Spyderco Lock Type Preference

[wrdwrght]

Voted back (mid) lock.

Would have voted Golden/Taichung-made over Seki-City if given the choice.

In truth, most lock-types run nearly neck-and-neck in my ranking. A knife’s other design features tip the balance. C’mon, a Millie without a liner-lock?!

ETA: Why this one over others? I like the positive closure that detent-based locks can’t provide. CBBL is a somewhat more difficult reach for my arthritic hands.

[PStone]

I voted backlock. It’s my favorite because I can easily operate it with either hand. The Golden mid-locks, to me, also have to most solid lockup of all my knifes.

[Higher]

My intent is to get to why you prefer one lock over the others. More information that way than just saying “I love the [insert lock type here].

liner lock - because it is convenient for me to close it with one hand. Pull out-open-close-remove with one hand. Yes, it can be done with others, but I'm so used to it. For me it is more convenient than compression lock or ball lock. Matter of habit.

But there is a back lock. Because this is the only knife lock without liners. There is no other in these knives. We're not talking about frame lock knives here. We're talking about lightweight knives with a minimum of detail.

P.S.
We need a new lock. For one hand in a light knife without liners. But not frame lock.

P.P.S.
I want to join the club "no liners"

[anycal]

Compression lock, because it is on my favorite knife.

Put on the Mid Comp Liner Bearing (MCLB) lock on it, and that will be my favorite lock.

So, like many of you, lock is less important to me than other aspects of the design.


Edit: Don't get me wrong, I prefer to have a lock on my EDC, but I have not had any major lock issues with any of the Spyderco knives.

[anycal]

...

[PeaceInOurTime]

Back-lock
So many reasons already listed in this thread and on the forum.

Axis-ish locks come in second for me.

I appreciate the simplicity of the detent-based locks, but I value symmetrical, ambidextrous designs more.

[vivi]

backlock / tri-ad is #1 for me

cbbl is #2 for me

comp lock with a built in self close is #3 for me (szabo folder)

slipjoints #4

I don't own anything else.

I prefer backlock and cbbl for their self close bias and fully ambi nature.

[Sharp Guy]

I would need a way to vote for each one listed in order to participate. Honestly, I enjoy them all

[MichaelScott]

Or, put another way, you walk up to the Spyderco table at the annual Cut & Slice show. The man behind the table looks somehow familiar. He says “it’s your lucky day. Here,” he says gesturing at five identical knives on the table, “ You are our 1000th visitor. You get to pick out and take home one of the knives on the table before you.“

You look down and see five identical knives except for their locking mechanisms. Each of those is different.

Which would you choose?

[Higher]

...
You look down and see five identical knives except for their locking mechanisms. Each of those is different.

Which would you choose?

Spyderco Sage :-)

[Karl_H]

I realize that Spyderco doesn’t currently use the axis lock. However, since the patent has expired aid would be curious to know whether people would like to start seeing this type of lock on Spydercos.

While the Golden mid back lock is my favorite lock currently being used by Spyderco, I have a slight preference for a well executed axis lock.

[anycal]

Or, put another way, you walk up to the Spyderco table at the annual Cut & Slice show. The man behind the table looks somehow familiar. He says “it’s your lucky day. Here,” he says gesturing at five identical knives on the table, “ You are our 1000th visitor. You get to pick out and take home one of the knives on the table before you.“

You look down and see five identical knives except for their locking mechanisms. Each of those is different.

Which would you choose?

I am guessing for those who are set on a lock type, the answer will not change.

For me, I would have to try each one. Although all locks I tried do work for me, some become more cumbersome to disengage in certain sizes or positioning of the locking mechanism.

I guess I can rate my locks based on time used, from top to bottom,
- compression lock
- mid lock
- liner/RIL

[JRinFL]

Or, put another way, you walk up to the Spyderco table at the annual Cut & Slice show. The man behind the table looks somehow familiar. He says “it’s your lucky day. Here,” he says gesturing at five identical knives on the table, “ You are our 1000th visitor. You get to pick out and take home one of the knives on the table before you.“

You look down and see five identical knives except for their locking mechanisms. Each of those is different.

