Favorite Lock Type Poll

[David Mary]

Some members are all upset that I didn't make a separate option for Tri-Ad Lock. (It's a type of back lock, guys!)

It's different enough for some people to call it "other".

But this one goes to eleven...

Exactly.

I have articulated the back lock on the Buck 110, and while it feels pretty secure, the dimensions of it as far as how far back the lock bar is made it uncomfortable to close.

I have also had many lockbacks from Spyderco, and while they were decent, they never were perfect. By perfect, I mean no blade in any direction, and no partial disengagement in my normal use grips. This is not only a question of the lock's strength, but its tolerances and design also. Here are the knives I owned which would partially disengage, causing blade wiggle, when I would hold them in a grip for normal cardboard cutting:

Endura
Manix 2 Backlock
Native Chief
Police 4
Pacific Salt

Of those, the Seki ones had lock rock even without being in use.

I have never had this issue with a Triad lock, and I've experienced that lock on a wide variety of knives, including the Pro-Lite, half a dozen Recon 1s, both large and XL, half a dozen Voyagers, also both large and XL, a large Espada, and the only Triad lock knife I currently still own, a Broken Skull (modded to lose the branding, of course, and removed the clip blade profile). The only thing missing from the Triad lock knives to make them my favorite knives is an opening hole.

That distinction still goes to my Spyderco Resilience with its liner lock. More so if I manage to dial in the blade I had Jarod cut out of AEB-L for it, which is currently in the mail. The Resilience liner lock, by the way, is super secure, more so than the Millie I owned. I can dial it in to where it has no play, yet flicks or rolls open smoothly and easily. I have to keep readjusting it though because I never got around to sticking a drop of glue in there yet. I will after I reblade it though. So the liner lock on that knife (and a few others like a Ruike I used to own) get the honorable mention for lock type, despite my off and on love for the Compression Lock and CBBL.

But there is something about the Triad lock which allows every knife I have owned with it to be perfect - or very close to perfect in a couple cases - as per my criteria above, which also includes ease of closing. Admittedly that last part involved a bit of work on my part on some of my older Cold Steels, but to me it's not about how it was shipped from the factory, but about the knife that will end up in my pocket being used. Did I have to mod it to dial it closer to perfection? If so, I don't knock points off, because it's now closer to perfection and I still get to enjoy using it, but some other knives don't have even that potential. And more recently I have not had to do any dialing in at all, but they were already perfect out of the box.

My vote, based on my experience, is not only "Triad lock" but decidedly no thank you to any other back lock from now on. So you see, they cannot be the same category, at least not for me.

 

[knarfeng]

A classic lockback with a small amount of vertical blade play is not defective, nor is it insecure.
For a classic lockback not to have such movement requires that the machining tolerances be dead nuts perfect. If the lock bar or notch in the blade is even a couple of thou off, the blade can move a bit. See the picture below. The lock bar can be fully engaged, fully secure, yet allow a small amount of movement. A couple of thou is a very difficult tolerance to hold.
So finding a classic lock back with no blade play at all is rare.

These days Spyderco uses a modified geometry for their lockback mechanism to enable a lock with no movement, but without requiring the ridiculously extreme precision . (Sal posted about 10 years ago that his son, Eric, had redesigned the lock interface on their lockbacks.) I've handled at least a half dozen Spyderco lockbacks in the last 10 years. None has even had a hint of blade play.

 

[DocJD]

Yes , Cold Steel Tri-ad is a type of back lock , but much improved . Stronger and self adjusting .

They are NOT inherently difficult to open and close . Not if done right .

Try an AD-10 and see what a Tri-ad can be . "Drop shut" out of box and very smooth / easy working .

 

[craytab]

They are NOT inherently difficult to open and close . Not if done right .

Right, if Cold Steel decides to have them made right they can be great. I, and many many others have had ones that were completely unacceptable out of box, on purpose. I'm glad it appears they have corrected that mistake.

 

[c7m2p3]

I find the axis lock pretty compelling. Raw strength testing wise it is going to be stronger than liner locks, more one hand friendly than lock backs, more ambidextrous than compression locks, and faster than all three. The one achilles heel that they have is the omega spring which I still believe needs some more engineering work. Some kind of hybrid between the bar style lock of the axis mechanism combined with the spring system of the ball bearing lock featured in the Manix 2 would be a pretty compelling package.

