Liner lock vs frame lock

BigHutch

BigHutch

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Dec 27, 2018
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I've got a ZT0562cf that I really like, but have also been looking at the Microtech Socom Elite, but just don't like the fact that it's a liner lock.

Is the Microtech Socom Elite liner lock a super tough lock? How does it stack up to a tough ZT frame lock?
 
It's on the thicker side in terms of liner locks.

Even a tough-looking frame lock tends to have a rather than section near the base, often about as thin as the average liner lock. In actual use, I've never experienced much of a difference between the two lock styles.
 
I must be weird too. I’m sure that liner-locks aren’t as strong as frame-locks but I like the feel of a liner-lock better. I wear a lot of athletic clothes and rips top cargos and frame-locks don’t seem to stay clipped to my pocket nearly as well as a liner-lock with a g10 or micarta clip side. (Especially spyderco’s g10). I’m trying to get away from both and a steer
More towards locks like the compression, axis and ball-locks
 
It's one of the stoutest liner locks I've ever seen. I don't think a ZT framelock is going to offer you any strength the Socom doesn't have.

Here's what the old Socom Elites were like. They used a different lock (microbar, which is like a thick steel liner lock that pivots rather than bends), but I'd bet the new models aren't significantly different in terms of durability.

 
I am afraid that I have not had the same positive experience with liner locks. I have had the lock on my Emerson Mach 1 fail twice. Emerson was great in standing behind the product. Both times the knife was fixed and returned to me quickly-no questions asked. I would rather not have experienced failure of the lock in the first place. It is a decent hard use knife but I always have a question in my mind if the locking mechanism is going to hold or fail. I have only one other liner lock in my possession for that reason. I just have a bit more confidence in framelocks. My Sebenza has never failed me and I have worn it almost daily for the past 5 years.
 
foxdoublegunner said:
I am afraid that I have not had the same positive experience with liner locks. I have had the lock on my Emerson Mach 1 fail twice. Emerson was great in standing behind the product. Both times the knife was fixed and returned to me quickly-no questions asked. I would rather not have experienced failure of the lock in the first place. It is a decent hard use knife but I always have a question in my mind if the locking mechanism is going to hold or fail. I have only one other liner lock in my possession for that reason. I just have a bit more confidence in framelocks. My Sebenza has never failed me and I have worn it almost daily for the past 5 years.
Click to expand...

Emerson makes all the liner locks that have ever failed on me, so I'm with you there.

That said, the two Sebenzas that CS tested failed much, much earlier than the liner locks I've seen tested. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a knife fail earlier in the CS tests than the Sebenzas did. Don't get me wrong, I love my Sebenza and I have no concerns about the lock failing in actual use . . . I just wouldn't hold them up as any kind of standard of excellence when it comes to lock up. CREWK makes nice knives, but the when the weights are hung from them nothing has failed as hard as the Sebenza:

 
Socom Elite is underrated, like most old school blades

Latest & greatest isn’t always the best
 
evilgreg said:
Emerson makes all the liner locks that have ever failed on me, so I'm with you there.

That said, the two Sebenzas that CS tested failed much, much earlier than the liner locks I've seen tested. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a knife fail earlier in the CS tests than the Sebenzas did. Don't get me wrong, I love my Sebenza and I have no concerns about the lock failing in actual use . . . I just wouldn't hold them up as any kind of standard of excellence when it comes to lock up. CREWK makes nice knives, but the when the weights are hung from them nothing has failed as hard as the Sebenza:

Click to expand...
I’ve wondered how legit that test was? Not biased either way just curious
 
Owning both version of the same knife, Holt V3 and V4, and doing normal EDC tasks, I can tell you that I tend to lean towards the liner lock,
The action is the same regradless how you hold the knife
Both lock up great, have no problem with them on normal EDC tasks
The action on the liner lock feels smoother (without pressure on the lock bar, both on equal position)
The Socom is probably a better lock against a ZT, but you wont have any problems with neither,
F7A7B5A5-3FE4-40E7-913F-78CD2FD9AE62.jpeg
 
Dallas T said:
I’ve wondered how legit that test was? Not biased either way just curious
Click to expand...

