High-end folder question

J

Jester60

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May 21, 2011
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Hello all,

I've carried a folding knife of some sort since long before the acronym "EDC" came into vogue. In all that time I've never owned a high-end knife along the lines of CRK or Hinderer.

I see on alot of these high- priced knives that only have a handle scale on one side. Is there some sort of functionality issue that prevents having a scale on both sides or is it simply "The" way to make a semi-custom folder these days?

Tks,
Jester60
 
Guess I'm not sure exactly what your question is, but there are all types of configurations. You've got Lionsteel and Chris Reeve knives who make knives with titanium on both sides of handle. There are others, like Todd Begg Glimpse, who use G10 or other materials on both sides. Strider, Hinderer, and others may use something like G10 or Carbon Fiber on one side and Titanium on back.
 
It's a matter of design.

Framelocks don't have a cover over the lock bar so that you can grip the handle harder, which pushes the lockbar further. Personally, I find them all ugly, like they're missing a scale, which is why I prefer linerlocks.

A linerlock is nothing but a framelock with a scale covering the liner material (and a framelock is nothing but a linerlock without a scale over the lockbar). You can have the best of both worlds, however. Some custom makers, and I forget who, but I just saw one recently, offer a framelock that has a scale covering half of the framelock bar, leaving half exposed. This way you get the benefit of a comfy grip since you kind of have a scale covering the framelock bar (for the most part), but you have just enough of the lockbar exposed that you can still benefit by giving it a death grip.

I still stick with linerlocks. I don't need to death grip my knives. They are used to cut. If something harder needs cutting, I'll use my fixed blade.
 
I prefer to have at least a Ti or steel liner on the non locking side.
 
The thinking is that the titanium side is strong enough that G10 can be used on the other side, reducing weight, improving grip/retention, reducing cost (although not necessarily passed to the end user), and adding color and design options. I think I read somewhere that Strider claimed that the Titanium/G10 model was actually stronger than two titanium scales.

I have two Striders and have owned a few others. The G10 scale is different than on other knives. It is one-piece with an integrated backspacer that would normally be two pieces with other knives. It seems to make it stronger. Is it stronger than the two titanium scales on my Chris Reeve knives? I don't think so, but the Striders are strong enough for anything I might need.

By the way, the Hinderer XM-18 has a titanium scale underneath the G10 one. It is plenty strong. You can see picks in a review I did if you click on my knife reviews.
 
A one-sided frame-lock? Hmmm, sounds like something that didn't stay on the assembly line long enough!

Ti framelocks are fine - as are the Ti/G10 frame-locks. One sided, if intentional, will need a large diameter pivot - and a thick one side!

Stainz
 
Thanks all. It would seem that it's just a matter of design. Learn something new everyday. :)
 
Bluesummers said:
You do not want a frame lock made out of g10. Or do you?
Click to expand...
I believe Kershaw's sub-frame lock gets around that somewhat, though you still have a bit of titanium exposed. No way to get around that except maybe to carve into the titanium framelock to make some space to put G10 over it, though I don't believe G10 flexes as well as titanium.

But yeah, the ZT 777 model would be about as close as that as you can get in a framelock knife.
 
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