Knives that don't lock....

Woodrow F Call said:
One use where it's easy to hurt yourself is processing large game. I can and have done it with a slip joint. A lockback might provide a little more safety. Still a fixed blade is safer and much much much easier to clean as you don't have joints to clean the meat out of.
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IMO, there are 3 specific movements where I think a lock provides real added safety:
Stabbing - In a stabbing or piercing cut, a lock helps prevent the blade from closing. When cutting meat, these closing forces are well inside of the range that a decent lock can withstand. Stabbing harder materials, like drywall (or tough hosing, ahem), may exceed the force the lock can withstand.

Withdrawing - In some cutting tasks it is possible for the blade to stick which requires force to withdraw. This can create closing forces on the blade. When freeing a knife from meat or game (like dealing with joints or ribs) or dealing with frozen food, I think those closing forces are generally well within the ability of a decent lock to withstand. In tougher materials like wood it might be possible to overcome the lock in this way.

Bumping - When working with a knife on a long task, it sometimes happens that I bump the spine of the blade as I'm working, especially when making repeated drawing cuts as in skinning or clearing out brush. These bumps can create closing force on the blade and in most cases, a decent lock mechanism will withstand these forces just fine.


I don't know of a single knife knut who prefers to use a locking folder over a fixed blade.

But the reality for me is that I'm almost never in a social situation where carrying a fixed blade is feasible. I can EDC a locking folder like really, every day.

When the practical choice narrows down to slip joint vs a locking folder, I find the locking folder to offer a real safety advantage in the above situations. Note... as with any risky behavior and related safety gear... It's incumbent on the use to access the risk, to understand the limitations of the safety gear and to understand how over-estimate the safety benefit can actually lead to more risk. This is seen repeatedly in the use of climbing helmets, crampons, avalanche beacons, ice axes, bike helmets, ski helmets and yes, locking folding knives.
 
Actually, I have had a slipjoint close on me putting a pretty nice cut on my index finger but I was doing something that should NOT have been doing with a slipjoint.
Technically speaking I do believe a slipjoint is inherently less safe than a locking blade knife. I also believe that a slipjoint is plenty safe for the overwhelming majority of my everyday tasks.
 
I was raised on slipjoints (Imperial Scout camper-style), and for years and years used a Vic Classic as my one-and-only. No major cuts, but I figured out early not to get in the way of the blade.

When holding and using a lockback — got my first about 10 years ago — I'm always aware that the mechanism can fail abruptly, with bloody/painful results. This is not because of any accident I've experienced or witnessed; it's just a carryover from slipjoints. I have a now-ingrained wariness about all knives that includes those with locking devices.

I guess I never trust a machine of any kind unless I'm using it well below whatever failure threshold it may have. And since I'm not a quality-tester and don't know where that threshold is, I treat all knives — including fixed blades — as "ready to fail" and handle them accordingly.
 
With any mechanical item you have be aware even with locks and safeties. Nothing is foolproof. I have a gentleman make me a custom lockback and it locks, but I discovered he had not set the lock geometry correctly and it can unlock. Unfortunately he was not in a position to correct it do it sits in my drawer a testament to mechanical falability.
 
Bottom line for me, with knives and anything else: the physical world is full of imperfect devices, and only a fool would trust them unquestioningly. Desperate circumstances (Pinnah's example) can force you to go farther than you would ordinarily, but always expect failure and know how to cope with it.

With that attitude in mind, a slipjoint is as safe as a lockback or fixed blade.
 
I only own one locking knife, a Queen 41L, the copperhead with the liner lock they term a mini folding hunter. I much prefer to use fixed blades when blood and gore are going to get all over hands and knife, and the slipjoints handle day to day cutting chores safely for me, so I've never much bothered with lockers. They're all useful, so I've never been one to get involved much with debates of one versus the other.
 
I like knives which lock closed. Just in case I leave it lying around in the house 1-4 year old aren't smart coordinated and strong enough to open it even accidentally. Once they are 5 and able to open it they also know how to take care and not stab and cut themselves. At least my 5 year daughter does.
My 2 year old however makes me believe closed locking is much saver than fixed blades. Wouldn't want him to use a fixed blade like it was one of his nerf swords.
 
If done well enough, a maker can use a liner lock while still maintaining a traditional look to the folder. When we are talking metal and wood/bone there is no reason why a lock can't be a new tradition. I am not talking about those ugly modern folders with one one handle scale but the liner locks hidden between two scales.
 
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