CRKT LAWKS Claim: Right or Hype?

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I know this has been discussed before, but CRKT has always advertised its Lake and Walker Knife Safety (LAWKS) as making their knives "virtual fixed blades." In fact, the advertisements read: "You have the advantages of a fixed blade without the disadvantage of a costly sheath carry system."

Although I've heard of a LAWKS failure, I've never actually seen one, nor have I seen a video or photo of a failure. I'm interested in knowing how much weight I could expect my M16-14SFA to take before folding on me. A few years ago I talked to Lynn Thompson at Cold Steel, and he said the tests they'd done on CRKT's LAWKS showed catastrophic failure at about 45-75 pounds if I recall correctly. Does this sound right? If there was a failure, how would it happen? Would the blocking device be defeated or would the liner give?

Has anyone ever seen, or experienced, a LAWKS failure? And is AUTOLAWKS any better/worse?


CRKT_M21_LAWKS_det.jpg


The switch is easy enough to engage, and one can
train one's self to engage it each time it's opened.
The AUTOLAWKS does this automatically, however,
it adds weight to the flipping mechanism.


CRKT_M21_blokada_det.jpg


In the event of catastrophic failure, what would
give first, the blocker or the liner?
 
I have a few older model CRKT knives and I went out and got a new-ish m16 and I hated the autolawks and got rid of it the same day I got it .I would say the liner would give before the blocker would become involved in a failure ,the liners don`t seem to be as hard as they used to/should be .I think having five knives with lawks I would say don`t rely on it making the lock stronger or more reliable just think of it as a helper when using the knife with an awkward/heavy grip. Think of it like the safety on a firearm you just always think of it cocked and loaded and everything will be ok.
 
Honestly, The liner and saftey should never have to be comprimised if your using it in a normal matter. The m16-04 knife i have owned for almost 5 years has never givin up or bent/gave way. Using a folding knife in a matter where you should even question somthing like this means you should stay away from folders and keep a small fixed blade on ya. i love CRKT and the lawks is a cool design. I couldnt see spending more than 60 bucks on a folder and CRKT make solid designs and the work great.
 
I bought a CRKT/Carson M4 from a forum member. Great knife, but I'm not terribly impressed with the "LAWKS". For me, it just turns the knife into a "two-handed" closer, instead of a one-handed opener & closer, like all my other liner locks.

I agree with Big philly - I have several short bladed fixed blades, and those are my go-to's when I have to make sure there won't be a lock failure. I've never had a lock fail on me yet, but I ain't takin' no chances these days.

thx - cpr
 
It's hype. The normal liner lock is plenty reliable on its own.

Oh, and in my lock testing of that particular knife, the liner failed away from the LAWKs mechanism and actually got wedged between the blade and handle (where the knife could not close, btw).
 
orca8589 said:
I bought a CRKT/Carson M4 from a forum member. Great knife, but I'm not terribly impressed with the "LAWKS". For me, it just turns the knife into a "two-handed" closer, instead of a one-handed opener & closer, like all my other liner locks.
Click to expand...

You don't need two hands to close a LAWKS/AutoLAWKS knife. Pull the LAWKS with index finger, move liner with thumb, close blade with index finger. A lot of people don't realize that once you have moved the liner, your finger doesn't have to hold the LAWKS lever any more.

That being said, I think the liners are quite thin and while the LAWKS system prevents it from accidentally closing, it is still just as strong as any other liner lock.
 
though imho the lawks works "ok" its not needed on a well made well fitted liner lock, CRKT's are kinda "iffy" imho in that regard so it might not be a bad idea to have the lawks on them,

you never see lawks on any customs FWIW, so i dont know that its any better than a properly fitted LL.

i have not had a lawks fail but i have had the liner lock fail on a couple of CRKT's, one of them being an M16, other one a kasper, CRKT replaced both for free.
 
I loved my CRKT m4 but the lawks system made me sell it. I felt the liner lock by itself was good enough but I couldn't deal with that annoying extra step needed to close the blade.
 
lawks is a joke. It doesnt add strength, and it's not all that necessary. Unless you're a caution freak.
 
