Baby got BACK(lock)

[knife__bro69]

Over the course of my time buying and using knives, I have spent a lot of money and have spent a lot of time thinking about knives. I might be the odd one out here :p sarcasm

Ive given a lot of thought to locking mechanisms. After using quite a lot I’ve realized a few things.

- Most people do not need insane strength on locks. Maybe for people who have specific job types.

- Fidget factor is something most locks can have, some just take more time to learn.

- Ambidextrous designs are good for everybody.

- Comfort in disengaging and engaging the locking mechanism is important.

- Lockup consistency is important, when it comes to closing and opening.

- Having a good detent is insanely important.

- Locks that require little maintenance is a good thing.

- Having weak points in a knife will drive some people off (Omega Springs in Axis Lock, the spring on the Parata’s stop lock)



With all this considered. I have come to like two lock types more than others. One, the backlock, and two, the ball bearing lock. Both locks have a bias to close. So when you close the knife, it snaps shut in a similar fashion to a slip joint. It also wants to stay shut due to the lockbar. The detent would need to be overcome to have the knife swing out. This allows for more reliable and consistent closing and having the knife stay closed. I like liner locks and compression locks, but in the times I’ve dropped a PM2 Ive seen it open quite a lot, none on my Delica.

The ball bearing lock is similar in this aspect. It has a bias to stay closed, and the detent is a bit weaker than a backlock to keep it closed, but I have found it more reliable than pretty much every other locking mechanism to stay closed, second to the backlock.

Acoustics play a role in my enjoyment of knives. The sound a backlock and ball bearing lock makes when it snaps open, is quite nice. Same for the ball bearing lock. It inspires confidence.

I think the only thing you could say bad about a backlock is that it could get stuff caught inside of it and not have it lock up properly. Also that it does not have as much fidget factor as say a compression lock. I would disagree. Playing with a backlock is quite fun and the feeling of breaking it in as a Wabi Sabi effect.

So that is why I like the backlock and ball bearing lock as my favorite locking mechanisms. Thank you for coming to my TedTalk.

[JRinFL]

Many of us will agree on the points you make. However, it is important to remember that back locks and ball bearing locks also have springs that can fail. It might be unlikely, but it has happened to back locks over the years. Every design has weak spots, some are just more weak than others.

My lock preferences are similar:
1) Back lock
2) Ball bearing lock
3) Frame lock
4) The others

[VooDooChild]

I prefer backlocks.

I will say though that as long as a lock works well (seamlessly), and it works well with the knife its on, then Im happy.

[Evil D]

I'm totally on board with back locks if they continue making them like the Rock Jumper. Otherwise I'll stick with whatever lock gives me full edge-to-handle.

[Wartstein]

Totally agree,my ranking: Backlock> CBBL>.... Linerlock/Framelock>..... Comp. lock

For me the backlock is the most versatile (when it comes to various one handed methods of operation) and safest - in the pocket, but also when it comes to the combination of finger-safety and how safely the knife is in the hand while closing it concerning accidently dropping it.
Together with the linerlock for me it is also the best for use in the cold, when its wet and/or with gloves on.

Another slight plus of the backlock is the closed, smooth back of the knife with no cutout. This enhances comfort in hand and makes hotspots less likely imho (just think of fixed blade handles: No one would come up with an open back or cutout on top of the handle when designing one...)

[knife__bro69]

Many of us will agree on the points you make. However, it is important to remember that back locks and ball bearing locks also have springs that can fail. It might be unlikely, but it has happened to back locks over the years. Every design has weak spots, some are just more weak than others.

My lock preferences are similar:
1) Back lock
2) Ball bearing lock
3) Frame lock
4) The others

The backlock spring has failed? How? O_o

[JRinFL]

I guess the same as any spring fails, over-stressed/fatigued or heat treat/material defect. I suspect some failures are caused by end user tinkering as well.
It should be noted that I have never experienced a spring failure on any knife I own.


Edited: missing words added.

[Hardbawl]

Well said, Mr. Knife. Had a frame lock come open in my pocket and suffered a bad cut. A compression lock PM2 came open when I dropped it on the kitchen floor. Grandson Dean said:"I'll get it Poppy." Fortunately I was able to step on the knife before the 3 year old could cut himself.

Something "new" is not worth sacrificing safety. The backlock is safe. It allows for one handed opening ADD closing when the blade has a finger choil. It is strong enough for most anything a sane person would do with a folding knife.

The Spyderco backlocks that I have from the Golden facility are some of the best made knives I have seen. When you want them shut, they stay shut. When you want them open, they stay open. Nuff said.