Demko has always seemed like a pretty solid guy, and if you watch the tests they appear to measure everything to make things fair as possible. If you watch the linked video he looks first shocked and then pained by the results. They pull another Sebenza new out of the box and try it as well, which removes the whole spine whack test from the equation and just straight to the weight hang.

I mean, I like my Sebenza just fine but I'm not going to pretend that the frame lock on the Sebenza is remotely as reliable as a tri-ad, AXIS, compression, etc. lock, not after seeing it tested.

When the video came out some of the cultists railing against it made it sound like it was CS trying to make CRK look bad, but that never rang true to me for two reasons:

  1. If you looked at the past tests the comments often included "try the Sebenza" and they took their sweet time getting around to it
  2. Do the companies really compete anyway? I have a hard time seeing CS trying to woo away customers of Chris Reeve's Ex-Wife's Knives to buy a Code 4 or American Lawman or whatever . . .
 
foxdoublegunner said:
I am afraid that I have not had the same positive experience with liner locks. I have had the lock on my Emerson Mach 1 fail twice. Emerson was great in standing behind the product. Both times the knife was fixed and returned to me quickly-no questions asked. I would rather not have experienced failure of the lock in the first place. It is a decent hard use knife but I always have a question in my mind if the locking mechanism is going to hold or fail. I have only one other liner lock in my possession for that reason. I just have a bit more confidence in framelocks. My Sebenza has never failed me and I have worn it almost daily for the past 5 years.
Click to expand...
Emerson makes the worst liner locks, so that's not fair on the lock design as a whole.
 
evilgreg said:
Demko has always seemed like a pretty solid guy, and if you watch the tests they appear to measure everything to make things fair as possible. If you watch the linked video he looks first shocked and then pained by the results. They pull another Sebenza new out of the box and try it as well, which removes the whole spine whack test from the equation and just straight to the weight hang.

I mean, I like my Sebenza just fine but I'm not going to pretend that the frame lock on the Sebenza is remotely as reliable as a tri-ad, AXIS, compression, etc. lock, not after seeing it tested.

When the video came out some of the cultists railing against it made it sound like it was CS trying to make CRK look bad, but that never rang true to me for two reasons:

  1. If you looked at the past tests the comments often included "try the Sebenza" and they took their sweet time getting around to it
  2. Do the companies really compete anyway? I have a hard time seeing CS trying to woo away customers of Chris Reeve's Ex-Wife's Knives to buy a Code 4 or American Lawman or whatever . . .
Click to expand...
I have no doubts that test is completely legit. Doesn't make the CRK a bad knife, but all the whining over it gives CRK fans a bad look.
 
I'm a liner lock fan! Frame locks for the most part just look incomplete to me! Totally agree with the Emerson liner lock sucking wind too! Al least till it's good and worn in. Different strokes I guess!! Great thing about this hobby/addiction is there are so many different styles to get yourself into dutch with!!!

James
 
I tend to prefer linerlocks for the handle advantages. That is, they tend to have fatter grips with scales on both sides.

A lot of linerlocks are thin and don’t instill confidence. The liners on my Shirogorov F3 are as thick or thicker than many frame locks. Although with much thinner liners, a Cheburkov Strizh and Skaha II I own both have solid confident lockups.

Contoured locks and scales on a framelock like the Anso Neo are the best of both worlds.

Well made, there’s room for both.
 
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jfk1110 said:
I'm a liner lock fan! Frame locks for the most part just look incomplete to me! Totally agree with the Emerson liner lock sucking wind too! Al least till it's good and worn in. Different strokes I guess!! Great thing about this hobby/addiction is there are so many different styles to get yourself into dutch with!!!

James
Click to expand...

I also prefer a liner lock over a frame lock.
The frame lock imo is lazy, why not finish the knife and put the other scale on?

If the knife is metal on both sides I can live with it if I love the design but when there is g10 on the show side it just feels wrong to me.
 
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