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Aluminum Strider Framelocks
- Thread starter zombot
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- Nov 1, 2005
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- 1,592
Not sure what you mean by this since aluminum and titanium are both just smooth metal and feel very similar, the texturing on something like a double gunner grip sng may tear up your hands but the ti itself is not what's doing it, polished ti is smooth as glass. That said, there are aluminum scaled sng's but the locking side is still titanium, only the front scale is aluminum. An aluminum frame lock would not be ideal for a knife with hard use in mind like a Strider.
EDIT: upon further research aluminum sng's appear nowhere to be found. A quick Google search returns only results for the aluminum smf
I did see that the aluminum SMFs still have a titanium locking side.
I've tried two titanium framelocks, I guess my hands are picky. I tried a boker titan subcom with a titanium lock, and it felt like it tore my hand up every time I opened and closed it compared to the normal subcom series. I think the normal subcom framelock is steel.
I also just tried a spyderco leaf storm and had the same problem.
I've tried two titanium framelocks, I guess my hands are picky. I tried a boker titan subcom with a titanium lock, and it felt like it tore my hand up every time I opened and closed it compared to the normal subcom series. I think the normal subcom framelock is steel.
I also just tried a spyderco leaf storm and had the same problem.
Sounds like an issue with the way the lock bar reflief is cut out, not what metal it is made of...
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Agreed. The fact that ti is the metal used has absolutely nothing to do with it's effects on your hands. I suggest you either stop playing with your knives to the point where they tear up your hands or get outside and toughen up your hands...
It's interesting that the feedback is this one-sided. No one wants to indulge the type of metal as a possibility? I know the relief cut has a lot to do with the force that it takes to disengage the lock bar, but different metals still have different rigidity.
I have plenty of knives that I can fiddle with all day, although not many of them are framelocks. I only seem to have had this problem with the two frame locks that I mentioned.
My hands are picky. They're tough in some ways but delicate in others. They're somewhat big but skinny, so they don't have much meat to act as natural cushioning. I've worked in shipping for more than 3 years, and grabbed so many boxes around 6" thick with one hand that my right pinky is a little warped.
What you like is what you like I suppose. I still want to try an sng eventually and see how the titanium treats me.
I have plenty of knives that I can fiddle with all day, although not many of them are framelocks. I only seem to have had this problem with the two frame locks that I mentioned.
My hands are picky. They're tough in some ways but delicate in others. They're somewhat big but skinny, so they don't have much meat to act as natural cushioning. I've worked in shipping for more than 3 years, and grabbed so many boxes around 6" thick with one hand that my right pinky is a little warped.
What you like is what you like I suppose. I still want to try an sng eventually and see how the titanium treats me.
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Ok, well you should have said that the lock bar makes your thumb sore lol. Your use of the phrase "chews up" leads many people to believe that some aspect of the knife is abrading your hand, like the way G10 can "chew up" your pants pockets.
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- Oct 23, 2010
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I think you're missing the point here. Think of the locking slab as a spring. Let's say this spring (the lock bar) has 20 pounds of tension when it is sprung by the maker. This 20 pounds of pressure is what causes the lock bar to push against the blade tang, keeping the blade open.
Now think of it like this - 20 pounds of pressure it still 20 pounds of pressure, regardless of wether the locking side is made of Al or Ti. An aluminum lock side isn't going to be any easier on your hands, given that the lock is properly sprung.
I can't figure out the logic you're using that makes you think the composition of the metal has anything to do with this.
Aluminium isn't suitable for use as a lock bar I think. It doesn't spring as well as titanium or steel does, but and is much softer too. I expect it wouldn't be very strong and the the lock face would also wear away rather quickly against the hardened steel blade.
Considering your hands, you may be better off with something less difficult to disengage, like an axis, and back or compression lock.
Crimson, is it lock bar pressure that manufacturers control or simply its thickness and travel? If the latter, the OP's concerns are valid.
Considering your hands, you may be better off with something less difficult to disengage, like an axis, and back or compression lock.
Crimson, is it lock bar pressure that manufacturers control or simply its thickness and travel? If the latter, the OP's concerns are valid.
Last edited:
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- Oct 23, 2010
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Al is used regularly by Lionsteel as a locking solution, albeit with a stainless locking surface - like on all of their other SR-1s.