Can I trust Spyderco lockback?

I trust the backlock more than the liner lock.

That being said, confidence in the lock of your knife is no excuse to use it unsafely.
 
Brutus013 said:
I disagree with linerlocks failing regularly for no apparent reason. No quality liner I've ever seen has failed regularly, let alone for no apparent reason.

Also, locks are 100% safeties. They are there for the same reason an emergency break is there; once out of every 1000 cuts, you may be forced to do something that would put pressure on the back of the blade with more force than the cutting edge, or you do something stupid in which a lot of pressure is released/exerted at once.
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I didn't write that an individual liner lock fails regularly (though I have seen ones that do), I wrote that liner locks fail regularly for no apparent reason. The concepts are different.

I recently had a liner lock that has never failed in years fail (an 800HSS) and immediately afterword it passed the basic tests I use for lock reliability. Ditto for a Military and some knives of friends that I looked at. A failure of a lock followed by successful testing - not good.

That is why I no longer recommend linerlock equipped knives. There are better knife lock mechanisms out there.

And, I use the locking feature of folding knives reqularly when I lever through a tough material.

One buys a locking knife to lock, not as some "maybe need" feature.

Also, since there are few linerlock equipped knives that have a bias to stay open beyound the lock itself, it is not a safety feature - it holds the blade in position and is an integral part of the proper functioning of a knife so equipped.
 
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Kbrasmodeler said:
I have to comment on this. The emergency brake on your car is next to the gas pedal. What everyone calls the "emergency brake", whether operated by hand, or by another pedal on the left side of the steering column, is actually the "parking brake". It is not designed to stop the car, in the event of an emergency, and most of the time, if the actual "emergency brake" fails, the parking brake will no longer function either. Rant over.

...
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Off topic -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_brake

It depends on the car as to whether it uses a separate brake mechanism.

It is often called a "parking brake" simply as an attempt to get people to use it. Too many automatic transmission cars out there.

On my 60's cars the pull said "EMERGENCY", not "PARKING" as often seen today.

Rant over.

What is this "proper use" so often mentioned. Define what constitutes such.

The most common use where I have experienced, seen, and heard about where a lock fails is the common penetration of a cardboard container by stabbing the tip into the container. Is this improper use? Should one expect a lock to fail under such a trivial load?
 
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orthogonal1 said:
What is this "proper use" so often mentioned. Define what constitutes such.

The most common use where I have experienced, seen, and heard about where a lock fails is the common penetration of a cardboard container by stabbing the tip into the container. Is this improper use? Should one expect a lock to fail under such a trivial load?
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This use actually puts quite a strain on any folding knife, if the stabbing motion puts the stress on the spine of the blade. You ask what proper knife use would constitiute. In the instance of cutting a cardboard box, you would want to make sure the pressure is on the edge, instead of the spine. A folding knife is made to fold. You have to keep this in mind when using it. Any tool can fail, but it is always more likely when it is used in an unsafe manner.
 
Kbrasmodeler said:
This use actually puts quite a strain on any folding knife, if the stabbing motion puts the stress on the spine of the blade. You ask what proper knife use would constitiute. In the instance of cutting a cardboard box, you would want to make sure the pressure is on the edge, instead of the spine. A folding knife is made to fold. You have to keep this in mind when using it. Any tool can fail, but it is always more likely when it is used in an unsafe manner.
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A locking folder is meant, and therefor marketed, to lock open. As such, a locking folder should stay open until it is unlocked.

And, yes, any tool can can fail. Is that a reason to excuse such failure?

To use the apparently popular vehicle brake analogy, if the brakes of your car fail, do you just simply say you used them improperly? Do people say you should only drive in a manner where stopping forces are minimized?

Stabbing a knife into a cardboard container is not an unexpected loading of any knife and is a reasonably expected activity IMO. The lock of a knife should not fail under such a trivial loading and there is no excuse for such failure.
 
Carried a Manix every single day for about 5 years and never had a problem even after most likely hundreds of thousands of openings and closings.

I think you can trust it.
 
I had my Buck lockback fail on me and havn't even thought about buying another Buck since, I know it was a fluke but it just dosn't want make want to buy another one of their knives.
 
I lean to the lockback being the stronger lock. I have never had a Spydie lockback fail. I agree it must be rare, rare...
 
it does not matter if the knife has a lock or not BUT if there is pressure applied to the spine during use it is IMPROPER use and could lead to failure and or injury!
 
The most common use where I have experienced, seen, and heard about where a lock fails is the common penetration of a cardboard container by stabbing the tip into the container.
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I'm certainly not going to attempt to duplicate this test... :eek:

I agree that when gripping or thrusting with a linerlock, like my Military, I always get an uneasy feeling.
 
Actually, I've heard of more problems with Axis locks than Spydercos Lockbacks. Mostly with broken omega springs.
 
I have many knives by Spyderco and I trust all of them to stay locked even after years of use. Spyderco listens to its customers and updates models and designs regularly, Sal takes interest in failures of any Spyderco knife to see what happened and fix it. Sorry bout you knifes failure...they'll make it right.
 
Update:

I spent $3 for shipping to Spyderco and also a $5 money order for return shipping as per their policy. Spyderco declared my Persian 75 as having a manufacturing defect. Since it's not made anymore, I got a $150 credit. A Manix 2 plain edge and two Honeybees are now on their way.
 
I have been carrying folders for 40 years or so, never had any kind of a lock fail me yet.
 
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BigDude said:
Update:

I spent $3 for shipping to Spyderco and also a $5 money order for return shipping as per their policy. Spyderco declared my Persian 75 as having a manufacturing defect. Since it's not made anymore, I got a $150 credit. A Manix 2 plain edge and two Honeybees are now on their way.
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Good to hear all worked out well.
 
Big Dude, I hope you enjoy, and get good service out of your new Manix 2. They are nice knives, and the ball lock is a strong one that should last years if not dogged too much, with just basic care needed.

A good choice on your part. After you've had it for a while let us know how you like it. Joe
 
I've only seen one quality lockback fail - a very old, much used/abused Puma that was given to one of my sons by a hunter he met. I think the problem was due to a worn out pivot pin. Can't comment on what's caused your Persian to fail but it isn't common
 
Can you trust Spyderco lockback? Absolutely not!










I woke up the other night and found my Delica taking money out of my wallet. JK! Yes you can they're some of the best lockbacks.
 
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