Favorite Lock Type Poll

[Tyson A Wright]

Hold on, I'm confused. A guy in a two-decade old mediocre movie used a knife to make some spears, and that's the justification for needing a really strong locking mechanism? Those two things don't seem to connect, in my mind. If you can't sharpen sticks with a slipjoint, you need to work on some knife skills, not get a stronger lock.

And I've spend a lot of time in the desert, and I carried the water I needed plus an intelligent reserve, every time. But I don't carry that same amount of water around with me when I'm walking from my desk to my backyard, just because I might need it sometime. YMMV.

-Tyson

 

[c7m2p3]

That’s cool. You can make excuses for why you don’t need need a strong knife... I’ll go with excuses for why there’s a chance I might need it.

It’s like going on a hike in the desert... you’ll give us all the reasons why you don’t need anything more than a small 16oz bottle, and I’ll be the guy saying we should all bring camelbaks and 2 qt canteens.
To each their own.

Its not an excuse if you want to carry the triad go for it! Like I said you do you. But your comparison doens't make sense. I am actually the guy saying you should all bring camelbaks and 2 qt canteens i.e a fixed blade if you are going to be in a survival scenario or POTENTIALLY going to be in a survival scenario like going on a hike or flying in a dinky prop plane over Alaska wilderness.

Put it this way. I dont drive a 4X4 pick up truck in the city for the imaginary scenario of a 6ft snowfall hitting me in the middle of July. However, if I was going to go on a ski trip in December, thats when im taking the pick up. If you like pick ups, great! You do you! Freedom and choice and all that jazz its the spice of life. At the same time if you tell me a prime reason why you drive your pick up around in downtown Atlanta GA is because you saw a movie where a guy gets stuck in his sedan in a snowstorm Im going to think thats grasping at straws.

So yes, if im going hiking im taking the right tool for the job not a slip joint. Fixed blade time the same as if im going up a snowy mountain im taking a 4 wheel drive SUV/Pick up. If Im driving around a city in July I have and axis lock/Sedan. Could i drive the pick up/SUV? Sure. But my justification certainly isnt going to be 'just in case a bear is coming down at me on Pennsylvania ave washington DC and i need to fashion a quick spear and get away in my offroad vehicle."

 

[King of the Cheese]

Its not an excuse if you want to carry the triad go for it! Like I said you do you. But your comparison doens't make sense. I am actually the guy saying you should all bring camelbaks and 2 qt canteens i.e a fixed blade if you are going to be in a survival scenario or POTENTIALLY going to be in a survival scenario like going on a hike or flying in a dinky prop plane over Alaska wilderness.

Put it this way. I dont drive a 4X4 pick up truck in the city for the imaginary scenario of a 6ft snowfall hitting me in the middle of July. However, if I was going to go on a ski trip in December, thats when im taking the pick up. If you like pick ups, great! You do you! Freedom and choice and all that jazz its the spice of life. At the same time if you tell me a prime reason why you drive your pick up around in downtown Atlanta GA is because you saw a movie where a guy gets stuck in his sedan in a snowstorm Im going to think thats grasping at straws.

So yes, if im going hiking im taking the right tool for the job not a slip joint. Fixed blade time the same as if im going up a snowy mountain im taking a 4 wheel drive SUV/Pick up. If Im driving around a city in July I have and axis lock/Sedan. Could i drive the pick up/SUV? Sure. But my justification certainly isnt going to be 'just in case a bear is coming down at me on Pennsylvania ave washington DC and i need to fashion a quick spear and get away in my offroad vehicle."

No one goes into a survival emergency thinking they were heading into a survival emergency.
That’s the beauty of the triad lock.... it’s small enough to fit in your pocket, it strong enough to kill a bear or chop down a tree.
If the triad lock was a person, it would be Indiana Jones.

 

[c7m2p3]

No one goes into a survival emergency thinking they were heading into a survival emergency.
That’s the beauty of the triad lock.... it’s small enough to fit in your pocket, it strong enough to kill a bear or chop down a tree.
If the triad lock was a person, it would be Indiana Jones.

