Favorite Lockbacks?

Here's a few of my favourites...



I especially like the little Puma, the stag is great.
 
I've carried a Buck 112 or 110 I do have a couple German made LB's that offer quality for the price.



 
My all-time new favorite lockback, the Dozier designed KA-BAR Lightweight Folder.
Get one!! $20.
rolf
 
I found these on clearance recently. So I picked several of them up to give as gifts. Just gave one to my BIL last week and he was thrilled with it.

440C blade steel with brass liners. For < $10, it was truly a bargain.

 
If the Buck 110 and 112 are too heavy for you, check out the lightweight versions. I think that they are called "paperlite" or something close to that. Same blades with synthetic scales and skeleton liners. Easy to carry in the back pocket and very affordable.
 
The AG Russel barlow at the top is a modern interpretation of the traditional barlow. Good steel with a hollow grind. The most blade you can stuff into the frame and it's a lock back.

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genewiseman said:
If the Buck 110 and 112 are too heavy for you, check out the lightweight versions. I think that they are called "paperlite" or something close to that. Same blades with synthetic scales and skeleton liners. Easy to carry in the back pocket and very affordable.
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I didn't know that. You learn something new every day on here.:)
 
I've sold all of my Buck's and Puma's from the late 70's long ago. I liked them OK back then, but no way would I carry a knife that heavy again.

The only traditional lockbacks I have now are Case Copperlocks. I have the small and large Derlin with CV, and a couple of SS models as well. They carry very well, and none has blade play.

I want to try a GEC #72 if I can find one with a long pull.
 
Here's my only lockback, couldn't resist the big spear. The 72 has a great feel in the hand.

Have a great day

Robin
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Another vote for the GEC #72. I find it to be a perfect size - not too big, not too small, and stout enough for anything I need a pocket knife to do:

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Ka-Bar Coppersmith, they make a small and large version (small pictured)



Boker Plus Lockback, budget lockback but very solid.



Case Mini Copperlock, they also make a larger version called the Copperlock.



GEC #99 Farm & Field Farmerlock - love this knife!



Fallkniven Tk3, they also make a Tk4 that has a Zytel handle (see post #21 by Casares).



Fallkniven U2, on the small side but super light and great steel.

 
I will offer this bit of analysis. You are used to carrying a large knife, but it isnt terribly heavy given its size and you carry it with a clip. Unless you are planning on a belt sheath, the Buck 110 and 112 and a lot of the knives cited here (Schrade LB7 and Queen Mountain Man for example), are really too big and heavy to carry in a pocket. If you want something pocketable, I think the GECs are probably the upper limit, and you will probably want either one of the shorter bladed, gent type knives or a Case Copperlock. The Copperlock may give you the best slipjoint/lockback experience as its blade is thin, while most cited here have thick heavy blades. It is also slim, and despite having a pretty good size blade, quite pocketable, especially in a back pocket. I think the Canal Street cited above fits in the same general category as the Copperlock: more of a slipjoint that happens to have a lock rather than a folding sheath knife.

Now, if you are inclined to carry a beast in your pocket, ignore all of the above.
 
I agree with the above. The Buck 112 was too much for me. My current favourite lockback, Queen Mountain Man is the upper limit that I want to carry in my pocket. I prefer to use a pocket holster with that.
 
Case mini-Copperlock is a favorite:


bsacopperlock.jpg


And this Schrade lockback I won here on the forum:

schradelb.jpg


GEC 72

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Spyderco makes a lot of lock backs, nice quality and good materials and prices. But they aren't traditional....
Buck 501 is a nice little lock back and you can get one your way from the buck custom shop. If you are willing to go to $300 you can get a custom too. I have a lock back from Phil than that I am pleased with.
 
My favorite lockback of all time is my Queen Mountain Man in D2 tool steel and Amber Carved Stag Bone (ACSB). This one rides on my belt EVERY day, and I haven't found a job it couldn't tackle.
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Queen makes another one, this is basically their swing-guard without the guards. Mine is the Schatt & Morgan version, which is a little fancier and comes in ATS-34 steel. This one is also really nice, and sees lots of pocket time.
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I just picked up a GEC Farm & Field Tool (#99), and it's a handy little thing. I've been carrying & using it for the past week or so, and I'm really beginning to like it (a happy surprise!). It's 3.75" closed, O1 tool steel, and mine has "nifebrite" handles. It also comes in black and orange.
GEC99.jpg


Another one that I really like is the Al Mar Eagle. This one comes in several variations. There's the Ultralight version, which is not traditional with its thumbstud and pocket clip, and the regular/original version with wood or Micarta handles and metal bolsters, available with either a thumbstud or a nail nick. (Mine has a stud, so I won't post it here.)
 
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MarkPinTx said:
I will offer this bit of analysis. You are used to carrying a large knife, but it isnt terribly heavy given its size and you carry it with a clip. Unless you are planning on a belt sheath, the Buck 110 and 112 and a lot of the knives cited here (Schrade LB7 and Queen Mountain Man for example), are really too big and heavy to carry in a pocket. If you want something pocketable, I think the GECs are probably the upper limit, and you will probably want either one of the shorter bladed, gent type knives or a Case Copperlock.
Click to expand...


I prefer pocket carry to clip carry or sheath carry in nearly all cases. I don't like junk on my belt (personal thing) and I hate reaching past a clipped knife. Would rather dig change out from around the knife.

I've found that length and weight are not the determining factors for me. The profile of the knife in it's cross section and it's bolsters are, for me, more important.

I wear baggy carpenter style jeans nearly every day. I find that when a knife moves somewhat freely in the pocket, it is less noticeable to me, even if it is heavy. The first knife that taught me this was the Buck 500, which is the same length (and roughly the same weight) as the 112. But the 500 is very flat and the bolsters are very round and I found it to be very easy to pocket carry. So easy that it pocket ejected and is now gone.

The next knife to confirm this was the 500's even larger replacement, a Schrade 51 OT Big Timer (aka the Pocket Buster). It's every bit as big and heavy as Buck 110 but pocket carries well for me.

I find wide square cross-section profile knives to be buggy in the pocket, even if light. Obviously the 110 and 112 are buggy but the Ecolite 112 that I had for a while showed me that it is the square cross section, not the weight, that is bothersome to me. I notice it when I sit or go up stairs. I don't notice the round cross section of the Opinels compared to the Ecolite. For me, it is definitely the square and wide cross section that doesn't work.

In terms of bolsters, the Opinels have shown me that I only need one end to be slippery. I carry the Opinels with the lock ring down in the bottom of the pocket. I round off the end of my Opinels and this helps them slide a bit at the top/middle of the pocket as I'm active. I don't notice the #9 and only with the #10 do I start to notice it. Actually, I notice a rounded off 9 less than a stock 8, due to how the top end of the handle slides in the pocket better.

Last comment... With closer fitting slacks I do prefer shorter and flatter knives. My 5 OT is the nicest carrying knife of all. Better even than a smaller Peanut since it's flatter.

The Opinels....


Opinel by Pinnah, on Flickr
 
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