Daaaaaaaang, Steel Will @ Shot show 2017 straight killing it, best in show IMO!

I really like that black one with the red line down the back. I wonder if that new lock will work for a flipper or not, I'm a little afraid it'll either lock the knife totally closed or it'll be like AXIS where there's not enough detent. (I learned that lesson the hard way with the BM Ball Flipper.)

I'm also curious about that framelock that they skipped right over.
 
Max Archer said:
I really like that black one with the red line down the back. I wonder if that new lock will work for a flipper or not, I'm a little afraid it'll either lock the knife totally closed or it'll be like AXIS where there's not enough detent. (I learned that lesson the hard way with the BM Ball Flipper.)

I'm also curious about that framelock that they skipped right over.
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It doesnt look like the Ant Lock can accomodate for flipper. Check out Steel Will's latest instagram posts, the top of the blade around the tang area are being covered by spring and other part of the locking mechanism making it a closed construction.
Like other locking mechanisms that does not rely on the strength of the liners such as Triad lock and ball bearing lock, the strength of the lock comes from contact point between the blade tang and tension coming from above(like Triad and likely Ant Lock) or behind(ball bearing) it. This is usually the place occupied by flipper for locking mechanism where the locking tension is coming from the side i.e. liner, frame or button lock.
 
Oh yeah, I just watched their IG video and there's no way that'll work with a flipper. It almost looks like the ant lock is pretty much just a back lock but with a front lever to open it instead of pushing on the back, if that makes sense.

I'm still interested in trying one though, not every knife has to be a flipper.
 
Nothing exciting there for me.

The Ant lock is interesting but not going to buy one to see how it works.

Does this company actually make knives, or is it the "design and outsource" model?

best

mqqn
 
mqqn said:
Does this company actually make knives, or is it the "design and outsource" model?
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They are an American company that operates under SMG Inc. Guns, and outsource to italy, and potentially somewhere in Asia this year (Taiwan I'm betting), and their fit and finish is phenomenal as well as materials used. It's no different than cold steel, a good chunk of Spyderco, OKC, kershaw, etc., just with better quality control IMO.
 
`br4dz- said:
They are an American company that operates under SMG Inc. Guns, and outsource to italy, and potentially somewhere in Asia this year (Taiwan I'm betting), and their fit and finish is phenomenal as well as materials used. It's no different than cold steel, a good chunk of Spyderco, OKC, kershaw, etc., just with better quality control IMO.
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So no USA made knives, and they don't have any physical plant?

That is what I was seeing when looking at the web site - seems like high prices for meh technology, but good luck to them.

Hope they bring some production to the USA someday.

best

mqqn
 
I'm impressed, looks like some nice offerings. I'm into that Cutjack and the F25 looks nice. I'll be looking out for the new releases from them, I'd never really paid them much attention before.
 
mqqn said:
So no USA made knives, and they don't have any physical plant?

That is what I was seeing when looking at the web site - seems like high prices for meh technology, but good luck to them.

Hope they bring some production to the USA someday.

best

mqqn
Click to expand...

I agree, but at least the designs are interesting and they seem to be outsourcing to quality plants. Hopefully if they sell well enough they'll use the revenue to invest in stateside production.
 
A Cutjack EDC bearings flipper with liner lock, G-10 and a 3" high flat blade (0.12" thick) of M390 made in Italy for under $150 street price will be sweet.
 
[video=youtube;Rf9uqYdiawg]http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=Rf9uqYdiawg[/video]
 
RamZar said:
[video=youtube;Rf9uqYdiawg]http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=Rf9uqYdiawg[/video]
Click to expand...

I've been studying their Ant lock from multiple pictures and videos, and i found that it works similar to a triad lock.

Basically there is a stop pin between the blade and the locking bar/tab. The lockbar/tab is just like a lock back but it pivots around the stop pin. The Spring is extended from the backspacer in front of the first handle screw and it holds the lockbar in a downward pressure to engage the lock.
The exposed pin behind the pivot is actually not part of the locking interface and does not provide strength(unlike the Axis lock). It's only there to lift the lockbar to disengage the lock.

So technically this is a modified Triad lock mechanism where the lockbar sits between blade tang and the stop pin(like triad), held by a spring from the middle of the handle(like lockback) and is actuated by the exposed pin. Really smart design, by moving the lockback actuation mechanism to the side of the handle making one-handed operation much easier.
 
Lionsteel has a lock that is essentially a lock back with a bar on the side of the knife similar to an AXIS lock that when slid back it wedges the lock up. Sounds like this is basically the same thing but with a stop pin thrown in, though I haven't seen the stop pin yet in any pictures.

Sounds like a mix of the 2. If their knives were made by Lionsteel I wonder what they will think about that?
 
hkyew said:
I've been studying their Ant lock from multiple pictures and videos, and i found that it works similar to a triad lock.

