Andrew Demko's lock tests

I will say that lock strength is very important to me, even if I don't tend to need the maximum in my daily usage. I use my fingers a lot (I'm using them right now!), for many different things, and I'd really rather not lose them. Like the one in this thread, I've heard numerous personal accounts of lock failure, and I've also seen them in person and on video. Because of this I tend to leave my friction folders, slipjoints and liner locks at home (usually opting to carry a Tri-Ad lock), reserving them for at-home cutting tasks, and I always carry a small fixed blade should I feel a need for it. Just what I do and how I feel about locks; I can appreciate that others don't feel the same or have the same carry philosophy.

All of this is subjective.
 
bld522 said:
Why is it that I keep looking at your avatar and scratching my head? :confused: The problem is, I don't care if the Demko lock is a fantastic lock. I appreciate that you do, but it gains no traction with me at all. The Demko lock and the Demko lock tests are nothing more than a source of amusement to me. You can give them more meaning that that if you want to, but don't expect me to follow suit.
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No one is expecting you to. You are the one injecting yourself into this thread for no other reason than to say (paraphrasing here) that the tests are meaningless and the Tri-Ad lock holds zero attraction for you. Fine, now we know. No one is trying to convince you of the opposite. You've limited yourself to what was available before the Tri-Ad, and that's your choice. I have no doubt you'll do just fine without it. :thumbup:
 
Danke42 said:
It's like having a wedding photographer that just takes selfies.

Me, me, me.
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Your distaste for Cold Steel is shining through brightly. And that's fine, you're entitled. Just don't confuse your attitude for an objective opinion regarding lock strength and how to test it.
 
bld522 said:
Give me one real world example and I'll happily discuss it with you. The fact is, the lock a folder has is simply a consequence of the folder I select and not the reason I select it. And for what it's worth, I'd choose a ZT 0770CF over any Cold Steel folder on the planet . . . liner lock and all.
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You're very fond of your ZT 0770CF aren't you? ;)
 
I don't understand the reason for a spine wack lock test. Everybody knows you're supposed to adjust angle iron and pound nails with the butt of your knife. :)
 
philwar said:
You've limited yourself to what was available before the Tri-Ad, and that's your choice.
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That's not true. If I like a knife that happens to contain a Tri-Ad lock, I'll buy it just the same as I'd buy if it contained any other type of lock.
 
I actually really enjoy these tests. There is a specific rig designed to test the knife locks by vastly eliminating the human element. The results are repeatable, so it's more scientific than what folks give it credit for. The truth is that no one will really use their knives to such an extreme, however it does show how strong the Triad lock is compared to the other ones. It's a mini knife mythbuster thing. I'm no fan of Thompson, but I do enjoy Demko's work.
 
philwar said:
You're very fond of your ZT 0770CF aren't you? ;)
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Yep . . . same way I'm fond of my Klotzlis and my Benchmade Torrent. :) But then I'm very fond of all kinds of folders with all kinds of locks. As difficult as it may be for you to grasp, I simply don't discriminate among my 30-plus folders based on their lock types. Any one of them can be in my pocket at any given time, lock type notwithstanding.
 
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Hairlesstwinkie said:
I actually really enjoy these tests. There is a specific rig designed to test the knife locks by vastly eliminating the human element. The results are repeatable, so it's more scientific than what folks give it credit for. The truth is that no one will really use their knives to such an extreme, however it does show how strong the Triad lock is compared to the other ones. It's a mini knife mythbuster thing. I'm no fan of Thompson, but I do enjoy Demko's work.
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The problem I have with the Tri-Ad lock has nothing to do with how strong it is, it has to do with how difficult it is to disengage on the kinds of folders I like to carry . . . lightweight folders. Try disengaging the Tri-Ad lock on a Hold Out III and you'll see what I'm talking about.
 