 

[insta9ves]

I find the axis lock pretty compelling. Raw strength testing wise it is going to be stronger than liner locks, more one hand friendly than lock backs, more ambidextrous than compression locks, and faster than all three. The one achilles heel that they have is the omega spring which I still believe needs some more engineering work. Some kind of hybrid between the bar style lock of the axis mechanism combined with the spring system of the ball bearing lock featured in the Manix 2 would be a pretty compelling package.

AkA the lock on Benchmade Anthem.

Also, if u guys don’t know what a Shark lock is, take a look at this video:

 

[David Mary]

Shark lock

Now that's cool. If it has the same rigidity I have come to love from the Triad lock, coupled with that ease of articulation seen in the video, it would probably take the position of my favorite lock. I have never owned or handled one yet, though, so I don't know.

 

[c7m2p3]

AkA the lock on Benchmade Anthem.

Also, if u guys don’t know what a Shark lock is, take a look at this video:

Yes exactly like the Anthem. Unfortunately I don't think that they have ever produced that type of lock anywhere else other than the anthem and now that is discontinued I'm hoping some other manufacturer picks up on that and starts producing some blades in the 150$ range utilizing that mechanism. Though I am not sure if that change in spring constitutes a new patent for Benchmade? That would be one way to get around the axis lock patent running out. Change the spring system, call it a new lock, rinse and repeat for another patent cycle with the new and improved axis lock while everyone else is making the old version using omega type springs.

The shark lock looks very interesting. My one concern is the lock release bar being almost directly where I would put my thumb if I was choking up on the blade to do some hard work. Seems like that would be pretty uncomfortable digging into the meat of your thumb/hand if you didn't have your hand exactly where the design requires.

 

[Jonny D]

I’m a lock back fan, especially a mid lock.

 

[King of the Cheese]

So we all agree that the triad lock is the best lock?

 

[jlauffer]

So we all agree that the triad lock is the best lock?

Wow you're bad at math

 

[David Mary]

Wow you're bad at math

Not necessarily. Didn't you hear that 2+2 now =5? If that's true, then apparently anything is possible, including anti-Triad lockers agreeing the Triad lock is best. But I still think it =4, just don't tell that to my local apparatchik.

 

[Random Dan]

My favorite is the good ol' ti framelock. It's not the strongest, or the fastest, or the most ambidextrous, but it's good enough for me on all of those accounts. it's simple, elegant, and if done right will last a lifetime. Plus it's less prone to collecting dust and dirt than most other lock types and it's easy to wash out.

 

[DocT]

mid back lock all the way for me. The CBBL is a close second. All other locks have issues.

 

[UmnumMAN]

I voted "other" (Will Moon patented spindle lock)

Need the demko locks! Triad lock, scorpion lock, shark lock, ramsafe lock

 

[Texoma]

I carry and use most in the poll, really don’t have a favorite but I will say my least favorite is a lock back . I’ll pick one but maybe least favorite would have been a better poll.

 

[craytab]

Wow you're bad at math

I was told there would be no math.

 

[c7m2p3]

So we all agree that the triad lock is the best lock?

I have to say I have never really been able to get into the triad lock. I understand the mechanism, and I also understand that it is far stronger than a normal back lock. What continued to flummox me is that it is utilized on sub 4 inch folders commonly in the Cold Steel lineup, and I don't see much need to have a small folder that is meant to be used as hard as a fixed blade. Then when they are featured in larger than 4 inch folders, you are starting to get to the point where the folding knife is just as cumbersome to carry as a mid-sized fixed blade.

 

[King of the Cheese]

I have to say I have never really been able to get into the triad lock. I understand the mechanism, and I also understand that it is far stronger than a normal back lock. What continued to flummox me is that it is utilized on sub 4 inch folders commonly in the Cold Steel lineup, and I don't see much need to have a small folder that is meant to be used as hard as a fixed blade. Then when they are featured in larger than 4 inch folders, you are starting to get to the point where the folding knife is just as cumbersome to carry as a mid-sized fixed blade.

Yeah but ‘MERICA, so why not have a folding knife that’s bigger than most fixed blades?

 

[King of the Cheese]

Not necessarily. Didn't you hear that 2+2 now =5? If that's true, then apparently anything is possible, including anti-Triad lockers agreeing the Triad lock is best. But I still think it =4, just don't tell that to my local apparatchik.

“Anti Triad Lock Advocates”