Andrew Demko's lock tests

philwar said:
You're a piece of work. Sliding in these backhanded insults every now and then, and then acting surprised and condescending when someone takes it personally. Nice going. :thumbup:
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It's better to give a resentment than to get a resentment. :)
 
bld522 said:
Right. And Mall Ninjas! :D I wouldn't be at all surprised if the average age of Cold Steel knife purchasers is younger than it is for any of the other major manufacturers. That's just a guess on my part, of course.
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Yeah, like most of what you post in this thread.

Now before you get your panties in a wad,
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Please don't project, you're the only one suffering from that malady.

I'm not suggesting that Cold Steel doesn't make quality knives. I'm just looking at their videos and asking myself which age demographic they're geared to impress. The answer for me is pretty obvious, but the answer you come up with may be different.
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You're guessing and yet the answer is obvious. Right. :rolleyes: Unlike you I actually know people who own and carry CS, they are men who have children and even grandchildren. I am no spring chicken myself. CS is just another knife brand, with their sensible and not so sensible models. Just like Spyderco. Just 'cause you can't get over your prejudices, doesn't mean other people suffer from them.
 
No worries. I'm done here. Y'all have a nice day and I'll see you on the other side . . .
 
philwar said:
Do you have a point to make? If so, please make it.
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You need to relax. Look at your post bomb there, challenging the opinions of several people. I don't know what got you all worked up, but it's just a thread on a knife forum.

I made my point already, if you can't or don't want to understand it that's on you.
 
philwar said:
You made no point, at least none pertinent to this thread.
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Actually you quoted my point. The point was that the tests don't need to reflect things that would happen in normal use because they are not meant to do so, but rather are destruction tests meant to show the limits of the knives. Again, if you can't understand that it's on you.

I don't know why you're so up in arms about this. You're not even presenting a coherent argument, you're just denigrating the opinions of others.
 
So we're sure there is no real world instance where winning this test would benefit the user?

If it was to protect the user while cutting or stabbing it would be child's play to re-purpose that rig and deliver the blade with overwhelming force to a target with no risk to the tester.

What else could this test be for?
 
Danke42 said:
So we're sure there is no real world instance where winning this test would benefit the user?
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I like the Tri-Ad lock on huge folders that I'll use as a folding machete on hikes (did that last week with the Rajah 2 actually...worked really well).
I like the strength of lock for those applications, because all of a sudden overstrikes become an actual, realistic possibility, and being resistant to shock is handy too.

The Powerlock from Spyderco seems up to the tasks as well...even Lynn had to admit that it did pretty good. :thumbup:

For "normal" sized knives, I like the convenience of operation of many other locks better.
On huge honkin blades, I'm not taking them out of the pocket (or backpack) as often to use, so the trade-off of more strength for less ease of operation makes good sense.

Just as there's no "best" steel, there is no "best" lock...there are best steels and locks for certain applications though. :)
 
What do other folks do in the case of a scaled up folder? Scale up all the fixtures proportionally?

What would you call one of those big knives? 2 handed folder?
 
bld522 said:
Right. And Mall Ninjas! :D I wouldn't be at all surprised if the average age of Cold Steel knife purchasers is younger than it is for any of the other major manufacturers. That's just a guess on my part, of course.

Now before you get your panties in a wad, I'm not suggesting that Cold Steel doesn't make quality knives. Far from it. I'm just looking at their videos and asking myself which age demographic they're geared to impress. The answer is pretty obvious to me, but the answer you come up with may be different.
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They've stated that their videos aren't meant to be taken too seriously and have a nod to fun in them.
 
We all go to the woods in big trucks out here, no need for folding saws & knives etc.

Definitely a new spin on the term pocket knife.

Anyhoo, don't want to thread drift too much. No luck in an answer for my question yet so I'll leave it on the table.

How about a followup. What is a list of commonly accepted and repeatable knife tests that anyone can perform on their own?
 
Danke42 said:
No luck in an answer for my question yet so I'll leave it on the table.
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What do you mean no luck getting an answer?
Folding machete...as in a machete that folds.

The Rajah 2 worked better as a machete for clearing a path that the TOPS Machete .170 with 10 inch blade I had tested out the previous week (it is TOPS' reworking of the 12 inch bladed Ontario Knives machete...TOPS gives you more handle).