Which would you choose?

If it were a Sage as @Higher suggests, I'd take the Bolt Lock. In fact, that's what I did.

[JD Spydo]

I'm sure that most of you find my favorite folder lock selections kind of laughable in a way. But I really do like the Compression lock on the original GUNTING model>> it was the first compression lock I ever used and really liked the operation of it. Also I've always loved the "Ball Bearing Lock" on the original 2003 Dodo model as well>> as well as some of the other Spyderco Ball Bearing Locking systems.

I've never been that hung up on locking systems per se because I've never had any Spyderco locking system ever fail on me ever. Also with all undeserved the bad talk that "liner Locks" tend to get I find that kind of crazy because I've been carrying either a C-36 Military ( M390) for a little over 4 years and I've never once experienced any failure of any type>> And do keep in mind that I've used that knife very hard in the past 3 years especially.

Also once you get the hang of using Ball Bearing locks I think that most of you will end up liking them. Once you get the hang of deploying them they are kind of fun to play with IMO.

[Sharp Guy]

If it were a Sage as @Higher suggests, I'd take the Bolt Lock. In fact, that's what I did.

Not me, I couldn't decide so I have one of each

[clintonde]

My knife journey has led me through all of these locks. I still have my very first locking pocket knife, a small "Coast" brand back-lock made in Taiwan and purchased at a local "P&G" hardware store when I about 10. Since then I've owned various forms of all the locks listed above, but what I've come back to is the simplicity of a (mid) back lock. It isn't the most fun to play with or the coolest technology or the most artsy type of lock. But simply: it works. It functions easily with either hand, and ultimately it's pretty simple and has good longevity when it's done well. These are the things I've come to appreciate most in my knives as tools: it works well, it lasts long, and it's fairly simple.

That being said, I can appreciate all of these locks, I still own liner locks, frame locks and an axis lock, and some non-locking slip joints. But I mostly carry a spyderco (mid) back lock. Because it just works. That's why I voted for it.

[vivi]

I'm sure that most of you find my favorite folder lock selections kind of laughable in a way. But I really do like the Compression lock on the original GUNTING model>> it was the first compression lock I ever used and really liked the operation of it. Also I've always loved the "Ball Bearing Lock" on the original 2003 Dodo model as well>> as well as some of the other Spyderco Ball Bearing Locking systems.

I've never been that hung up on locking systems per se because I've never had any Spyderco locking system ever fail on me ever. Also with all undeserved the bad talk that "liner Locks" tend to get I find that kind of crazy because I've been carrying either a C-36 Military ( M390) for a little over 4 years and I've never once experienced any failure of any type>> And do keep in mind that I've used that knife very hard in the past 3 years especially.

Also once you get the hang of using Ball Bearing locks I think that most of you will end up liking them. Once you get the hang of deploying them they are kind of fun to play with IMO.

The liner lock on the Military is the best liner lock I've used. It is exceptional. It never failed to keep the knife held securely open, and I used my old D2 Millie hard just like you.

[Wartstein]

The liner lock on the Military is the best liner lock I've used. It is exceptional. It never failed to keep the knife held securely open, and I used my old D2 Millie hard just like you.

I wholeheartedly agree and don't hesitate to repeat: For me the perfect Millie design would be kind of ruined and less usefull if it actually were to be replaced by a comp. lock Millie 2.

[prndltech]

The liner lock on the Military is the best liner lock I've used. It is exceptional. It never failed to keep the knife held securely open, and I used my old D2 Millie hard just like you.

I wholeheartedly agree and don't hesitate to repeat: For me the perfect Millie design would be kind of ruined and less usefull if it actually were to be replaced by a comp. lock Millie 2.

I hope that any iteration of the military keeps its liner lock. As y’all have all stated, I’m here to add my testimony to the military being the best liner lock I’ve ever seen. I carried a C36 military for years and did unspeakable things to it, never once did it fail. I never even had to tighten a screw on it.

[Oloung1]

Back-lock

x2 backlock

backlock > compression > liner. waiting to try frame and cbbl.