I have noticed that all the Knife brands that claim to be tactical, use a Liner lock. Companies such as Emerson and Strider and even Spyderco and Benchmade in some cases. I wanted to know why this lock is chosen for tactical tasks. It doesn't seem to be the best placed or the strongest. Why do all of these companies still use it?
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Liner Lock
- Thread starter 5022
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It is a relatively simple lock to manufacture and it is easy to manipulate one handed.
There are companies that use other locks. Extrema Ratio use a back lock. Spyderco use the Compression Lock on some of their tactical folders. BM use the Axis Lock.
There are companies that use other locks. Extrema Ratio use a back lock. Spyderco use the Compression Lock on some of their tactical folders. BM use the Axis Lock.
Cliff Stamp
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Raw strength isn't the issue, it is security with regards to impacts and torques where liners and integrals are problematic.Lil Timmy said:
-Cliff
faramir said:What are these "tactical tasks" you're talking about ? Cutting open boxes and envelopes ? Slicing apples ? What - you got me curious
Military uses. Tasks above average. Read the Benchmade testimonials from our men and women in the Military here in America. You will read a bit about more than opening a box. These are those tasks.
I mean do you spend $100 on a knife to open a box. I could spend $.5 on a razor blade for that and it will be quicker and do a better job.
Cliff Stamp
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Covert deanimation obviously.faramir said:
-Cliff
5022 said:
With the greatest respect, sir, this is a knife forum. Not a razor blade forum.
If you don't wish to spend that money on a knife for simple duties, then don't. That's democracy for you.
Tactical folder are not copyrighted for use with the Military, if you catch my drift.
This questioning attitude is grinding me down :grumpy: If I see someone in the street wearing Desert boots, I don't stop him and ask what he thinks he's doing !!
Respect
Mark
No they don't but would one have use for something like a Tanto blade style if they were not. No they wouldent, it would be ineffective.
Spending $100+ on a knife for opening tape on boxes is stupid. Im sorry but think about it. I could do that with my keys.
no disrespect to you either but, as faramir was questioning me
There are knives directed towards Military use. Emerson and Strider to name 2. Sure they can be used and purchased by anybody, but they are made for Military personnel who need a knife which can take the punishment they do in the field.
Spending $100+ on a knife for opening tape on boxes is stupid. Im sorry but think about it. I could do that with my keys.
no disrespect to you either but, as faramir was questioning me
There are knives directed towards Military use. Emerson and Strider to name 2. Sure they can be used and purchased by anybody, but they are made for Military personnel who need a knife which can take the punishment they do in the field.
Cliff Stamp
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You could do it with your fingers, it is just more effective with a knife. About the best box opener cutting wise is an Olfa, but for better edge retention if you have to do a *lot* of cutting, you can get better with customs costing much more.5022 said:
There is a tremendous lot of hype here, often because a lot of the knives which are so advocated are often made of very brittle steels with less than optimal construction such as hollow grinds and as you mentioned less than optimal locks.
-Cliff
The problem with the $0.05 razor blade is that there is seldom a razor blade in my pocket when I need to open a box. I don't carry razor blades around much. I usually do have a pocket knife. Since I also sometimes need to cut something heavier than tape or paper wrappings, my pocket knife is usually made for heavier work. If that includes being designed for "covert deanimation", it's probably going to be able to easily handle the less covert tasks I engage in.
5022 said:
While knives like the ones from Strider and Emerson are made to be great "tactical", military type knives, almost no enlisted man spends that kind of money on a knife. Most of them make do with knives costing well under $100. And in the very rare occasion that a knife would be used as a weapon, you wouldn't want it to be a 3-4" folding knife, regardless of what kind of lock it had.
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A lot of people liked 'em because in general they opened smoother and faster one-handed than a lockback. The AXIS came along and stole that crown though, and a good bit more.
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Exactly!TorzJohnson said:
This is how I see it: A lockback MAY be stronger, as suggested by some, but they are not easy to unlock one handed which may, or may not, be an issue for some people. I find the framelock on my Sebbie, (for example), very easy to use one handed which I find convenient. Some will tell you that "tortional forces" may disengage the lock but it's never happened to any framelock I own and, to be honest, I don't think I'm strong enough to supply sufficient force to unlock either my Seb or SnG by doing that. Frame locks are easy, simple and quick to use. The axis lock is an excellent system as far as I can see but I've only had one for a week or so and have no personal long term experience with one. It's the only knife I have that's easier to open and close than my Sebenza.
Having said all that I don't, to my knowledge, do any "tactical" stuff, (including deanimations, covert or otherwise), so I can't comment on that aspect of it.
Cliff Stamp
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Unless you have some kind of physical disabiity you can, assuming you are not pre-teen or younger anyway. It doesn't take a significant amount of force. Certainly nothing comparable to the uses that would demand the blade thickness of the Striders. With the Sebenza you could argue it is a a blade profile optomized for lighter work, but even then the torques that will disengage liners/integrals won't break the blades on even those knives, so they are overbuilt from that respect.gajinoz said:
-Cliff