Accidentally Unlocking a Folder

[gearfreak]

I've had two accidents where a folder closed on me:

1. Spyderco Native: was cutting some thick plastic and gripped the upper portion of the handle where the lock is. This disengaged the lock and the knife closed.

2. Kershaw Avalanch: was "sawing" some bark off a tree trunk. The oscilating action acted on the liner lock, effectively "walking" it open. The knife closed and I sent the knife to Kershaw for servicing.

My question is: which folding knife is least likely to be accidentally closed? This is a very different question from which lock is strongest. For example, a Benchmade Axis lock may be accidentally closed if your grip moves the button.

Isn't a Benchmade Axis lock likely to

 

[Samurai6]

In my opinion, the most reliable are Barry Wood's swing lock folders, but they are out of production. Next I would say a good quality Butterfly knife. For commonly availabl knives, probably the integral sidelock knives such as the Darrel Ralph Apogee, Reeve Sebenza, Benchmade Pinnacle, etc., are the most reliable. The grip of the hand holds them locked, or at least gives you immediate feedback if the lock is moving. The Benchmade Axis locks are very reliable. In order to close an Axis lock on your fingers you would have to pull the lock bar back while pushing forward. I have never encountered that in my experience with it. The REKAT Rolling lock is extremely strong and reliable also. The LAWKS style safties employed on the Gerber Covert and CRKT Crawford collaboration knives are excellent too.

There are a number of plunger-type locks being employed on auto knives and on the SpeedTech Synergy that are excellent. I have never had a lock of this type release on me either.

Liner lock and back lock knives are simply not reliable enough to trust with closing presure on the blade spine. I treat them more or less like a slip joint, non-locking folder.

 

[Bronco]

Welcome gearfreak. To avoid the types of failures you've described, I would suggest that you take a look at a frame or integral lock such as can be found on a Chris Reeve Sebenza, Darrel Ralph Apogee or EDC, Mission MPK, BM Pinnacle and CRKT S-2 to name a few. These operate similarly to liner locks, but because the full thickness of the handle is, in effect, the locking mechanism, the force you apply to the handle in maintaining your grip serves to keep the lock secured and thus prevents it from "walking" open.

------------------
Semper Fi

-Bill

Sorry Steve, we were typing at the same time

.

[This message has been edited by Bronco (edited 09-29-2000).]

 

[Bronco]

Steve's reply also made me think of the new MOD Duane Dieter CQD. In addition to a very reliable button lock, this knife also has a secondary back-up slide safety lock. I can't imagine any way this set up would accidently close while performing the tasks gearfreak has mentioned.

------------------
Semper Fi

-Bill

 

[gearfreak]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have to check out some at the next gun and knife show coming up in October. The Sebenza and Benchmade Axis get mentioned frequently in this forum.