Why are we purchasing knives blatantly marketed for their lock strength and promoted by the companies that make them as being able to hold specific amounts of weight, then claiming that performing tests ourselves on these claims is heretical?
There is nothing wrong with a spinetap. A full force spinewhack can and often will damage the knife, even if its just minor denting in the liner / tang junction. But a light tap to the spine, along with applying pressure to the spine are both good ways to check for lock consistency rather than relying solely on visual means.
I don't understand the controversy. In normal use, a knife won't be pushed in this manner. But that doesn't preclude the possibility of an accident, not to mention that there are some, albeit rare real world uses that can induce lock failure.
-Stabbing into an object to start a cut, especially if care is not taken to properly thrust into the object loading the edge.
-Having the knife wedge in wood, cardboard, thick plastic etc. and trying to pull it out.
-Tapping the spine on the edge of a trash can or a cutting board to remove debris after cutting up food.
-Using the spine of a folder to create sparks from a fire steel or scrape things
I EDC slipjoints such as a Spyderco UKPK, Leathermans and SAKs and traditional stockmans. When I buy a locking folder I expect a quality lock, for that is one of the features I'm spending my money on. Why would you want to own a lock knife that can't take a simple 50 pound load to the spine or handle an accidental bump against the spine when there are many, many knives that can take much more "abuse" than this?
I had a Buck Strider 889 that failed light spinetaps. Buck essentially told me after I sent it in that the knife was up to their standards. I could of kept the knife and used it and probably been alright, especially considering the choil in that specific knife design, but it seemed like an accident waiting to happen. I didn't want to poke the knife into a box one day and have it fold like a weak slipjoint. That to me contradicts the whole idea of having a locking knife. I never use my locking folders like a fixed blade because I do not wish to tempt fate, but any folder that has a lock should have a safe, secure and reliable one. If they're an added safety measure, what's the point if it folds under light pressure? That's worse than using a slipjoint because at least those have resistance when they close while most locking folders swing freely after disengaging the lock.
. Good knife too, one of my favorites to flip flop around to during my personal EDC dispute.
