Folding knives failing compared to a fixed blade

Frozen Bear Trading

Frozen Bear Trading

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Feb 22, 2019
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I grew up being told fixed blade full tang knives were stronger and it makes sense

But I have never had a folder fail and I like to believe I use my knives every day and use them hard

Does any one have an example of a folder failing where a fixed blade would not ?

Ps I love fixed blade and have a ton
 
There are numerous threads dedicated to this subject, a simple search will give you more reading than your eyeballs can handle in a sitting. I have had folders fail, but never to the point where I lost blood from it--or maybe not too much blood, my coffee has run out so my brain isn't what it should be. Lots of other folks have posted pictures of their fail consequences though.
 
BitingSarcasm said:
There are numerous threads dedicated to this subject, a simple search will give you more reading than your eyeballs can handle in a sitting. I have had folders fail, but never to the point where I lost blood from it--or maybe not too much blood, my coffee has run out so my brain isn't what it should be. Lots of other folks have posted pictures of their fail consequences though.
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I was looking for more of an example of what was being done when they failed specific
 
No knife is immune from failure.

You can make the locking mechanism of any folder fail if you abuse it enough. The only exception to this is possibly the Extrema Ratio RAO which has been put through some very extreme abuse shown on various YouTube videos. Fixed blades can fail too if not made/tempered properly and subjected to the kind of abuse you see on Forged w/Fire.

I seldom put any knife to extremely hard use but, even when I do, I have never had a knife "fail" on me. The "trick" is simply to pick the right knife for the job and to not subject a knife beyond the limits of what it was designed to do.
 
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sgt1372 said:
No knife is immune from failure.

You can make the locking mechanism of any folder fail if you abuse it enough. The only exception to this is probably the Extrema Ratio RAO which has been put through some very extreme abuse shown on various YouTube videos. Fixed blades can fail too if not made/tempered properly and subjected to the kind of abuse you see on Forged w/Fire.

I seldom put any knife to extremely hard use but, even when I do, I have never had a knife "fail" on me. The "trick" is simply to pick the right knife for the job and to not subject a knife beyond the limits of what it was designed to do.
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Great point
 
Knives are for cutting stuff. If your folder fails, it's likely you were prying with it, or twisting it. Fixed blades can fail too, but usually not resulting in stitches or a severed digit. Fixed blades either chip, the edge rolls, or the blade breaks.

If your folder fails, get a fixed blade for that job next time. If your fixed blade fails, you either need an axe/hatchet/tomahawk, or a chainsaw.

Pick the right tool for the job....
 
justjed said:
Knives are for cutting stuff. If your folder fails, it's likely you were prying with it, or twisting it. Fixed blades can fail too, but usually not resulting in stitches or a severed digit. Fixed blades either chip, the edge rolls, or the blade breaks.

If your folder fails, get a fixed blade for that job next time. If your fixed blade fails, you either need an axe/hatchet/tomahawk, or a chainsaw.

Pick the right tool for the job....
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Thank you. It's that simple.
 
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Many of the fail's I've seen were due to batoning, spine whacking, overstrikes, I can't think of a normal use that would cause the same kind of stresses as these activities. As has been said above use the right tool for the job and you will be fine.
 
Certainly there are numerous cases of folders failing for a variety of reasons, from insane test to poor design or build. They are made to fold and fixed blades are not. Fixed blades however are not immune to breakage and there are also many such cases-often bad technique when battoning, but bad heat treat can be another factor.
I don't stay up nights worrying about either-if it can be built it can be broken
 
Danke42 said:
They were clamped in a rig designed to make them fail when someone hung 400 lbs off the blade.

Pretty common scenario out these parts.
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Yeah, I do that all the time with folders. ;) You just never know when you'll need to hang 400 lbs onto a knife.

All knives can fail. Folders fail at the pivot or lock if you abuse them enough. Folders are not as strong as fixed blades in general. Simple as that.
 
Ultimately....folders fold.

Should they fold on you? No. Can they? Yes. Even good ones? Yes. Will good technique guarantee that they won't? No.

If I worry about a folder folding....I go to a fixed blade.
 
I dropped an open liner lock knife and the lock disengaged on impact. It was a moderate quality brand, no truck stop special and no high-zoot knife, either. By all appearances, the lock operated correctly before and after I dropped it, but my confidence in it was irreparably damaged.
 
Reitwagen said:
I dropped an open liner lock knife and the lock disengaged on impact. It was a moderate quality brand, no truck stop special and no high-zoot knife, either. By all appearances, the lock operated correctly before and after I dropped it, but my confidence in it was irreparably damaged.
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I'd feel the same after a forced failure... seems like that would start a 'rounding' of the critical mating surfaces and path of least resistance.
 
marcinek said:
Ultimately....folders fold.

Should they fold on you? No. Can they? Yes. Even good ones? Yes. Will good technique guarantee that they won't? No.

If I worry about a folder folding....I go to a fixed blade.
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I'm close to this position. For me, the deciding factor is "Will I baton wood with the knife." That is, for me the issue is less about the possibility of the knife folding on me unexpectedly and more about will my intended uses damage the knife. But, I'll add that batoning wood is one of the very few times that I'll actually put strong closing forces on a knife handle.

For general EDC use, I generally trust lock backs (and ring locks) and generally don't trust liner/frame locks.
 
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