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I like the looks of the Vesuvius, but I don't know how their "compression lock" works. Can someone explain it to me? Thanks
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How does Spyderco compression lock work?
- Thread starter manowar669
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ErikD - It may look similar to a liner lock, but they are actually worlds apart.
A liner lock works by the sprung steel liner pushing into the back of the "tang", which creates a potential weekness where the direction of force needed to close the blade is fairly close to one of the directions the liner is being stressed in.
The compresession lock also has a sprung steel liner (or in the case of the Ti-Salsa a portion of the titanium handle is sprung), but this is where the comparrision ends. Instead of pushing into the back of the "tang" the liner on a compression lock moves between the stop pin and a shelf cut into the back of the blade. This means the closing force is now perpendicular to the stress line of the liner, which in practical terms, using the Spyderco Ti-Salsa as an example, means that for the lock to fail either a 7mm x 4mm block of solid titanium will need to compress in upon itself (all but impossible, and still not allowing the knife to close fully), or the steel stop pin (5mm diameter) will need to tear itself out through the titanium handle.
All compression locks are currently ether mounted in solid metal handles or are supported by dual steel liners in order to increase the stregnth around the stop pin.
Currently the comppression lock is the (or in the top 3) strongest locks you can get on a folding knife. I would be interested to see how it compares in destruction testing to an axis lock, but my gut fealling is they would be fairly close.
The only possible downside with the compression lock is that the locking bar in earlier models used to spring accross upon locking, and this sometimes produced a bit of a smacking effect on the side of the index finger, but you would have to be a major league wimp to see it as a problem. But even this was improved upon in later models.
A liner lock works by the sprung steel liner pushing into the back of the "tang", which creates a potential weekness where the direction of force needed to close the blade is fairly close to one of the directions the liner is being stressed in.
The compresession lock also has a sprung steel liner (or in the case of the Ti-Salsa a portion of the titanium handle is sprung), but this is where the comparrision ends. Instead of pushing into the back of the "tang" the liner on a compression lock moves between the stop pin and a shelf cut into the back of the blade. This means the closing force is now perpendicular to the stress line of the liner, which in practical terms, using the Spyderco Ti-Salsa as an example, means that for the lock to fail either a 7mm x 4mm block of solid titanium will need to compress in upon itself (all but impossible, and still not allowing the knife to close fully), or the steel stop pin (5mm diameter) will need to tear itself out through the titanium handle.
All compression locks are currently ether mounted in solid metal handles or are supported by dual steel liners in order to increase the stregnth around the stop pin.
Currently the comppression lock is the (or in the top 3) strongest locks you can get on a folding knife. I would be interested to see how it compares in destruction testing to an axis lock, but my gut fealling is they would be fairly close.
The only possible downside with the compression lock is that the locking bar in earlier models used to spring accross upon locking, and this sometimes produced a bit of a smacking effect on the side of the index finger, but you would have to be a major league wimp to see it as a problem. But even this was improved upon in later models.
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Thanks guys.
calyth
#!/bin/sh of a man
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yog had got it right on the money.
Sal Glesser (owner of Spyderco) said that the Compression lock is likely to fail by having the stop pin blowing out the back of the knife. It does require dual liners to construct, with the exception of the integral frame Compression Lock that the Ti Salsa has.
Sal Glesser (owner of Spyderco) said that the Compression lock is likely to fail by having the stop pin blowing out the back of the knife. It does require dual liners to construct, with the exception of the integral frame Compression Lock that the Ti Salsa has.
I have a Vesuvius and have been very happy with it. Get one.
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I am glad to hear such positive comments about the compression lock. As things stand now my next two knives will be a Salsa (don't know which kind though) and the Vesuvius. I feel very comfortable that they will be very safe and functional choices not to mention darned cool looking to boot 
.
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calyth
#!/bin/sh of a man
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Vesuvius is kinda iffy....
I recall Vesuvius is one of the first implementation, and you might encounter a lemon if you find a very early production one. I manage to get a numbered one, and the lock acts funny, which Spyderco had offered an exchange for it because of the lock.
Some people thinks the Vesuvius is screwy while others have absolutely no problem with it.
I recall Vesuvius is one of the first implementation, and you might encounter a lemon if you find a very early production one. I manage to get a numbered one, and the lock acts funny, which Spyderco had offered an exchange for it because of the lock.
Some people thinks the Vesuvius is screwy while others have absolutely no problem with it.