Agreed; LAWKS is a complete gimmick. The mechanism makes CRKT's knives cumbersome to close and serves only to compensate for their poor quality. A properly designed liner/frame lock should deform at maximum stress, but in no circumstances allow the blade to close on the hand.

AUTOLAWKS differs from the original in that you cannot disable the LAWKS system. In other words, the latch controlling the LAWKS system is tensioned by a spring so you must pull back the latch before activating the liner each time you close the knife. CRKT advertises this as an improved safety feature.
 
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There`s a (manual) LAWKS on my Kasper/Crawford folder....it`s just OK, adds another level of performance to the lock. That said, I *still* don`t trust it any more than any other folding knife, I would`nt put too much faith in any of `em (with the exception of a Balisong). If you`re THAT abusive to a folder that you run the risk of destroying the lock, you should be carrying a small fixed-blade....
 
I disagree, I think LAWKS can be good depending on how you use your knife during the course of an average day. Like anything else, if poorly made it is no good. But if it saves a finger....

I see it as being like airbags. The average driver might go a lifetime and never need them, and conclude that they are just a bother and something to drive up cost of owning a car. I've never needed mine. But the experts in automotive whom I've talked to tell me that air bags are one of the better safety innovations that have come along. And no, these are not just Ralph Nader types I have talked to, far from it.
 
Gimmick.

The M16 I have is probably weaker, lock-wise, than my other liner locks.

It certainly is thinner and chintzier.

That extra step to close it is really annoying.
 
wutitiz said:
I disagree, I think LAWKS can be good depending on how you use your knife during the course of an average day. Like anything else, if poorly made it is no good. But if it saves a finger....

I see it as being like airbags. The average driver might go a lifetime and never need them, and conclude that they are just a bother and something to drive up cost of owning a car. I've never needed mine. But the experts in automotive whom I've talked to tell me that air bags are one of the better safety innovations that have come along. And no, these are not just Ralph Nader types I have talked to, far from it.
Click to expand...

I would say that the auto-lawks is less comparative to airbags as it would be to adding another lever to push to open the drivers door from the inside.
 
I like my old M16-03. You can engage the secondary lock yourself if you want, it's a great flipper. I tried the newer CRKT's with the AutoLAWKS and i HATE them.
 
I believe it to be a marketing idea. The ones I have handled didn't really seem to be any better with the LAWKS feature. They should have left it at a liner lock.
 
Ill echo others thoughts. its most certainly a gimmick i know soldiers who have bought the m16 folders and subsequently will break the auto lawks system themselves so they dont have to put up with it, but i think that this is a perspective gained by real knife people alot of people who buy knives dont know too much about them, espeacially if your getting a crkt its why sebbies and striders dont have gimmicks because they are for knife people only. that being said why wouldnt you just carry a smallish fixed blade. in my 5.11 shoulder bag i carry a griptillian an ontario rat-3 and an ontario tak there no situation that i cant get through with the variety of blades i have :D wether it be opening christmas presents for children with the grip or pring 2X4s with the TAK there are different blades for different jobs, a crkt simply wont stand up to much abuse because its not theyre intended purpose they are made to cut stuff :D maybe to poke a thing or 2 do yourself a favor and get a RAT rc 3 or izula and carry that if you need a knife htat cn take some punishment, if not then dont worry too much about your liner lock failing :D

oh and the liner will gave way quicker than the lawks :)

oh and btw did u take those pics yourself? if so hat kind of macro did you use? my girl is a photo major
 
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Artfully Martial said:
...in my lock testing of that particular knife, the liner failed away from the LAWKs mechanism and actually got wedged between the blade and handle (where the knife could not close, btw).
Click to expand...
How did you get it to fail? Do you recall how many pounds it took to cause it to fold up on you? I always wondered if the failure would be the liner getting caught in between the blade and the blocking mechanism.
 
Tripton said:
I would say that the auto-lawks is less comparative to airbags as it would be to adding another lever to push to open the drivers door from the inside.
Click to expand...


I don't follow you. The purpose of the LAWKS is to prevent the blade from accidentally closing on your finger, just as the purpose of the airbag is to prevent you from hitting something hard and getting hurt. I'm not sure what adding a second lever to the driver's door would accomplish.
 
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