Liner lock vs. Lock back

I don't think too much about locks when I buy a knife. I do my best to cut wisely and make sure I'm not testing it when I have fingers at stake! :D

That said, I think that when it comes to a company like Spyderco you can pretty much count on any design they make being engineered intelligently and assembled well.

Maybe not cosmetically perfect everytime, but great mechanically. That has been my experience.
 
With either lock type, the strength depends on which knife you're looking at. For example, an Endura and Tenacious would both be rated for the same level of use.

I don't get the argument that the fingers are in the blade's path when closing a liner lock. When I close a liner lock, my finger tips always transition to the sides of the handle leaving only my thumb in the pathway. My thumb is disengaging the lock, the index finger is pushing the blade closed. Once the blade travels to my thumb, it stops harmlessly on a choil (Military) or the ricasso (Tenacious). Once this happens, my thumb is free to close the knife the rest of the way. This is a very quick and easy process and my fingers are never in danger.
 
downtown said:
I know brands does make a difference but let's say it's a Spyderco brand. If one is a liner lock and the other is a lock back is one lock superior then the other? Please advise.
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To be honest with you, I'd buy the superior knife - not the superior lock.
A lock-type is something that helps me make my decision, but it's not what my entire decision is based on.

Let's say for instance I was deciding between and Endura and Military. I'd take the Military hands down even though it has a liner lock compared to the arguably stronger back lock of the Endura.
 
Knife locks are really a matter of personal preference. As long as the knife is well put together, most locks will perform their intended purpose. Most of the reputable brands (Spyderco, Benchmade, etc) test their locks fairly extensively and most will pass a white-knuckle or spine-whack test readily. ANY folding knife lock will fail with enough abuse. If failure is not an option, look into fixed blades.

Bottom Line: play with em and pick the one you like:D
 
Question, why are people saying that framelocks are stronger than liner locks, they seem to work on the same principle. Is it just because the piece of metal holding the blade is thicker on a framelock?

Quite long ago I recall having some knives of lockback design, albeit inexpensive ones, where I could force the lock to fail by pressing the blade spine down hard against a table, since then I prefer liner or framelocks. I've seen some liner locks where the liner doesn't always engage fully due to faulty fit, but I've never experienced one that wouldn't hold the lock once fully engaged.
 
olpappy said:
Question, why are people saying that framelocks are stronger than liner locks, they seem to work on the same principle. Is it just because the piece of metal holding the blade is thicker on a framelock?
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More lock face to tang interface can help against slipping off the tang.
The real advantage comes in the fact that your hand keeps the lock engaged when you grip the knife.
 
olpappy said:
Question, why are people saying that framelocks are stronger than liner locks, they seem to work on the same principle. Is it just because the piece of metal holding the blade is thicker on a framelock?
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I really don't understand this either. People talk about the whole "your hand keeps it closed" thing, but if you're doing something that's going to actually bend that lock, then I have my doubts that 4 fingers are going to make much of a difference.
 
THG said:
I really don't understand this either. People talk about the whole "your hand keeps it closed" thing, but if you're doing something that's going to actually bend that lock, then I have my doubts that 4 fingers are going to make much of a difference.
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Depends on the angle of force, and how strong your fingers are.
 
olpappy said:
Question, why are people saying that framelocks are stronger than liner locks, they seem to work on the same principle. Is it just because the piece of metal holding the blade is thicker on a framelock?
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THG said:
I really don't understand this either. People talk about the whole "your hand keeps it closed" thing, but if you're doing something that's going to actually bend that lock, then I have my doubts that 4 fingers are going to make much of a difference.
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I've gotten into debates about this a couple times on BF. It never seems to go very well ;)

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=620647
 
THG said:
I don't see a debate there. Only people agreeing that 4 fingers can make all the difference in the strength of a lock. I don't know if it's true or not true, but I just don't see how it can be.
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There was another thread that got a bit nastier but I couldn't find it. I just think it's hilarious that so many people have the opinion that liner locks are junk and frame locks are from the gods, when IMO they are almost identical.
 
THG said:
I really don't understand this either. People talk about the whole "your hand keeps it closed" thing, but if you're doing something that's going to actually bend that lock, then I have my doubts that 4 fingers are going to make much of a difference.
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A lot of pressure does not have to be used to make a liner lock fail on some knives. A simple tap on the spine will cause some locks to 'walk' over and disengage. The force can be quite small and doesn't have to bend anything. So a frame lock where your fingers hold the lock in place could be better in some people's eyes.

That said I don't like either one. I much prefer an AXIS lock or its variants to anything else and would take a lockback over a liner lock. I have never had a really beefy framelock but I think I would probably prefer a lockback as well. I can also close a lockback with one hand just fine. Depress the lock, lightly press the back of the blade against your leg, move your fingers and finish pushing it closed.
 
Dekz said:
There was another thread that got a bit nastier but I couldn't find it. I just think it's hilarious that so many people have the opinion that liner locks are junk and frame locks are from the gods, when IMO they are almost identical.
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Indeed. What exactly is a frame lock but a liner lock with the scales taken off on one side?

Does anyone make left-handed frame locks? Don't think I've ever seen one. (If those 4 fingers are so important....)
 
GregY said:
Does anyone make left-handed frame locks? Don't think I've ever seen one. (If those 4 fingers are so important....)
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Yep.
Yuna knives come in left hand models. Others do too, although I don't recall, as I am right-handed.
And it's the index and middle finger(somewhat) which are important for keeping the lock engaged, not all four.
 
Dekz said:
I just think it's hilarious that so many people have the opinion that liner locks are junk and frame locks are from the gods, when IMO they are almost identical.
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Agreed. I've had liner locks on most of my folders, and never once have I had one fail. Even under some pretty rough use. I think that either a liner or lockback could fail given the right conditions. I own Kershaw and Spyderco liner lock knives though, which are some of the most well-designed and constructed liner locks on the market IMO. I've never had an issue.
 
Convert said:
Agreed. I've had liner locks on most of my folders, and never once have I had one fail. Even under some pretty rough use. I think that either a liner or lockback could fail given the right conditions. I own Kershaw and Spyderco liner lock knives though, which are some of the most well-designed and constructed liner locks on the market IMO. I've never had an issue.
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Because liner locks are easy to make, a lot of cheap flea market quality knives use them. They're easy to make, but hard to make well. Spyderco and Kershaw both make some great liner locks.
 
Josh K said:
Because liner locks are easy to make, a lot of cheap flea market quality knives use them.
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I've seen some cheap-ass frame-locks as well. They'd totally fail a spine-tap or just pushing on the back of the blade.
EXCEPT when the first two fingers of the gripping hand held the lock in place. Still had vertical play(Yuck!), but no chopped off fingers.
 
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