How do you feel about aluminum framelocks?

[badmatt]

But when they needed to build a crazy extreme plane , the SR-71 Blackbird, they used 92% titanium , inside and out .

mainly because carbon kevlar composites and ceramics were not viable (or existent) at the time of the plane that was developed with an abacus and a slide rule.

But fair comment..

 

[PirateSeulb]

I have nothing against aluminum handles but my general preference is for wood, micarta, g10, etc. though I do not like the textured G10 Spyderco often uses I prefer a smoother finish. For me it is really Bone, Wood, Micarta, G10, or even Plastic before any metal because of feel in hand however not of it is a deal breaker. I have had plenty of Aluminum handled knives and never an issue.

 

[shane45-1911]

Exactly same cold as titanium or iron or gold, sorry

Not the same at all. Aluminum has a VERY different thermal conductivity rating. Aluminum has a very high conductivity rating vs. titanium.

In other words, titanium will feel warmer in the hand as it is far less conductive. Aluminum is a great conductor and as such, pulls heat out of your hand quicker and will feel colder.

I am not a fan of aluminum, living in my igloo in Canada.

 

[Bob Denman]

If it uses the right components: I'm open to aluminum framelocks...

...but I simply prefer titanium...

 

[Silent H]

But when they needed to build a crazy extreme plane , the SR-71 Blackbird, they used 92% titanium , inside and out .

If you need your knife to withstand the extremes of going Mach 3.3 at 85,000 feet, you need to reevaluate your life.

 

[Bob Denman]

If you need your knife to withstand the extremes of going Mach 3.3 at 85,000 feet, you need to reevaluate your life.

Either that: or you're doing wet-work in some pretty extreme places!

 

[353]

Not the same at all. Aluminum has a VERY different thermal conductivity rating. Aluminum has a very high conductivity rating vs. titanium.

In other words, titanium will feel warmer in the hand as it is less conductive. Aluminum is a great conductor and as such, pulls heat out of your hand quicker and will feel colder.

I am not a fan of aluminum, living in my igloo in Canada.

Never thought of this, did a quick test and damn there is a very noticeable difference, the Alu feels a good deal colder no doubt! Come to think of it Alu is used in electrical cables for it's conductivity, Ti not so much..

 

[Chronovore]

Actually, during takeoff, landing, and flight, aluminum airplane wings flex quite a bit, several meters in fact. Lots of reading material on the subject online.

I don't know how long the aluminum Lionsteel frame locks have been around, but if they are prone to breakage or loss of tension I imagine people would be talking about it online.

Sure, aluminum can flex. Several meters over the length of a wingspan isn't shocking to me. I just meant that the job of a lock bar is to flex over a short distance and maintain tension. When I think of doing that, aluminum doesn't seem like the best candidate versus steel or titanium.

This led me to a little research. Apparently, aluminum can be used to make springs. Like other metals, different alloys or properties can be achieved. Maybe there is an aluminum that will feel good in my hand and not scratch so easily?

 

[elasmonut]

Is it "twice as much"? I've seen aluminum on some relatively expensive knives lately. Meanwhile, I've been seeing more affordable titanium frame locks. Just to give an idea of how much more affordable the titanium itself has gotten, there are a few titanium frame locks in D2 available for right around $50.

I've also been seeing more sub-$100 titanium frame locks in D2 and 14C28N from TwoSun lately.

I was only really talking about Lionnsteel models.
Other comanies are all over the place, Buck charges a premium for pakkawood, and Benchmade arent shy with their prices for plastic handles, as I said all over the place

 

[DocJD]

I was only really talking about Lionnsteel models.
Other comanies are all over the place, Buck charges a premium for pakkawood, and Benchmade arent shy with their prices for plastic handles, as I said all over the place

For knives and most other consumer products , the market price is as much, or more, about what the market will bear as the actual costs of production .

 

[LimpCroissant]

Myself, I actually kind of have an infatuation with aluminum handled knives. In fact I was thinking about this the other day. I think it goes back to my childhood and I somehow associated 'military knives' with aluminum scales. I remember when I saw my first Blur when I was first getting more serious into exploring knives. I thought "Dang, now that's a knife a soldier would carry". And it's stuck with me still somewhere deep down 20 years later. Also, for the modern tactical knife, aluminum is not very common so it also has that scarcity going for it. In fact I just bought a knife yesterday, honestly the only reason I felt like I really had to have it was because of the aluminum handle.

But that's aluminum scales, now aluminum framelocks are different in my mind. I'm way more apt to buy a framelock in titanium, or even stainless instead of aluminum. Infact, I'd have to get a really good deal for one to intrigue me enough to buy it. I do question the integrity in my head but as someone above said, these Lionsteels were the hot new thing quite a while before I left to take a break for knives and that was about a decade ago. And... I have not personally heard of one malfunction on any SR1 ever. Now Case has their new aluminum framelocks as well. I haven't heard much about them at all, but it's looking like the history of aluminum framelocks is pretty solid. Maybe one of these days I'll get one just to see for myself.

 

[kobold]

Not the same at all. Aluminum has a VERY different thermal conductivity rating. Aluminum has a very high conductivity rating vs. titanium.

In other words, titanium will feel warmer in the hand as it is far less conductive. Aluminum is a great conductor and as such, pulls heat out of your hand quicker and will feel colder.

I am not a fan of aluminum, living in my igloo in Canada.

 

[BillZee]

I WILL NOT OWN ALUMINUM SCALES.

Why ????

 

[353]

Why ????

He has some sissy ass cold hands, that's why!

 

[Bob Denman]

If someone ever comes up with a heated knife sheath:

 

[RousingRabbles]

I've never owned a knife with aluminum scales, and had never seen a framelock with them. But I did pick up a Rockstead Hizen on another forum that is a duralumin framelock, so I guess I'll see how it feels when it get's here in a couple days. Anyone else have experience with rocksteads and/or duralumin?