psychophipps wrote:Axis Lock, hands down. Truly ambidextrous, solid as any other lock out there, and easy opening and closing while still having enough detent to keep it from randomly opening on you.
Ditto!
I would've voted CBBL of it was as easy to manipulate as the AXIS lock. Second comes the compression lock.
Voted Axis because I carried the same one for 5 years and never had it fail. Every type of task possible was done in that 5 years... then it was stolen I still carry a CPM M4 Ritter Grip, and a M390 Griptillian Sprint. Got 2 Manix 2's in M4 that I hope to prove as strong because I prefer the ergonomics and blade shape on them over the grips.
I'm an Axis fan for EDC. For me it is the easiest and fastest to open one handed.
The manix 2 is a close second, but I don't like to carry it because of the wide profile in the pocket. If there was a thin Spydie with a manix lock it would be a win in my book.
Mid back lock ie Manix /Chinook/Endura/Police/Delica with a full finger choil for the same reasons as others have posted. Completely ambidextrous and easy to master with your non dominant hand. with the Manix or Chinook you get strength beyond any liner lock and as strong as or stronger than a compression. easy to clean/maintain and as simple as you can get in design/concept. and for me the action of opening/closing a Spyderco Backlock is second nature . I dont have to even think about it at all complete instinct unlike liner/compression/ball locks which I have to devote my full attention to so as to manipulate safely and not get cut. With a Mid back lock I always have a solid grip on the knife. with other lock mechanisms I am always moving the knife around to get it opened/closed and have dropped the knives many times in the process.
Thats all just me though . I have always been a backlock person in my DNA
Have tried various locks : Frame lock, Liner lock, Axis, Back Lock (incl, mid lock etc) and Tri-ad.
Like the Tri-a best: fully ambidextrous, keeping blade closed by spring tension that will pull back the blade if opened partially, none of the "play" associated with normal back lock.
Lastly, no little spring prone to breaking (axis).
Axis for me, but I've only had a Compression lock and a back lock for a day now (with a CBBL on the way). Initial impressions are that the Compression lock on the Para-military2 is a very simple design, seems to be solid as can be but isn't as ambidextrous friendly as the Axis lock is. The back lock on the Caly 3.5 is more ambidextrous but I'm not as confident in it (fear of the unfamiliar I guess) as I am with the Compression or Axis. I'm really looking forward to the Manix2 to show up in a couple of days so I can check out that CBBL.
For pure ease and fun it's hard to beat the Axis lock, but if my life depended on a lock it would be the compression lock. Hard to see how it could fail.
I still carry a CPM M4 Ritter Grip, and a M390 Griptillian Sprint. Got 2 Manix 2's in M4 that I hope to prove as strong because I prefer the ergonomics and blade shape on them over the grips.
