Does a knife with a g10 scale with no liner inside turn you away from buying a knife?

M

minimize

Gold Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2007
Messages
1,268
hi. was hoping to hear all your opinions. If you find a knife you like, that doesn't have a liner inside the g10... and is just a g10 scale on one side... is that something to be concerned with long term, or does it turn you off to buying a knife at all?

Loving the look of the Spyderco Lil Lionspy, but the lack of a liner and the nylon washers (I know, Hinderer uses the same) have me second guessing if I should buy one. Would love to hear your opinions. Thanks!
 
Nope.
DPx also uses g10 without a liner, iirc.

Hinderer and DPx are both companies that hill themselves as creating harder use knives. If they are OK with it, I would be too.
 
I have a custom Richard Rogers with liner-less G10 and its one of my all time favorites. Pic below...
 
Last edited:
I've never had any issues with any of my g10 knives without liner locks and wouldn't hesitate to get another.
 
I have a custom Richard Rogers with liner-less G10 and its one of my all time favorites.
Click to expand...

and no photo ? ? ?
I don't think that's fair.
Is that fair ? ?
I think not.
 
I bought a spyderco military, which basically has no liners. I like cold steel recon 1, no liners just g10. Whats your concerns? The knife handles are still plenty strong for light and medium duty use. After all they're folders
 
Nope. In some knives the blade will snap before the linerless G10 does. That scale looks plenty thick. I wouldn't worry about it.
 
Its bothered me in the past, Ive bought Striders in g10 and I cant help but think the weakest link is in the g10...but when you really sit down and think about it, the forces from prying (if you ever had to do so) are mainly concentrated on the pivot itself...
I just got a Medford Colonial with a g10 side w/no liner, love it, but it still bothers me that there is no liner...

G10 is super strong, Ive tried to break small pieces of it by hand and with pliers, is it weaker than steel? yes. but the weight trade off may be worth it..
 
Last edited:
Couple liner-less G10s.

b5ec12a69bfef3d837a2d90bbf72d5c1.jpg
 
I only have a couple currently with out liners and here are my summed up experiences.

My Spyderco Native V light weight was pretty rough when I got it, the blade only held between the plastic, so I took it apart and lubed it up. It works pretty good now, it still isn't as smooth as the G-10 version with washers (which I have for comparison) but it is much thinner, lighter and it has become my everyday companion.

I was told once that the G-10 will wear out with out a liner, like on my strider SMF for example, well I have a 7 year old one that has seen daily use and there is no such wear.

In closing, the knife might not be as smooth as ones with liners and washers but there are other benefits, and I don't believe that it detracts from durability.
Best of luck!
 
No the weight savings is substantial and honestly the pivot or blade will break WAY before the G10 (especially the one piece integral show side and back spacer Strider uses) will ever break, I think the addition of the steel or titanium liner is there as more of a "Feel good" measure and does not add much to the overall rigidity of the knife.
 
I have a William Henry with G10 scales and no liner that is the smoothest knife I own. There is no blade play in any direction, and seems rock solid.
 
Also a positive thing for me, when buying a folder.

CAM01927_zpsrpauf33s.jpg


My Recon 1 has no liners, those G10 scales are as tough as it gets. No play, wiggle or cracks after three years of (ab)use

20160305_174530_zpslrfajkfn.jpg


My H.O.II has also G10 without liners, and feels as a sturdy, strong knife as my Utilitac II (S.Steel Liners), Voyager (aluminum handles) or Piggyback (a single S.Steel liner).
No problems for me!
 
I have several knives with G10 or FRN handles and no liners. I've never had any issues or failures.
 
My Spyderco Manix 2 LW is just about perfect. No liners and just kills it at the warehouse despite its FRCP construction.

My Cold Steel American Lawman is a beast of a knife and has no liners. Still as solid of a knife as I've ever held.

My Viper Odino is a Ti framelock with a solid slab of CF for the presentation side. It's a little bulldog of a blade.
 
Thanks so much everyone! I really appreciate all your experiences and opinions! I think I am going to jump on a Lil Lionspy now. Thanks again!
 
115Italian said:
I bought a spyderco military, which basically has no liners. I like cold steel recon 1, no liners just g10. Whats your concerns? The knife handles are still plenty strong for light and medium duty use. After all they're folders
Click to expand...
I always felt some sort of security in a pocket knife having that metal there somewhere. Was worried that the g10 alone would lead to some sort of weakness later on.. like the screws hold the knife in place cracking the g10 from hard use... or something like that.. like the g10 would just one day break down on me.

brandoak said:
Its bothered me in the past, Ive bought Striders in g10 and I cant help but think the weakest link is in the g10...but when you really sit down and think about it, the forces from prying (if you ever had to do so) are mainly concentrated on the pivot itself...
I just got a Medford Colonial with a g10 side w/no liner, love it, but it still bothers me that there is no liner...

G10 is super strong, Ive tried to break small pieces of it by hand and with pliers, is it weaker than steel? yes. but the weight trade off may be worth it..
Click to expand...

Leftytwogunz said:
I only have a couple currently with out liners and here are my summed up experiences.

My Spyderco Native V light weight was pretty rough when I got it, the blade only held between the plastic, so I took it apart and lubed it up. It works pretty good now, it still isn't as smooth as the G-10 version with washers (which I have for comparison) but it is much thinner, lighter and it has become my everyday companion.

I was told once that the G-10 will wear out with out a liner, like on my strider SMF for example, well I have a 7 year old one that has seen daily use and there is no such wear.

In closing, the knife might not be as smooth as ones with liners and washers but there are other benefits, and I don't believe that it detracts from durability.
Best of luck!
Click to expand...

grownstar said:
My Spyderco Manix 2 LW is just about perfect. No liners and just kills it at the warehouse despite its FRCP construction.

My Cold Steel American Lawman is a beast of a knife and has no liners. Still as solid of a knife as I've ever held.

My Viper Odino is a Ti framelock with a solid slab of CF for the presentation side. It's a little bulldog of a blade.
Click to expand...

Thanks for those examples!!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top