Basically there is a stop pin between the blade and the locking bar/tab. The lockbar/tab is just like a lock back but it pivots around the stop pin. The Spring is extended from the backspacer in front of the first handle screw and it holds the lockbar in a downward pressure to engage the lock.
The exposed pin behind the pivot is actually not part of the locking interface and does not provide strength(unlike the Axis lock). It's only there to lift the lockbar to disengage the lock.

So technically this is a modified Triad lock mechanism where the lockbar sits between blade tang and the stop pin(like triad), held by a spring from the middle of the handle(like lockback) and is actuated by the exposed pin. Really smart design, by moving the lockback actuation mechanism to the side of the handle making one-handed operation much easier.
Click to expand...

I'm curious if the Ant Lock will have better blade retention than something like the button lock or Axis lock, which is what makes me avoid everything that doesn't have a ball detent.
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
Lionsteel has a lock that is essentially a lock back with a bar on the side of the knife similar to an AXIS lock that when slid back it wedges the lock up. Sounds like this is basically the same thing but with a stop pin thrown in, though I haven't seen the stop pin yet in any pictures.

Sounds like a mix of the 2. If their knives were made by Lionsteel I wonder what they will think about that?
Click to expand...

It's actually slightly different than the Lionsteel's lock. This is like a reverse lockback. For a normal lockback, the lockbar contact the blade from behind the blade tang, and the lockbar pivots in the middle of the handle(fulcrum) with the spring holding the back end, forming a lever system. For Ant Lock, the spring tension still comes from the spring from behind, however the fulcrum point and the locking end swapped place. The pivot of the lockbar now rests on the stop pin behind the blade.

Think of it like a staple below. The handle is where the spring from backspacer applies pressure, the stapling part is where the lockbar contacts the tang, and the pivot/fulcrum is the stop pin where the lockbar pivots around.

451815_p_wipo


Also look at the video on the below link, pause at about 7-8 seconds mark. From the still image, going from left to right, you have a black backspacer, followed by a spring which rest on top of the lockbar putting pressure downward, then you have the lockbar. Directly in front of the lockbar you can see the partially covered stop pin where the lockbar rest against and possibly pivot around. So basically it's like a triad lock with different release mechanism.

http://knifenews.com/steel-will-knives-debuts-the-linerless-ant-lock-at-shot-show-2017/
 
hkyew said:
It's actually slightly different than the Lionsteel's lock. This is like a reverse lockback. For a normal lockback, the lockbar contact the blade from behind the blade tang, and the lockbar pivots in the middle of the handle(fulcrum) with the spring holding the back end, forming a lever system. For Ant Lock, the spring tension still comes from the spring from behind, however the fulcrum point and the locking end swapped place. The pivot of the lockbar now rests on the stop pin behind the blade.
...
Also look at the video on the below link, pause at about 7-8 seconds mark. From the still image, going from left to right, you have a black backspacer, followed by a spring which rest on top of the lockbar putting pressure downward, then you have the lockbar. Directly in front of the lockbar you can see the partially covered stop pin where the lockbar rest against and possibly pivot around. So basically it's like a triad lock with different release mechanism.
Click to expand...

Triad-Lock is a lock-back with a stop-pin, where the lock-bar 'hook' fits between the lock-bar and tang-'hook'.
A traditional lock-back has no stop-pin, the lock-bar acts as the stop-pin.
The lionsteel OCS uses an axis-bar (with omega springs, evidently) to lift the lock-bar at the front rather than a leverage-point on the back.
Buck's "strong" (strap) lock requires you to lift the front end rather than using leverage from the back, but also has a stop-pin behind the tang 'hook' that catches the strap, and the strap (lock-bar) is also the spring.

I can't get a clean read on this one... I see the spring extending from beneath the back-spacer like a traditional lock-back or Triad, i see the stop-pin at the front, and I see the side-release bar, but I just don't get where the lock and tang interface...
That bit of metal slanting in from the stop-pin, that is the lock-mechanism? If so, what is keeping it in place, and how does moving the cross-bar (apparently held down by the back-spring) move it out of the way? How does the spring push the lock-mechanism into the tang 'hook'? This all seems WAY more convoluted than an Arc-lock or something similar...

View attachment 684616

View attachment 684617
 
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This is the first I've seen Steel Will Knives, I'm impressed. I'd look closely once I could get them in my hand, which may be a problem since I have no idea where their sold. Anyway I'll have to rely on the forums reviews. They look to be close with the Benchmades which I like a lot also. I guess I'll have to wait because from what they say many of the knives won't be available for 6 mts. or so.
 
RamZar said:
I recall March/April in one of the videos.

Mini Cutjack 3" M390 G-10 (Blue or Black) = $144.95
Cutjack 3.5" M390 G-10 (Blue or Black) = $152.99

Mini Cutjack 3" D2 FRN = $38.95
Cutjack 3.5" D2 FRN = $42.95
Click to expand...

Sweet, just pre-ordered one, hopefully closer to March, but I recall something on IG from Steel Wills page it said June?
 
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