[Wartstein]

Well said, Mr. Knife. Had a frame lock come open in my pocket and suffered a bad cut. A compression lock PM2 came open when I dropped it on the kitchen floor. Grandson Dean said:"I'll get it Poppy." Fortunately I was able to step on the knife before the 3 year old could cut himself.

Something "new" is not worth sacrificing safety. The backlock is safe. It allows for one handed opening ADD closing when the blade has a finger choil. It is strong enough for most anything a sane person would do with a folding knife.
...

There are several easy ways of still closing a backlock one handed if it does NOT have a finger choil.. one even keeps the fingers out of the blade path all the time, if one really needs that.

[yablanowitz]

The backlock spring has failed? How? O_o

I have a G-10 Bryd Flight sitting at home that the spring holder portion of the back spacer broke off, leaving the spring laying loose. The early Harpy had an integral spring as part of the spacer, those are prone to breakage. I've had a few springs break on slipjoints over the years, and backlock springs are subjected to the same sort of cyclic stresses.

[cabfrank]

I've never thought of the back lock as my favorite, yet almost all of my knives have one. There you have it.

[Blnd]

Well said, Mr. Knife. Had a frame lock come open in my pocket and suffered a bad cut. A compression lock PM2 came open when I dropped it on the kitchen floor. Grandson Dean said:"I'll get it Poppy." Fortunately I was able to step on the knife before the 3 year old could cut himself.

Something "new" is not worth sacrificing safety. The backlock is safe. It allows for one handed opening ADD closing when the blade has a finger choil. It is strong enough for most anything a sane person would do with a folding knife.

The Spyderco backlocks that I have from the Golden facility are some of the best made knives I have seen. When you want them shut, they stay shut. When you want them open, they stay open. Nuff said.

This. Spyderco’s finger-choils make their backlocks very safe for one handed opening and closing.

The design of the back lock makes them very predictable when opening and closing.

For those reasons I prefer backlocks and slip joints.

[ladybug93]

i like backlocks on my lightweight salts (pacific, native, and dragonfly), but i'm not a huge fan otherwise. i much prefer the triad lock used by cold steel. none of my cold steel knives budge when open and all of my spyderco backlocks have at least a little wiggle. it's fine and they're plenty strong, but i prefer a more solid lockup.
i do love the cbbl on my manix also, but my favorite lock is the compression lock. i love the innovation behind it and how secure it is.
i understand why people prioritize a strong "detent" and the close bias, but neither is really important to me. i prefer smooth action, stronger lockup while actually open (when a knife is most dangerous), and i like the safety of being able to open and close the knife one handed without my fingers in the path of the blade. it's also more fun to play with, which is important to some people (although i have no problem fidgeting with my backlocks).
whatever your preference, i just love that spyderco offers such variety and that they didn't get stuck just offering the same old design just because it worked for them, but also continued to innovate completely new locks that are also great.

[zhyla]

All locks have a bias to close... in my experience so far the CBB is the only one to not be closed when I thought it should be and ended up stabbing me in the leg.

If you want a knife that won't open unless you really want it to, a well made flipper with a liner/frame lock is amazingly secure. They're tuned so that the detent must be overcome with enough force to fire the blade out, and that's a lot more force than I've seen in non-flippers regardless of lock type.

[ladybug93]

thanks for reminding me...

i meant to add the only knives i've ever had open on me when dropped were flippers and assisted knives. none of my other knives open before i tell them to, to include my caribbean, which people fear has the weak and murderous detent that hunts you down and jumps open in your pocket while you sleep killing you and anyone in a three block radius.

[Sumdumguy]

thanks for reminding me...

i meant to add the only knives i've ever had open on me when dropped were flippers and assisted knives. none of my other knives open before i tell them to, to include my caribbean, which people fear has the weak and murderous detent that hunts you down and jumps open in your pocket while you sleep killing you and anyone in a three block radius.

Would friction folders then be considered "weapons of mass destruction"?

:p

[yablanowitz]

All locks have a bias to close.

Factually incorrect. Take any Walker linerlock, open it far enough to lift the detent ball out of its' hole and see if it springs shut. Same with a Reeve integral lock. Same with a standard Compression lock.

[cabfrank]

Completely agreed, and there is no way a flipper with a liner lock/frame lock is more likely to stay closed than a back lock, in the vast majority of cases.

[nerdlock]

Would have liked my backlocks more have they not developed some form of blade play over time.

[cabfrank]

I have had some that have, but more that have not, at least as of yet.