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bld522 said:
The problem I have with the Tri-Ad lock has nothing to do with how strong it is, it has to do with how difficult it is to disengage it on the kinds of folders I like to carry . . . lightweight folders. Try disengaging the Tri-Ad lock on a Hold Out III and you'll see what I'm talking about.
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I actually tend to agree. As has been discussed in the past I think the three most important elements of any lock are strength, reliability and ease of use. The Triad is obviously very strong and has proven quite reliable but, compared to many other locks on the market, it falls fairly far behind on ease of use. That's part of the reason I'm a big fan of the compression lock and axis lock. Both give up at least a little in the other attributes, but they're among the easiest to use locks in the industry.
 
From the standpoint of ease of use, the button-lock is my hands-down favorite. But the Axis-lock runs a very close second. And the Tri-Ad occupies the bottom position on my list . . . right after narrow framelocks. The difference between narrow framelocks and the Tri-Ad is that I'll tolerate the former.
 
bld522 said:
From the standpoint of ease of use, the button-lock is my hands-down favorite. But the Axis-lock runs a very close second.
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I like them a lot, too, but not many manufacturers use them in the type of knives I prefer. Hogue is about the only one I can think of, honestly.

The new Spartan Blades folder is a contender, though, but I think it will have to wait for funds to become available. ;)
 
Well with my love of lightweight folders, you KNOW I like William Henry knives. And of course, their entire collection (except for the early models) are button locks. I also have a wonderful button lock custom from a maker by the name of Rod Olson. He gets his folder innards from Brian Tighe. Check him out sometime.
 
bld522 said:
Well with my love of lightweight folders, you KNOW I like William Henry knives. And of course, their entire collection (except for the early models) are button locks. I also have a wonderful button lock custom from a maker by the name of Rod Olson. He gets his folder innards from Brian Tighe. Check him out sometime.
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I'll do that. I lust after some of Mr. Tighe's custom blades, so I'll definitely take a look at Mr. Olson's work.
 
I find the Triad very easy to actuate. I love all types of locks, and I find the ingenuity behind the Triad to be interesting. I'm in the woods a great deal and sometimes I just want something light. My Recon 1 fits the bills and is plenty strong. And things do happen when you are outdoors, so I like the security of a strong lock protecting my fingers. I EDC a Spyderco, but I like options, and the more locks available the better.
 
From what I've gathered, larger, heavier blades seem to be a little more Tri-Ad friendly than smaller, lighter blades. But I'm telling you, when I tried a Hold Out III in a B&M store, I had to use the edge of the countertop to release the darn lock. My thumb just wasn't strong enough to do it. Granted I don't possess the greatest grip strength and I'm not a spring chicken anymore, but still . . . And then there's the question of what knife like a Hold Out III needs with a lock as strong as the Tri-Ad anyway. What on earth are you going to use a knife like that for that would stress it to the point that only a lock as strong as the Tri-Ad could prevent from injuring yourself?
 
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bld522 said:
From what I've gathered, larger, heavier blades seem to be a little more Tri-Ad friendly than smaller, lighter blades. But I'm telling you, when I tried a Hold Out III in a B&M store, I had to use the edge of the countertop to release the darn lock. My thumb just wasn't strong enough to do it.
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It seems very model dependent. My Talwar was an absolute thumb breaker, but my Large Voyager and Tuff Lite weren't much more difficult than a standard back lock.
 
Yeah, I don't get it. I'm just happy with my Pre-Tri-Ad VG-1 Large Voyager. It's got more than enough lock strength to satisfy me and the lock is easy to disengage.
 
Insipid Moniker said:
It seems very model dependent. My Talwar was an absolute thumb breaker, but my Large Voyager and Tuff Lite weren't much more difficult than a standard back lock.
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True. The Spartan really took some getting used to, but all the other ones are fine. I haven't handled a Talwar, if it's anything like the Spartan I can empathize. ;)
 
bld522 said:
Yeah, I don't get it. I'm just happy with my Pre-Tri-Ad VG-1 Large Voyager. It's got more than enough lock strength to satisfy me.
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Well, I'm hoping they eventually perfect the Triad variant that was originally shown on the Tiger Claw. If they could manage to make a Triad that was truly one handed and easy to disengage I would be delighted.
 
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