knife locking mechanisms......

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Bushman5

Joined
Oct 31, 2007
Messages
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can someone post a pic of a lock back, a "piston" lock and any other locking type mechanism other than a liner lock (that one i know)

also is the Spyderco Chinook a lockback?

someone mentioned elsewhere about lockbacks being the least secure of all the locking mechanisms......? :confused:
 
Bushman5 said:
can someone post a pic of a lock back, a "piston" lock and any other locking type mechanism other than a liner lock (that one i know)

also is the Spyderco Chinook a lockback?

someone mentioned elsewhere about lockbacks being the least secure of all the locking mechanisms......? :confused:
Click to expand...
Look up Buck 110 - it is the prototypical lockback knife. As far as it being least secure? That's just not so. The lockback is, at least in my opinion, the strongest locking system available for a folding knife, though even the most secure locking system doesn't approach the strength of a decent full tang fixed blade.
 
Bushman5 said:
can someone post a pic of a lock back, a "piston" lock and any other locking type mechanism other than a liner lock (that one i know)

also is the Spyderco Chinook a lockback?

someone mentioned elsewhere about lockbacks being the least secure of all the locking mechanisms......? :confused:
Click to expand...

I'd have to disagree there. The only locks to fail on me were all liner locks. My axis locks, frame locks, lock backs, rolling locks, etc have all held up fine.
 
Chinook is a lock back and supposed to be one of the strongest.

That and the manix are supposed to be very strong...
 
chuckschilling said:
Look up Buck 110 - it is the prototypical lockback knife. As far as it being least secure? That's just not so. The lockback is, at least in my opinion, the strongest locking system available for a folding knife, though even the most secure locking system doesn't approach the strength of a decent full tang fixed blade.
Click to expand...

Why are some of the most expensive production and custom knives using a framelock?
 
axis locks, frame locks, lock backs, rolling locks, piston locks

please forgive my noobness into folder knives and lockign mech;s, (i'm normally a fixed blade guy), can i see some examples of each mech? (i know what a liner lock is already, and i think i know \what a ball lock is (like the spyderco Poliwog?)
 
Here's a pic of my lockback Delica. I had it apart already, so I figured it would be easy to take a pic for ya ;)

I also heard the other guy say "lockbacks are the least reliable." I don't believe that. If you look at my picture, you can see how the lock contacts the tang. It kinda "hooks" into it. As you push on the edge (as if you were cutting something; the opposite of spine-tapping), the force vectors seem like they will be going 90º against the lock, and maybe where the "hook" is "hooking" into the tang. While cutting, it looks like the only way for this to break would be for the lock's bolt to break off. Pretty tough, from what I've seen.

IMGP0300.jpg
 
Thanks for those video links! i mistook a liner lock for a frame lock, that Strider vid cleared that up!

great pic of the delica, cheers...thats what i thought a lockback mech looked like. (are they also call "notchbacks by any chance?)
 
Bushman5 said:
great pic of the delica, cheers...thats what i thought a lockback mech looked like. (are they also call "notchbacks by any chance?)
Click to expand...

I'm not sure about "notchback." I haven't heard that term.

Frame lock (aka "integral lock," aka "monolock") - similar to a liner lock, except the frame is where the lock comes out.

Liner lock - the internal liner comes out to lock the blade.

Lockback - You see in the pic :)

Axis - You see in the video

Ball-bearing lock (sometimes "ball lock") - never seen one in real life, but it seems to be Spyderco's version of the Axis. It looks like a ball goes up and down via a spring instead of a bar going up and down via "omega springs."

As for rolling lock - I'm not sure exactly.

Kershaw has a couple knives that use the "Hawk Lock," and I'm not clear on how that works either.

Edit: This is from Spyderco's catalog. Seems like the "notch lock" is similar to the lockback, except it doesn't "hook" into the tang. (Edit again: Why! That's a slipjoint lol; it isn't exactly even a "lock.")

SpydieLocks.jpg
 
hardheart said:
fewer parts than a lockback.

yeah, they're still expensive for whatever reason.
Click to expand...

Agreed. There are tons of VERY $$$$$ knives that are liner locks, or slip-joints.

High-end knives are expensive for reasons other than the lock's cost. The cost of the lock itself is negligible in a $1200 knife.
 
thanks for the catalog picture! I just flipped thru my spyderco catalog an saw that, cant believe i missed it before....:o
 
One thing mate, even though it is generally understood that a framelock is stronger than a liner lock (for example) there are exceptions to the case. Remember that comparisons are not always apple to apple.

In the case of lockback being allegedly weaker than linerlocks (saw it on a website), imagine if the lockback knife was replaced with an Extrema Ratio (or I hesitate to say, Dark Ops) folder then the outcome may be different. That's why I appreciate the fact that Spyderco has a fixed blade (mule I think???) that serves to test different steel types under the same grind and profile. Perhaps if it could be applied to knife locks then it will be useful to all knife lovers...
 
Here lockback broke up before linerlock did.
Neither lockbacks or linerlocks are inferior. All types of locks have their pros and cons.
 
The perception of lockbacks being the least secure may have nothing to do with the actual strength of the lock (although it can). Lockbacks have a tendency to be pushed in, releasing the lock, when a very strong grip is used. The flesh from your hand or fingers can be enough to push it in and release it. The dished/notched lock backs go along way to preventing this from happening.

One of my favorite locks is the Kershaw stud-lock. On my speed bump this lock is, quite frankly, massive and builds alot of confidence.

The only piston lock I know of is http://www.gokart.net/shop-utopia/mccann/knives/foldair/foldair.html

My personal preference in order from favorite to I wont buy one is
Stud lock, Axis, Arc Lock --> Frame Lock --> lock back --> liner lock

This is not to say there are not excellent liner lock knives out, but rather, to say there are so many knives out that alternates are easy to come by and one can afford to be choosy.
 
Has anyone ever seen one of the "foldair" knives in person?

Appears to be the same concept as the old "bolt-action" lock from Mr. Collins, just uses gas versus a spring to move the blocking rod.

I think, maybe, Bushman5 may mean the "plunger" lock as found on many auto knives (as well as a few manual knives).
 
huugh said:
Here lockback broke up before linerlock did.
Neither lockbacks or linerlocks are inferior. All types of locks have their pros and cons.
Click to expand...

What about for real world usage? Something tells me that if the force was applied the correct way (against the edge instead of against the spine), the lockback would have done much better.

Personally, I cut with the edge of my blade, not the spine ;)
 
mongomondo said:
Why are some of the most expensive production and custom knives using a framelock?
Click to expand...

For production knives- I believe it's one of the simplest (& cheapest) locks to manufacture. Also, because it became very popular in the custom world.

For customs- Ease of making it may be one reason, but I think it's also because it gives the maker the most "clean canvas" as far as what he can do with the knife. To say it another way, it has the least impact on the design of the knife- a lockback has to accommodate the lock on the back, an Axis or Arc lock needs the cutout for it in the scales, etc. The liner lock leaves both the sides and back free for whatever the maker wants to do.
 
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