Be careful of spine whacks

No you misunderstood me, I said that very much in defense of you.

So many people on here act like they've never made a mistake or slip of the hand, when we all know if you are using your knives you will make some mistake, even if it's a small one, at some point. I mean, we're all human.

Yep, sorry I know you where - I meant to quote what you had quoted.
 
Could you email me the model knife it was, so I don't buy it?

Sorry I cannot. It was a non-branded knife which I got with some samples from a Taiwan knife maker at a SHOT show years ago when I was consulting. I know it was made by one of the factories who produces knives for many brands. It is not something you are likely to see in a store. Those companies often give business partners high end customs meant to show their abilities. It was made to the $100 msrp range. The knife was excellent in every other way and very pretty and smooth.
 
Armchair experts or people who exercise common sense when deciding on the proper tool for the job, such as a weed whacker? Or even a machete?

It's always good to have the tool best designed for the task but if you already have a decent sized folder with one of the better designed lock mechanisms you can often manage...safely.

I like small slipjoints and locking folders both. I can get away with a lot more having the strong locking folder on me 24/7 365.
 
Guys I am not an idiot who cut a box with the spine. I cut the box like a normal person with a tenth of a brain - with the cutting edge. I accidentally hit the inside of the box with the spine while cutting it down. Geesh.

Perhaps for my part in the conversation, I was a bit disingenuous, although hopefully not, as after some chatting in the thread I can certainly see both sides of the issue. If a knife I was using normally failed because I accidentally tapped the spine against a box, or whatever, I'd be worried too.

I apologize if any of my comments personally sounded like I wasn't taking you seriously, I hope not.

Serious question to all, is a lockback lock stronger than liner or frame? I know all are not created equal, i.e. Cold Steel's Tri-Ad lockback knives.
 
Armchair experts or people who exercise common sense when deciding on the proper tool for the job, such as a weed whacker? Or even a machete?

What he said. The lock on a fixed blade will not fail. Another option that works great while cutting boxes and wont close on your fingers? Box cutter.
 
Hitting knife spines is whack, yo!

Heh. He-...

High five?

No?


Nothin', guys?



Fiiiiiiine.

@ the original topic:

I'm in the "safety starts between the ears" camp, but if I buy a knife that is marketed as a 'locking folder' and it fails to hold up under incidental contact, then it is either not working as intended, or it is being marketed in an intentionally misleading way. Neither is acceptable. A key word above is 'incidental'. I use folders edge-forward and I do not use the back edge in any way that applies jarring pressure of any appreciable amount.

When I see a spine whack test, I mostly chuckle. Having said that, I do appreciate that a lock that holds up in those tests is very likely to hold up if I back it out of a cardboard panel and bump another panel with the spine.

Be well, folks.
 
What he said. The lock on a fixed blade will not fail. Another option that works great while cutting boxes and wont close on your fingers? Box cutter.

Fair, but also a bit like telling someone seeking the safest car to stay at home. It is at the same time completely accurate and spectacularly unhelpful.
 
Perhaps for my part in the conversation, I was a bit disingenuous, although hopefully not, as after some chatting in the thread I can certainly see both sides of the issue. If a knife I was using normally failed because I accidentally tapped the spine against a box, or whatever, I'd be worried too.

I apologize if any of my comments personally sounded like I wasn't taking you seriously, I hope not.

Serious question to all, is a lockback lock stronger than liner or frame? I know all are not created equal, i.e. Cold Steel's Tri-Ad lockback knives.

I personally think a well made lock back is stronger than a liner or frame lock. I would add that there have been many improvements with the latter two systems and I am not familiar with every Liner or frame lock out there.

My statement may start another debate? LOL:rolleyes:
 
Fair, but also a bit like telling someone seeking the safest car to stay at home. It is at the same time completely accurate and spectacularly unhelpful.

would you drive a car thru a building? or something more suited to the task, like a tank?
 
I personally think a well made lock back is stronger than a liner or frame lock. I would add that there have been many improvements with the latter two systems and I am not familiar with every Liner or frame lock out there.

My statement may start another debate? LOL:rolleyes:

All the users and manufacturers who have tested them agree with you :thumbup:

I think a lot use them because they are easy to make and no need to come up with a new design when most are simply getting eyeballed, flicked open, or sitting in pockets. Easy to slightly alter handle and blade shape and sell it for $100+++
 
Fair, but also a bit like telling someone seeking the safest car to stay at home. It is at the same time completely accurate and spectacularly unhelpful.

No. Its like telling someone the safer car is the one whose brakes work.

And it seems with all the knives closing on peoples' fingers, that the spectacularly obvious needs to be said on occasion. Though its probably spectacularly unhelpful to most people.
 
Son, I don't intend to crash my car, I don't need them newfangled seat belts...

Poor anaklogy. Seat belts were specifically designed as a safety device.
Liner/frame locks wre designed to hold the blade open while cutting, not as a failsafe. Safety is the users responsibility.

Just ignore the rude ones without manners, that are really just looking for someone to dog pile on around here.

Most other posters are discussing this with rational and polite words. I am sorry that you received an injury.

I am saying this as a polite comment, The safety on a Firearm, Car or knife just for examples always starts between our ears and YES!, I have cut myself many times!

Well said.

With safety in mind. There will be no more jackass commentary or name calling in this thread or it will close and infractions issued.
 
Isn't something that's designed to hold a blade open, a safety device? I propose that its there to prevent accidental closure which therefore is a safety device

Users are of course responsible for safety, be they drivers or knife users but manufacturers can add features they deem.will increase safety. Govts can also try to legislate safety *cough* firing pin block *cough*

How is something that's designed.to stop a blade from.closing, hence preventing injury to the user, not be considered a safety device? :confused:
 
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Notice my usage of the word failsafe?
If you use a folding knife without regard to personal safety, who's to blame, you or the knife?
Knives don't cut fingers, people cut fingers.....
 
At this point, a definition of safety device might be in order since the discussion has turned to semantics.

Why is it always assumed that people who desire locks use knives with a disregard for personal safety?

And slippie users are the only proper users of knives?
 
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I've never gotten any of my locking folders to close on me after "whacking" and I guess that is a good thing. I've even tried with my non-dominant hand ("stranger-whacking") with no dire results. It seems it is a percussion event that I apparently either don't have the stamina or patience for. Gently whacking a slip-joint would probably give enough feedback to find the point of no return and maybe provide better awareness with ones own tool, I suppose, but I've always kinda had that touch anyway, even in sweaty, wrist numbing scenarios. Mood lighting and clean towells are optional.
 
You all realize right that when Mr. Walker perfected the liner lock he designed it to fail inwards. So all this debate about doing the spine whack, not doing the spine whack and if you do do the spine whack and it releases and all thse scenarios in between, if the knife blade releases it is made wrong right? I mean he didn't design it so the blade would release on your fingers. If it does close on your fingers it ain't right. It is defective. I can envision scenarios where using a liner lock when it is the only knife available to you for the job that may entail putting undue pressure on the lock to the point where it may be compromised. But again one can only hope it jams open and not release on your gripping hand. keepem sharp
 
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