How strong are the UBER-tough framelocks, really?

[Kevin Wilkins]

SNIP Okay, now look towards the bottom of the lock bar, do you see all of that metal scooped out, and then it hit me.


And since then, I've checked out a couple of other major manufacturers, and knifemakers of framelocks, and there it was, on a number of them, a massive scooped out area. Wow, I never thought about it, but there's a pretty big space there, where there should be more lock. This scooped out area is called the relief, and helps the lockbar bend, but huge gaping scoops aren't necessary as he showed me. Needless to say, this knifemaker is now my personal hero, although he's not really well known, SNIP

I'd say that knifemaker was shoveling so much sh*t your way you should have been buried in it before you got away from his table. What I'd learn from that guy is not to buy one of his knives becasue he doesn't seem to have a clue about framelocks and linerlocks.

Any maker who spends time at a show showing people things "wrong" with other maker's work instead of speaking about his own work, is full of it.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

I haven't heard of framelock leafs breaking clean off either.

I don't think it will happen, you will get compaction at the mating surfaces long before the spring will break, you are basically loading it by compression and only a small amount of the load is inducing a torque. There is some arguement for the decrease in stiffness, but if you kept the full bar thickness it would be very difficult to unlock. Plus with the right attention to geometry this really isn't necessary. Overbuilding the spring to try to compensate for improper fit is in general a really bad idea. Raw strength is simply not a significant issue.


-Cliff