I get that but like I was saying, there are ways to tailor this. Going on a hike? Fixed blade. Flying over alaska? Triad lock/fixed blade. Going to a company cocktail party in Washington DC? Probably not going to go with my American Lawman for that. Same as I'm not bringing the camelbak or taking the Jeep. If you want to, nothing stopping you I'm all for freedom. The Edge is a decent movie and has some cool survival things in it. However i am also not going to pretend that any of the uses that blade got put through couldnt be done with any of the lock options in this post at the same time as im not going to pretend that hitting up my local 7-11 for six pack is the same as going for a ride in a prop plane over a half million acres of uninhabited alaskan wilderness.

 

[King of the Cheese]

I get that but like I was saying, there are ways to tailor this. Going on a hike? Fixed blade. Flying over alaska? Triad lock/fixed blade. Going to a company cocktail party in Washington DC? Probably not going to go with my American Lawman for that. Same as I'm not bringing the camelbak or taking the Jeep. If you want to, nothing stopping you I'm all for freedom. The Edge is a decent movie and has some cool survival things in it. However i am also not going to pretend that any of the uses that blade got put through couldnt be done with any of the lock options in this post at the same time as im not going to pretend that hitting up my local 7-11 for six pack is the same as going for a ride in a prop plane over a half million acres of uninhabited alaskan wilderness.

What’s wrong with a lawman at a cocktail party? That’s exactly the knife I’d take.

 

[c7m2p3]

What’s wrong with a lawman at a cocktail party? That’s exactly the knife I’d take.

Nothing at all you do you! Knives are great fun to own and carry. For me, I don't want to stuff a 4.5oz blade in a pair of slacks, especially expensive slacks given how aggressive that G-10 is. For that, I might go with the Spyderco Kapara in smooth CF. Maybe a mini bugout in 20cv and polished G-10. Maybe a 940 in smooth aluminum. Like hunting squirrels with a 6.5 creedmoor. Will it kill em? Sure. But so will a .22 and its going to cost less, weigh less, and be the right tool for the job. If im going hiking I might take that fixed blade and have my American Lawman as a backup. But that is because the tasks and things that I will be cutting would benefit from the extra size and strength. Cocktail parties, working at my desk, or cutting up some chicken don't.

 

[Smaug]

Can we stop the bickering and either get back on topic or just stop responding?

 

[MarkN86]

Although they aren't as quick to actuate, the classic and already proven backlock's simplicity, reliability, and strength is my top choice. Though there are minor differences, I feel it would be appropriate to lump Tri-Ad in with it. It's very difficult to accidently unlock a mid lockback in a normal grip. I also really like the compression lock for the same reasons, it's a quick, strong, simple design that is well though out. I like liner/frame locks too, but it is possible to twist and disengage under some circumstances. I can also get by with a slipjoint as long as the snap is good.

As far as the survival discussion goes, having the right tools makes it easier, but I would choose training over tools. Ideally you'd have everything you need with you, but false confidence has caused failure more frequently than being underequipped. In a bad situation a smart person can figure things out, but having experience in a disadvantaged situation will give you a much greater chance of success. I'm sure there are some former/active military guys or really experienced woodsmen that could survive for weeks or months with a slipjoint, the clothes on their back, and some clever innovation, whereas a novice could die with a full bag of gear available to them.

 

[King of the Cheese]

Can we stop the bickering and either get back on topic or just stop responding?

 

[DocJD]

Tri-ad lock doesn't have to be necessarily huge or thick . They come in various sizes .

Mini AK-47 is thin , light and compact (first , top in pic ) .

 

[King of the Cheese]

Tri-ad lock doesn't have to be necessarily huge or thick . They come in various sizes .

Mini AK-47 is thin , light and compact (first , top in pic ) .

A triad lock for everyone! I love it!

I hope more people understand the magic that is “triad” lock and learn to embrace it as the way of the future.

 

[c7m2p3]

Tri-ad lock doesn't have to be necessarily huge or thick . They come in various sizes .

Mini AK-47 is thin , light and compact (first , top in pic ) .

To each their own. The mini AK-47 according to stats from Cold Steel is still a knife that is over an ounce an inch in terms of blade length, has the aggressive G-10 that is not going play with delicate pockets, and a pocket clip that exposes a full inch of the handle. If that does it for you, great! There will be people that will get on here and tell me not to worry about deep carry, those that say "if thats too heavy you need to be working out more" or some other well trodden argument. I like cold steel, I like the Triad, but comparing a mini AK-47 as the "slim light option" when there are things like the Benchmade Bugout on the market is just not overly convincing.

