Originally posted by komondor
Loosely on a spine wack test, but more directly on the fact that a liner lock stands a good chance of closing when the knife spine or top of blade takes a heavy impact and rattles the mechanics of the knife.
Well, as for the part that is "loosely based" on the spine wack test, you can choose to use that as a "Standard" as many people have, or possibly a percentage of the "Standard" you wish to establish. That is for you and for those that would agree with you, I don't consider it necessarily "proof" or "evidence," however.
The reason is not because I merely wish to continue many online disputes with regard to the issue or to disagree with you
personally. (I have better things to do than that)
The spine wack test, for one thing, would only be valid if we are speaking about holding a knife out for someone to smack with a stick. If you are using a metal table, then a piece of pipe in the street...etc.
Now, here is where reality clashes with theory. The theory is, it is going to happen. The reality is, it is not likely to happen. That is, that someone would even get that shot in a flurry. This is what happens when people
dream about things instead of training and thinking. The knife is the opposite of a handgun,
especially the smaller knives, in that, they are supposed to move. They do not require a stable platform as a handgun and in some knife styles with larger knives...require a firm guard and stability.
The small knife moves.
A table is basically immovable object when we are speaking about striking it with the spine of a 4.0 to possibly 10.0 ounce folding knife.
The reason I discount the spine wack test is, in a survival situation, like "wilderness" survival, when is the knife going to encounter that type of specific shock? The answer to that is, it is not unless you specifically wish to do that movement.
In a Self-defense encounter, we are talking about the possibility of a stick traveling downwards and striking a blade, the lock failing and the knife closing on the fingers.
I think anything is possible, I will give you that. As far as the odds of one closing more than the other...like I said, anything is possible. What is likely? I don't think it is likely and I so strongly believe that, I bet my fingers on it.
That is not "proof" nor "evidence" either. But...I don't put it forth as such. So, it sort of makes me giggle when I see people offering up little segments of opinion, as proof or evidence to be refuted.
I know that there is an incredibly low chance of a knife in my hand encountering such force, and what of the force if it should be encountered?
It is more likely going to be a hit into bone where the liner lock, if it fails at all, would fail to the "open," meaning, the lock will be busted and the knife locked open.
The problem I have with people speaking about other nifty locks is...
On most of those knives, people like yourself wish to place them in The Arena of Combat. Yet, the design is basically Utilitarian in nature. Not that it cannot or should not be pressed into service if need be...
However, one of the reasons you see people involved in Knife Combatives choosing Emersons is because of the way they feel. Sure in the hand.
It is quite likely that in any event, the knife you might choose, hey...it might not fail you...your fingers might be intact, then again, they might be cut to the bone and possibly the palm as well because the knives are not designed with a certain task (Self-defense) in mind.
The purpose of this is...to toss ideas in the ring. I'm not going to argue about these things over and over and over...too much time typing and I'm not going to change your mind and I am not going to rattle and prattle back and forth.
Buy and carry what suits you, whatever floats your boat. But just because you choose to do so...that is not "proof" of anything per se, except that you put a certain amount of thought into something and no one faults you for that.
Of course, you could take this back over into Urban Jungle and continue on.
Well, matter of taste. 
