Folder Locking Mechanisms

Talk about opening up a can of worms. :rolleyes:

This has been discussed many, many times on bladeforums. There is not a single "best" locking mechanism on folding knives. Different people have different tastes and each locking mechanism offers its own advantages and disadvantages.

I recommend that you check out knife reviews (both on bladeforums and youtube) and evaluate knives that way. It's not until you actually use a knife that you can appreciate or criticize a locking mechanism.
 
D1omedes said:
Talk about opening up a can of worms. :rolleyes:

This has been discussed many, many times on bladeforums. There is not a single "best" locking mechanism on folding knives. Different people have different tastes and each locking mechanism offers its own advantages and disadvantages.

I recommend that you check out knife reviews (both on bladeforums and youtube) and evaluate knives that way. It's not until you actually use a knife that you can appreciate or criticize a locking mechanism.
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One of the best and most mature answers ever given on an open forum.:thumbup:
 
I think the CS Tri-Ad lock is tough to beat personally. :)

I like frame locks though. :)
 
I'd say the quality of the lock is nearly as important as the type, some cheap lockback isn't going to be the same as say a spyderco lockback.

Personally I've been amazed at the locks on some of the "lower" end knives I've been getting lately, quality just keeps on improving.
 
Since the OP is a gold member, he CAN search. This subject HAS been discussed many times.
 
I don't think it is a can of worms. There are pluses an minuses to every type of lock. My own opinion is that the frame lock is the strongest but it is also one of the heaviest. The sliding tang locks seem to be quite strong but they are more prone to failure because they use several parts, including springs. Lockbacks are quite strong but sometimes make the knife harder to open than other types. Basically, if you use the knife in the manner for which it was designed, no properly made lock should give you trouble.
 
friction folders and balisongs are the best locks there are. both require your hand to fail before it will close on you.
 
The AXIS and compression lock are both very strong. The triad lock is supposed to be stronger than a regular lockback because forces are distributed to a stop pin. Well many knives distribute closing forces to a stop pin including the two I just mentioned. The triad lock is probably quite strong but I don't have experience with it. The Spyderco Ball Bearing lock is very similar to the AXIS and should be just about as strong although the force is transferred to the liners through 4 very small screws instead of one larger pin.

Any of these should be plenty strong for anything that a folder should be subjected to. If you really need to beat on a knife then you should probably have a fixed blade but I would trust these in an emergency.
 
crom said:
Cold Steel's version of the lockback called the Triad seems to be reigning champ judging by the videos I've seen Demko posts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnbK2r2u6A0
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That just shows one lock type and only proves it is fairly robust. It doesn't prove it is any better or worse than any other lock type. As I mentioned it gets its strength over a standard lockback by transfering the forces to a stop pin and then to the liners. Many other lock types do the same thing.
 
I really like my Paramilitary because of the compression lock. i don't think Ive ever used it hard enough that the lock has been put under any strain, but it's nice to know that I could if I had to.


What other knives use a compression lock?
 
I don't know what the best is, but I personally like the framelock (Chris Reeves Integral
Lock) the best. Reason being it seems very secure, and at the same time it allows for
thin handles since one hande serves as the lock as well. It looks awesome too.
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
The Spyderco Ball Bearing lock is very similar to the AXIS and should be just about as strong although the force is transferred to the liners through 4 very small screws instead of one larger pin.
Click to expand...

Watch out for that Bearing lock they can roll off and fail. I have seen it. I also think there is a youtube video on it. If an Axis lock or a frame lock by a decent maker isn't good enough for you then you need a fixed blade.
 
Socom Elite said:
Watch out for that Bearing lock they can roll off and fail. I have seen it. I also think there is a youtube video on it.
Click to expand...

The Dodo had a problem with this very early in the production run back in 2004 or 2005 but since then I haven't heard of any other problems with the lock. Only video on Youtube is a Dodo, got a link to any more?

Being on this forum as long as I have I've seen every kind of lock fail. The ones that are the best are well maintained, well designed and used safely and properly.
 
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