Is the Lockback a "Traditional" knife.

[tatfiend]

Is the Lockback design old enough to be considered a "traditional" knife. It seems to me that it dates back to pre WWII in Germany in the form of the Mercator 154 Black Cat. Not sure of the lock form but apparently some locking blade Spanish knives date back several hundred years.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

I think it depends on the knife and company more than the lock.

A Merc BC? Yes.

A Spyderco Endura? No.

 

[Aias]

I think it depends on the knife and company more than the lock.

A Merc BC? Yes.

A Spyderco Endura? No.

Yeah, I second that--I'd consider my GEC Missouri Trader or my custom Buck 110 "traditional"... my CS mini recon 1 not traditional...

 

[Will Power]

Yes.

They've appeared on Traditional patterns since the C19th.

 

[jc57]

For the purposes of this subforum, yes, lockbacks such as the Buck 110 or Case Copperlock are considered traditional knives. Linerlocks too, as long as the rest of the knife is traditional-styled. Add a thumbstud like the Case Trapperlock and it's exiled to the General forum.

 

[MarkPinTx]

You can find lockbacks with the raised tab like the Mercator in traditional catalogs dating back to the turn of the century and earlier. Liner locks are old too viz. Cub Scout knife. Camillus even sold a levrlok not too different from the axis lock. Typically the type of lock isn't dispositive of the traditional character of the knife. Buck didn't invent the lockback.

 

[Humppa]

To me - yes they are! The Mercator Knife was made in the midth of 19th century (1869 if I remember correctly). So the lockback design is a real traditional design, at least at my point of view.