Spyderco Forums

I always prefer a back-lock knife in a folder construction.

Does it matter where a back-lock is placed on a folding knife? Middle or all the way in the end. Or is it a non-issue?

It may not make a difference to you, but it does to me. The longer lock bars (rear release) tend to be easier to disengage. Whether that is good or bad is a matter of personal opinion. The blade "kick" that rests against the lock bar also hits on the blade pivot side of the lock bar pivot, meaning the blade can be pushed in when the knife is closed, potentially letting the blade edge strike againt the steel interior of the knife. In this picture the arrow points to where the kick hits the lock bar.

The tip of the blade will hit the inside of the blade well hard enough to dull it if the the blade is allowed to snap shut.

In this picture the arrow again shows where the kick hits the lock bar.

The blade cannot be squeezed in, and the edge will not strike the blade well.

Edited to do what I was trying to do in the first place.

I greatly prefer mid back locks, but I understand that they are more difficult to get right. All sorts of issues can arise if this style is not made just exactly right.

Buck really is the company that perfected the lock back knife and made it popular. It was and is rear locking. I may be wrong, but I think Spyderco perfected the mid back lock that others are now copying.

Although he did not invent it, Al Mar was probably the first to use the "Front Lock" in a production knife. Mar's first knives came out in 1979, a couple years before the first Spyderco knife. There's a 1979 Al Mar catalog here that has some text about the Front Lock: https://archive.org/details/1979_20200903

The SpydieWiki page for the C01 Worker also includes some info about the Front Lock design, and mentions the Al Mar connection: http://www.spydiewiki.com/index.php?tit ... Front_Lock

I prefer mid back lock because it is easier for me to disengage one handed. Other than that, in the examples I have handled, there isn't a noticeable difference in lock-up, security etc in my normal use.

bobnikon wrote: ↑

Tue May 18, 2021 4:45 am

I prefer mid back lock because it is easier for me to disengage one handed.

I just tried one-hand disengagement of a mid back lock and one that's all the way back. Both could be disengaged in about the same amount of time, but disengaging the mid one-handed feels smoother and more natural.

Dan In MI wrote: ↑

Tue May 18, 2021 10:56 am

bobnikon wrote: ↑

Tue May 18, 2021 4:45 am

I prefer mid back lock because it is easier for me to disengage one handed.

I just tried one-hand disengagement of a mid back lock and one that's all the way back. Both could be disengaged in about the sane amount of time, but disengaging the mid one-handed feels smoother and more natural.

To get any leverage on the tail-lock (one-handed) I need to flip it around (buck etc), while it only takes a shift of the grip on the mid-back-lock (endura, stretch, endela, etc). And with the mbl I can let it fall on my finger, pivot depending, or do the old fashioned against the leg if it is adjusted tight. Or... gasp... use two hands I suppose. Lol.

I've always been a fan of back lock folding knives, and the Buck 110 Folding Hunter remains a favorite of mine as well as an EDC. Personally, I really don't have a preference on where the locking mechanism is placed on the knifes as both mid-lock and rear-lock set-ups work fine for me.

Doc Dan wrote: ↑

Mon May 17, 2021 10:05 pm

I greatly prefer mid back locks, but I understand that they are more difficult to get right. All sorts of issues can arise if this style is not made just exactly right.

Buck really is the company that perfected the lock back knife and made it popular. It was and is rear locking. I may be wrong, but I think Spyderco perfected the mid back lock that others are now copying.

My first experience with mid back locks was with a series of Gerbers. Incredibly well made at the time. They were made by G. Sakai where the G stood for Gerber. The very same company who has made knives for Spyderco for years now.

Simple - mid back lock because of easy one hand closing

I have a strong preference for mid-lock.