 

[E.D.C.]

Can we stop the bickering and either get back on topic or just stop responding?

Glad at least someone shares my sentiment.

 

[DocJD]

To each their own. The mini AK-47 according to stats from Cold Steel is still a knife that is over an ounce an inch in terms of blade length, has the aggressive G-10 that is not going play with delicate pockets, and a pocket clip that exposes a full inch of the handle. If that does it for you, great! There will be people that will get on here and tell me not to worry about deep carry, those that say "if thats too heavy you need to be working out more" or some other well trodden argument. I like cold steel, I like the Triad, but comparing a mini AK-47 as the "slim light option" when there are things like the Benchmade Bugout on the market is just not overly convincing.

Oh Lord , Save me from the sensitive !

 

[DocJD]

Oh Lord , Save me from the sensitive !

Sorry , but I've got to assume you have zero actual experience with this knife .

The finish is innocuous and the action is smooth .

Very slicey , light and compact . Just not as strong as thicker models .

 

[craytab]

Tri-ad lock doesn't have to be necessarily huge or thick . They come in various sizes .

Mini AK-47 is thin , light and compact (first , top in pic ) .

One thing I never liked about the triad lock is how the massive pivot and need for a stop pin puts the blade really far away from where your forefinger goes/your grip begins. That's a lot of space!

A triad lock for everyone! I love it!

I hope more people understand the magic that is “triad” lock and learn to embrace it as the way of the future.

I like cold steel, I like the Triad, but comparing a mini AK-47 as the "slim light option" when there are things like the Benchmade Bugout on the market is just not overly convincing.

Oh Lord , Save me from the sensitive !

His criticism is more than valid for many folks. Dismissing it as "sensitive" ads nothing to the discourse. I'm not all that concerned with knife weight as I like bigger knives but I certainly understand that many people are concerned with weight and the market bears this out. Even Cold Steel recognizes this to a certain degree, exemplified in their choice to go liner less on many of their flagship triad lock models, a move I wholeheartedly support.

To get this back on topic, I think a point the above raises about why people might like or dislike certain locks is that some folks might not like what goes hand in hand with certain lock types. As an example, I don't like that the triad lock puts so much space between edge and grip, others don't like that it comes on mostly beefy knives. I wouldn't vote for it based on that.

Then again, since there is no separate triad lock option, I kind of did vote for it with my back lock vote, since it really is just a back lock

 

[Lee D]

Geese, bear and sketchy plane rides are the only reason why I keep my SR1.

 

[c7m2p3]

One thing I never liked about the triad lock is how the massive pivot and need for a stop pin puts the blade really far away from where your forefinger goes/your grip begins. That's a lot of space!




His criticism is more than valid for many folks. Dismissing it as "sensitive" ads nothing to the discourse. I'm not all that concerned with knife weight as I like bigger knives but I certainly understand that many people are concerned with weight and the market bears this out. Even Cold Steel recognizes this to a certain degree, exemplified in their choice to go liner less on many of their flagship triad lock models, a move I wholeheartedly support.

To get this back on topic, I think a point the above raises about why people might like or dislike certain locks is that some folks might not like what goes hand in hand with certain lock types. As an example, I don't like that the triad lock puts so much space between edge and grip, others don't like that it comes on mostly beefy knives. I wouldn't vote for it based on that.

Then again, since there is no separate triad lock option, I kind of did vote for it with my back lock vote, since it really is just a back lock

Thanks I get that a lot of the time things get flatted to a 2D argument of "good" vs "bad" but as I have tried to make clear I really do like the Triad lock and several options from cold steel. They truly make good blades. However as the topic of the OP posted they were asking what our favorite lock type was and because of the necessities of weight, size, and housing that a triad lock requires I tend to prefer other locks. That doesn't mean the triad is bad or that i don't like cold steel blades. I do and I own several. I was just answering the OP and explaining my reasoning. Other people will have other priorities and if that means they prefer different locks and blades than I do, that is fantastic and it results in a colorful mix of opinions and styles in the blade community. This hobby would be pretty boring if everyone agreed with me anyways.

 

[HwangJino]

Framelock is my favorite.

Compression lock is pretty cool too, fun to play with.

 

[King of the Cheese]

Geese, bear and sketchy plane rides are the only reason why I keep my SR1.

Well all that plus mutilating pig carcasses with metal music playing in the background.