Custom Liner Locks -vs- Production Liner Locks

boobar

boobar

Gold Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2002
Messages
3,597
The liner lock debate rages on but I couldn't find a post that talked about a comparison between custom and production liner locks. I have recently caught the custom knife bug but I am hesitant about buying liner lock knives due to there bad reputation. All of the higher end knives that I have are integral lock knives and my production knifes are AXIS lock.

So the question is do you have any hesitation when buy a liner lock knife from a custom maker? Specifically I am looking at picking up a Jeff Hall Viceroy. From the minute that I saw this knife I was taken with it. My only hitch was that it has a liner lock. I also really like LIghtfoot and Lambert knives.

I am not sure whether I should ask this question because if the answer is that custom liner locks are OK it may cost me a lot of money. :D

Let me know what you think.
 
I have one of Greg's Bullwhip's and it has a titanium liner that is as tough as my sebbie. Very thick with no chance of failing the old spine whack test.
 
I have several David Mosier Liner Locks that lock up as solid as any frame lock. A properly done liner lock is IMO a great knife.
 
Of course if your holding the knife in a death grip and using it hard your hand COULD accidently dislodge the lock.
 
mm3 said:
Of course if your holding the knife in a death grip and using it hard your hand COULD accidently dislodge the lock.
Click to expand...

This is what the much criticised CRKT AutoLawks was meant to circumvent. A well designed and executed linerlock should not disengage accidentally - regardless of "deathgrip". Unfortunately - poorly designed/made LL's have given the whole genre a bad reputation. I've come across some framelocks that I'd use with the same care I give to a slipjoint
 
Jeff Hall builds a high quality knife and uses very thick titanium liners in his knives. I think you would be safe with the Viceroy!:D
 
All of the Benchmade models I've handled with liner locks have been superb. No issues whatsoever. I've read that the Spyderco Military is probably one of the best liner lock models of any production folder, but I've never handled one myself. The best liner lock I've ever owned was a Microtech LCC M/A, that thing locked like a vault and was smooth as glass.
 
A custom liner lock will always be better than a production liner lock.
 
sure a custom is gonna be fitted better than a production, but they can still wear like any LL, pat crawford had to replace the LL on my ti kasper and he also re-bead blasted it, sharpened it, and made it look LNIB for $30 or so with shipping.

i wouldnt worry about it, i have 7 or 8 custom LL's and other than the kasper (which i got used) none have ever had any probs, not yet anyway, if they do i will just send it back and get it fixed.
 
I don't think it really matters if it's custom or production. The lock is either fitted properly or it's not.
 
you would think a custom would be better fitted vs a production, ya would think, but i have seen a custom or 2 which wasnt, i guess anyone can have a bad one get by.

BM and spyderco seem to have really well fitted LL's, though some spydies seem kinda thin to me they rarely seem to have problems, which imho supports the theory the fitting is the critical part not the thickness of the liner, the spydie millie is as thin as any but ya rarely hear of probs with them.

and ya also gotta remember they are gonna wear, especially if inertia'd or waved, and move across the back of the blade to the other side, i have seen some go all the way and still lock up fine though, and a bud has a '99 EKI commander which has been inertia'd or waved most every time its been opened and its still at 1/3 right where it should be after a decade of heavy use, and with the thin liner EKI used to use which was "supposedly" so terrible, go figure. i would imagine it was one which was fitted well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top