a step with their push button release. Spyderco, please......?!?!
Not much of an opinion on liner locks, except the Kershaw Thistle is a simple solution to keeping one's fingers out of harm's way while closing a liner lock. Perfect for a youngster, but may be difficult for them to disengage.
I have very few framelocks. I prefer scales on both sides of the knife. Kershaw has an elegant design with the Strobe. Scales on both sides and a very svelte handle shape. Will not be confused with a Hinderer design. I love the lock bar stabilizer on Hinderer knives. Also like how framelocks are designed to fail before the blade slips off of the lock face.
For a **** and Back folder, the FRN back locks from Seki are my recommendation to anyone, especially the SE Salts....
Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
seber wrote:For half my life I carried knives with nothing more than a detent. Never did I cut myself due to unwanted closing. If you need to worry about a lock not being strong enough, I think you must be doing something that folding knives should never be used for.
My problem isn't them closing, but opening. I've had every detent based lock come open in my pocket at some point so these days I refuse to carry them for safety reasons. Lockbacks for life.
I can remember way back in 2004 when I first joined this great forum there was a thread created by Sal Glesser himself and to the best of my memory it was entitled "Let's Talk About Locks". I was so impressed with that thread that I printed it off and I still have it in one of my file boxes in my storage unit. I don't know if it's so old that you might not be able to pull it up anymore but it would be so interesting to see it again.
But for right now I've been carrying and EDCing fpr almost 2 years my M390 Military which of course has a liner lock. I've never had any of my Spyderco folders equipped with liner locks ever fail me at any time. Personally I've thought for years that liner locks really got a bad rap that are undeserved.
Now the liner lock is not my favorite locking system because I do think that the Compression Lock and the Ball Bearing Locks are a bit easier to operate>> but on the other hand I would never turn down a folder because of it having a liner lock.
Evil D wrote:I prefer not to have fingers in the path of a closing blade, thats my problem with liner locks.
That's my way of thinking too plus liner locks just seem weedy and awkward to get at on some knives,....I'd rather it be a frame lock in that case, less fumbling and whilst in the hand, gripping the lock gives a feeling of safety.
Best lock design is the ball bearing/cage one in my opinion.
Tdog wrote:On the Para 2 I simply face the knife down, use my index finger to press/pinch the compression lock an it virually closes itself (gravity). I'm having a hard time trying to figure our how you get your fingers in the way :confused: This is my favorite lock design. It's supposed to be on the YO2. Wish they'd use it on more models. I love this lock.
AMEN brother! I have the left hand version of the PM2 and it works just exactly like you describe for me. The compression lock as provided by Spyderco on the PM2 is safer and easier to use than other lock designs. It is certainly strong enough for anything this ole hoss will ever do with a knife. I am a knife user, not a collector. But if Spyderco ever made a Military or an Endura with a compression lock I would beat feet to the store to buy one. Nuff said! Hardbawl
seber wrote:For half my life I carried knives with nothing more than a detent. Never did I cut myself due to unwanted closing. If you need to worry about a lock not being strong enough, I think you must be doing something that folding knives should never be used for.
My problem isn't them closing, but opening. I've had every detent based lock come open in my pocket at some point so these days I refuse to carry them for safety reasons. Lockbacks for life.
Same for me, I've had compression locks as favorites for years and mostly carried PM/PM 2's but had a few too many unwanted openings from compression locks and linerlocks/framelocks that nowadays I mainly carry backpacks and slipjoints.
Also quite sorry that the Shaman coming up will have compression lock, imagine if that would be build somewhat like the Manix 2 backlock, linerless with a backlock! :D
The compression lock is very good, as a lock. But one hand closing is very important for me. I'm often in situations where I have grease, oil, or some other slippery slime on my hand, and need to close the knife with one hand. In some of those situations, a dropped knife will be gone forever. So it's liner lock for me.
Evil D wrote:I prefer not to have fingers in the path of a closing blade, thats my problem with liner locks. Compression locks eliminate the risk, and we all know there are times when multitasking its easy to lose focus and get cut so less risk is always good.