So yeah, it works as a machete...that folds...to be used for things you might use a short machete for.

(please don't make me explain what short machetes are for also...:D )
 
As much as I want a machete (folding or not) they're not much use in the local vegetation. Everything turns into a tree fast. A nice hawk is were it's at.
 
Danke42 said:
As much as I want a machete (folding or not) they're not much use in the local vegetation. Everything turns into a tree fast. A nice hawk is were it's at.
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Local environment can and should dictate what tools you bring. :thumbup:
I went for a hike in a prairie grassland that had grown over the trail; lots of rain this year, and not enough people using it or maintaining it. I wished I had a LONG machete that day; long and thin would have been great.
The places I normally go to hike or camp though would not see much use of a long machete; a long chopper or short machete tends to work well for them.

I remember watching a winter survival show set up in the northern pine forests, and I agreed with the guy in the show that an axe was best for it...if I'd been there, an axe would have made life easier/possible for sure.
 
The hockey-masked man reappears, just in the form of a (very) talented knifemaker! ;)

Hit me up when they can design a bombproof lock which is user-friendly in terms of disengagement. I bet more people cut themselves trying to unlock the Tri-Ad lock than all of those that have had Paramilitaries fold on them.

I have severe nerve-damage in my left pointer finger from doing something really, really stupid with an Emerson Specwar (liner lock). Sold the knife (bad energy in that particular one) and promptly bought another. Am I stupid for the re-purchase? No - I'm infinitely stupid for doing something with a knife that I shouldn't have been doing.

Wait for it - the next fad will be overbuilt locks that require 2 hands and a hard surface to disengage......
 
symphonyincminor said:
The hockey-masked man reappears, just in the form of a (very) talented knifemaker! ;)

Hit me up when they can design a bombproof lock which is user-friendly in terms of disengagement. I bet more people cut themselves trying to unlock the Tri-Ad lock than all of those that have had Paramilitaries fold on them.

I have severe nerve-damage in my left pointer finger from doing something really, really stupid with an Emerson Specwar (liner lock). Sold the knife (bad energy in that particular one) and promptly bought another. Am I stupid for the re-purchase? No - I'm infinitely stupid for doing something with a knife that I shouldn't have been doing.

Wait for it - the next fad will be overbuilt locks that require 2 hands and a hard surface to disengage......
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If it does require 2 hands and a hard surface at least no Leo or judge could argue that it's a gravity knife or however they call these in NY.
But even then there might be some Arnold who can shake it out with one hand and get you convicted.
Therefore I would go at least for two hands a hard surface and a safety lock.
😂
 
GrinderMcgee said:
I dunno, I have met many people who have had folders close on their fingers (7 off the top of my head) and have been there once when it has happened. Luckily never to me. Not fun.

Lock strength is definitely a practical concern depending on what your tool is used for. I carry a Spydie UKPK just as much as my American Lawman and I wouldn't say either is necessarily "better" than the other.
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I had my first knife close on my finger when I was about 8 or 9, wrapped it up and kept it hid till it healed because I knew I'd get into trouble if my Dad saw how bad the cut was. I recall it took a long time to heal and I've been a fan of well built locks ever since. These days I mostly carry smaller fixed blades and avoid the issue entirely.

As an adult I did a few lock tests by clamping the blade and applying some pressure to the handle in the closed direction, with a 15 lb limit. I was amazed (dismayed) at how little force was needed to either disengage the lock or break it outright on many models. One of the knives I tested was a 2nd gen CS voyager. The pivot pin crushed one side of the hole and the lock developed a permanent slop - with very little force. One Gerber liner lock I had simply closed with no damage to the lock at all - it popped out of the way with less than 5 lbs of force. It became obvious that many locks are not intended to provide much more than convenience, or if they do protect the user in an extreme event, they will be permanently damaged.

I don't expect my locks to hold my bodyweight, but they shouldn't give me a false sense of security either. The TriAd might be tough to close initially, but it fulfills a lot of requirements - simple, effective, an improvement over a traditional back lock and many other designs by orders of magnitude. If he chooses to demo it with unrealistic exhibitions of abuse, he IS selling a product after all.It doesn't change the fact that his product is darn good and will undoubtedly be heavily copied once the patent expires.
 
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