I don't think about it, because I would never, ever stress a folding knife, even a locking one, in such a way as to put stress on the lock. Locks on knives are not meant to be stressed, they are only there to prevent accidental closure. The stress on a folding knife should only ever be in the direction that keeps the blade open. If you need to do heavy work with a knife, you need a fixed blade knife, period.
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Do you trust your locking folder so much that you often grip it with your fingers in harms way?
- Thread starter Grizzly3
- Start date
- Status
stabman
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2007
- Messages
- 21,327
I do not consider her an expert on knives, let alone the expert.
Knives is one small part of what she is about.
She designed a knife.
I did not participate in the survey, because I have only two knives with locks out of nearly fifty folders, and they are not my favorites. Fun topic revealing that some feel uncomfortable using slipjoints.
stabman
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2007
- Messages
- 21,327
I've designed and made a number of knives.She designed a knife.
I am not popular on YouTube though, so no one much cares about my opinion, and knife companies aren't scrambling to build my designs.
I feel quite confident enough in my knifely thoughts and abilities to decide for myself what constitutes proper and improper knife usage though.
Don't much expect others to base their usage on my opinions, however.
At least not till I climb to the heights of YouTube supremacy and can quit working a real job.
Danny Linguini
Gold Member
- Joined
- May 24, 2022
- Messages
- 2,019
My fingers? Hell no. I grip mine between my butt cheeks. Figure if things ever go south, it’ll make for a real interesting story for some proctologist some day.
Leo Greer
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2021
- Messages
- 877
I think the question is somewhat illogical... if you always cut with the sharpened side of the blade, how would the lock ever fail in such a way as to close on your fingers? When I cut things, I use the sharp side and press down or away from myself, away from the lock. Anyone here cutting with the top edge of their folder? (I know some of y'all are 
)
And, to clarify, I did grow up with lockbacks and slipjoints that certainly did try and close on me from time to time. However, this is because there's a spring that wants to close the blade. Having a locking mechanism like a bar lock, framelock, or liner lock takes away the spring trying to close the blade.
)And, to clarify, I did grow up with lockbacks and slipjoints that certainly did try and close on me from time to time. However, this is because there's a spring that wants to close the blade. Having a locking mechanism like a bar lock, framelock, or liner lock takes away the spring trying to close the blade.
I think the question is somewhat illogical... if you always cut with the sharpened side of the blade, how would the lock ever fail in such a way as to close on your fingers? When I cut things, I use the sharp side and press down or away from myself, away from the lock. Anyone here cutting with the top edge of their folder? (I know some of y'all are
And, to clarify, I did grow up with lockbacks and slipjoints that certainly did try and close on me from time to time. However, this is because there's a spring that wants to close the blade. Having a locking mechanism like a bar lock, framelock, or liner lock takes away the spring trying to close the blade.
Do you trust your locking folder so much that you often grip it with your fingers in harms way?
I guess you are right, that is a strange question. It should have been something like, have you used locking folders for so long that you have forgotten what it is like when a slip joint would try to close on your fingers.The poll came about because on another thread I mentioned that folks have been using locking folders for so long now that hardly anyone can remember that sometimes, when we were doing something with our slip joint that was out of the ordinary and where it might close on our fingers, that we would hold them with our fingers out of the way. Unfortunately, I didn't give all that information. Then someone came back with you should always use your knife properly and iirc, keep your fingers out of the way. But, most of the time, that is not even necessary. Or something like that. After all these comments, I can't even remember. But, I've liked this thread and again, sorry for the confusion.
Leo Greer
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2021
- Messages
- 877
That makes much more sense! Honestly, it's been so long since I've used a slipjoint that maybe I have forgotten... I own a couple of lockbacks, but the only times I touch "slipjoints" are when I use Leatherman-style multitools.
I have been coming to feel that a locking knife is a safer more capable blade, more options and varieties, approaches to using. So one might feel more comfortable placing their hand in the edge's path because there's a locking mechanism in the way, but safe handling still applies, slipjoints are "locked open" with a spring tension, so more caution must be used when using them, you can still hammer grip the handle as long as you make linear cuts
Stringjam7
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2023
- Messages
- 574
Kind of off-topic, but this is why I don't ever attend family events like BDay parties or Christmas with drop-shut knives. I'm always the guy that has the knife, and it gets passed around. I usually bring a nice backlock like my Stretch 2 XL or AirLite because it's pretty hard to mess that up on the close.
I had a co-worker ask to borrow my Microtech Stitch one time, and before I gave it to him, I gave him a speech about being careful not to pull the lock with his hand anywhere near the drop because the blade drops like a guillotine. Did he listen? Nope.
Last edited:
Leo Greer
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2021
- Messages
- 877
Mostly my family members just try to disengage framelocks by pushing them the wrong way... the Holt and the Shiro stay in my pockets, and the crossbar locks come out!
Anyone can design a knife, just who has the money to make it.She designed a knife.
For the main subject, do you know that with liner/frame lock, the closer you put your finger to the pivot to disengage the lock, the safer your finger is. Sound counter intuitive, but it is simple physic. The blade just doesn't have the speed and momentum to close it.
Unless it's the alpha beast
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2019
- Messages
- 3,534
Do you trust your car not to break down in the highway? Do you trust your firearm to go bang when it has to and to remain dormant in the holster?
It’s not really about trust IMO but knowing your equipment (i.e. not buying cheap, using them properly, not subjecting them to unreasonable abuse) and doing all you can to maintain them. That way, you can keep the chances of getting hurt to the absolute smallest number.
When gripping a folding knife “properly,” your fingers will always be in the folding blade’s path. There’s really no way around that. There’s always fixed blades if that ain’t your jam.
That said, I’ve never had to doubt my Spydercos and Cold Steels so far.
It’s not really about trust IMO but knowing your equipment (i.e. not buying cheap, using them properly, not subjecting them to unreasonable abuse) and doing all you can to maintain them. That way, you can keep the chances of getting hurt to the absolute smallest number.
When gripping a folding knife “properly,” your fingers will always be in the folding blade’s path. There’s really no way around that. There’s always fixed blades if that ain’t your jam.
That said, I’ve never had to doubt my Spydercos and Cold Steels so far.
On the other hand, the closer your finger is to the pivot, the less force it will take to lop off your finger...for the same reason why it's easier, when using loppers, to cut off a thick branch with it closer to the pivot (fulcrum) than farther away. The closer it is to the pivot or fulcrum, the more mechanical advantage you have applying force to the other end of the lever.
What does that even mean? I think you get that mixed up.On the other hand, the closer your finger is to the pivot, the less force it will take to lop off your finger...for the same reason why it's easier, when using loppers, to cut off a thick branch with it closer to the pivot (fulcrum) than farther away. The closer it is to the pivot or fulcrum, the more mechanical advantage you have applying force to the other end of the lever.
The loopers use the lever advantage to transfer more force on longer ends to the shorter ends. Also, they have very narrow angle on the cutters (short ends) for it to even cut, do you ever notice that? Same thing with wire cutters and other tools of the line, wide long handles with narrow cutter. You don't need to be a trade man or a mechanic/engineer to understand that.
In case of a pocket knife, you also have the speed of the blade closing the further out. Anyhow, who I am to decide on your physic?
- Status