Is the Framelock a suitable design for a hard-use folder???

[Deon]

Good testing! Yip , my opinion is that Frame Locks are good enough (based on my Sebenza Large, Sebenza Small and Strider SMF) although I did not abuse any of them and just used them as folding knives - for cutting and general use. Liner locks might be a different thing - I trust my AR and Military, especially due to the fact that they have "safety choils" that would surely pinch you but would prevent a cut if the lock failed.

Some of the other locks like the button locks or axis locks are deemed to be just about failure proof and it seems that many of the knives that use these locks do not have safety choils so comes the day that one of these locks fails due to dirt/whatever the user is going to get a bad cut. Even the axis lock can "fail" (due to user error or just not being cautious) when the knife is gripped in the hammer grip as I found with a BM Ares.

On spine whacking - I tested a Cold Steel Pro Lite (liner lock) with a mild spine whack and the lock was released every time. I gave it a few (maybe 10 - 12) hard flick openings and then did the spine whack again numerous times of which the lock held every time. It seems that the hard openings settled the locking of the liner.

Bottom line for me is (1) if I need a hard use knife or need to use a knife hard I will (prefer to) use a fixed blade (2) if I use a folder of whatver design for anything else than (very) light duty cutting I try and use one with a safety choil (3) I do not use any of my knives for digging or prying (I try to have a Attwood Bug Out Bar or Pry Baby somewhere near all the time) because for me a knife by it's nature is for cutting (4) if I am in a position where I have to use a knife for digging or prying I hope that I will either have a fixed blade with me or in lieu of that a knife like the Strider GB.

 

[dialex]

I think even an ordinary linerlock can stand a lot of abuse, there are many here that can testify it. Of course, there are stronger locks (and all will fail eventually as there isn't such thing as an indestructible lock), but a well made linerlock should cope with most of the challenges.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Speaking of which, I wonder has anyone had (or heard of) their Opinel lock fail on them?

It isn't overly strong, I have opened them accidently while locked and just popped the ring off.

I would hardly call the Military crippled by its lock design.

It is limited beyond the blade restrictions. My small Sebenza is more consistent due to the deepness of the hollow grind, the only thing I am concerned about are accidental spine loads.

There are tens of thousands of Sebenza owners on this forum. How many lock failures have been reported?

Considering how many cry abuse when you mention torquing or spine whacks and the edge are down to 0.010" with a deep hollow grind, this doesn't surprise me. I don't even see how you can call that profile hard use in the first place. Plus how many people who praise a Sebenza will complain about any lock failing. If a lot of people with standards like Joe and Steve supported it, this would be a different matter.

Of course you can make the design more consistent by making the blade less durable. The decrease in cross section should result in higher cutting performance.

Yes, pretty much my viewpoint.

If I tried to split wood with my Victorinox Rucksak, I would expect it to fail.

You can do this with the Rucksack, split twists as described in the above on birch. I did it last night as I was curious. It is hell on the grip though due to all the litle bits from the tools biting into the hand, plus since the blade is so narrow it generates little splitting torque and thus you have to exert way more force with the wrist. I had to resort to holding the blade still and twisting the wood with my off hand. The contact pressure from the tools was so high it tore the skin on my hand in several places. The knife is fine, I would find other ways to do it though.

-Cliff