Liner locks and the Spyderco Military

Random Dan

Random Dan

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From reading many threads on the forum the general impression I've gathered is that most people dislike liner locks when compared to other locking mechanisms (axis, compression, tri-ad, etc). Except, of course, when talking about the Spyderco Military, in which case many people rave about how good the millie's liner lock is. What is so different about the millie that makes it better than other liner locks? I'm genuinely confused here :confused:
 
Most don't like a liner lock because they have had poor examples that may have failed at one time on them. A well made liner lock however is one of the strongest and safest locks you can have.

The military is always used as the prime example because it is the gold standard of liner locks in production knives.
 
1SHOT1KILL said:
Correct me if I'm wrong...isn't the Military liner lock made from titanium as well?
Click to expand...
Unless they've changed it recently, it's steel.

And I agree with what others have said re: liner locks. As long as you get them from a good company that knows how to make a quality liner lock (Spyderco, Kershaw, Emerson, Darrel Ralph HTM, etc.), they're an excellent, very reliable lock.
 
The Military Gets So Many Raves Because Spyderco Just Knows How To Take Something And Make It Brilliant.

This Being Said, I've Never Had An Issue With Liner Locks.
Some People Do, Because, Like Knifenut1013 Said, They Have Had Defective Liner Locks, So Therefore Dub Every Liner Lock As "Junk".
And Some People Just Don't Like Certain Locking Mechanisms. Some People Don't Like Locking Mechanisms At All, So Therefore They Only Carry Non-Locking Blades.

Anyways,
I Don't Think It's Only The Military That Spyderco Has Perfected The Liner Lock On.
Their Economy Line(Ambitious, Persistence, Tenacious, Resilience) Also Have Really Good And Strong Liner Locks.
As Does The Spyderco Sage 1, Rock Lobster, Chinese Lum, Etc.

I Have Never Seen, Heard Of, Or Had A Liner Lock On A Spyderco Fail.
So That's Probably Why Most People Only Carry Liner Locks From Spyderco.

Though Some Other Good Liner Locks Are:
Kershaw
Emerson
Zero Tolerance
Benchmade
Byrd(But These Are Made By Spyderco.)
Meyerco(Normally Thick And Strong IMO)
Ontario

And The List Goes On.
Not Everyone Is Against Liner Locks, Actually A Lot Of Us Aren't.

And Welcome To The Forums By The Way!!(Since You're Fairly New.)
 
I like liner locks well enough, and of all the ones I have some are much easier to use than others due to the configuration. I can guess that some people don't like a linerlock because they've used some of the ones that are hard to use. I can also guess that there are people that like to unlock the blade and then flip it closed, this isn't safe with a liner lock. And there is some sparkle associated with the latest inventions in locks. I have lots of knives with linerlocks and one with an axis lock. I bought the axis lock knife for reasons other than the lock and thought I would get used to it, then after getting used to it I find that it is easier and faster for me to use than the best of my linerlocks. But I still like and carry knives with a linerlock.
 
bdmicarta said:
I like liner locks well enough, and of all the ones I have some are much easier to use than others due to the configuration. I can guess that some people don't like a linerlock because they've used some of the ones that are hard to use. I can also guess that there are people that like to unlock the blade and then flip it closed, this isn't safe with a liner lock. And there is some sparkle associated with the latest inventions in locks. I have lots of knives with linerlocks and one with an axis lock. I bought the axis lock knife for reasons other than the lock and thought I would get used to it, then after getting used to it I find that it is easier and faster for me to use than the best of my linerlocks. But I still like and carry knives with a linerlock.
Click to expand...
I had the opposite experience. I find the liner lock on the military to be easier to use then the axis lock. To each their own. :D
 
I Find The Compression Lock To Be My Favorite Of What I Have.
I Do Like The Axis Lock And It's Very Simple To Use, But The Compression Lock Wins To Me.
Otherwise... I Would Still Have Both The 550HG And Ritter 552ORG I Had...
If They Don't Get Used Even A Little Bit... They Go.
Except My Spydercos - I Only Collect Spydercos And Some Swiss Army Knives.

Anyways, I Like Liner Locks. Compression Locks. Back Locks. Frame Locks. Axis Locks. Etc.

I Also Like Spydercos Ball Bearing Lock.

My Three Top EDC's (For Now) Are:
Spyderco Paramilitary 2 Camo/Satin In Right Front Pocket - Compression Lock.
Spyderco Manix 2 Black/Black In Left Front Pocket - Ball Bearing Lock.
Spyderco Persistence In Back Right Pocket - Liner Lock.

Though With 2 Ti Frame Locks About To Be Mine, This May Change Lol.
 
knifenut1013 said:
Most don't like a liner lock because they have had poor examples that may have failed at one time on them. A well made liner lock however is one of the strongest and safest locks you can have.

The military is always used as the prime example because it is the gold standard of liner locks in production knives.
Click to expand...

This sums it up nicely.
 
I think it's worth noting here that how you treat a knife makes a huge difference, I've seen videos of Axis locks and the Military that fail with hand pressure, nothing is perfect and anything can (and will) fail. I beat a Chinook 3 to death through shear ignorance, the strongest and most reliable lock in the world still won't protect you from yourself.

If you study the lock-bar and tang interface it's not hard to see where the Military does things better than most, but it is still a folding knife.
 
To the OP, I hope your question about HOW the Millie's liner lock is different from the other ones from $30 Kershaws and $10 Chinese knockoffs is answered. I haven't handled the Millie, but I don't think people usually "dis" a lock that comes on a +$100 knife. The liner lock is probably one of the cheapest locks to make (a backlock may be cheaper). So since it is on cheaper knives and this is a knife forum where we don't like cheap knives, then some of that bashing cheap knives gets turned into a bashing against liner locks.

I don't understand how the Millie's liner lock is the gold standard either, or how it's different from a lower-priced Kershaw, or a Buck liner lock. I WOULD understand if it were made of titanium, because it is lighter, stronger, and more expensive than steel, but it sounds like that it isn't. Perhaps it is all in the "smoothness" of feel in hand.

If your question was if liner locks are good locks, then yes, they are much better than no lock at all if you are going to stab something.
If your question was WHY the Spyderco Military's liner lock is better than others, then I don't know, I hope someone else can answer that.
 
The Military is such a pleasing knife overall that the liner lock gets caught up in the love too. Same lock on a sucky knife, and all of a sudden the lock would suck too. Just my guess.
 
GLDNDomer said:
I don't understand how the Millie's liner lock is the gold standard either, or how it's different from a lower-priced Kershaw, or a Buck liner lock. I WOULD understand if it were made of titanium, because it is lighter, stronger, and more expensive than steel, but it sounds like that it isn't. Perhaps it is all in the "smoothness" of feel in hand.
Click to expand...

Actually, Titanium is not as strong as steel is. It's actually a lot softer. Whereas normal Ti lies around 40 HRC, Knife steel usually hovers around 60 HRC. The main advantage of titanium is that it's lightweight, and for some, easily anodized.
 
GLDNDomer said:
To the OP, I hope your question about HOW the Millie's liner lock is different from the other ones from $30 Kershaws and $10 Chinese knockoffs is answered. I haven't handled the Millie, but I don't think people usually "dis" a lock that comes on a +$100 knife. The liner lock is probably one of the cheapest locks to make (a backlock may be cheaper). So since it is on cheaper knives and this is a knife forum where we don't like cheap knives, then some of that bashing cheap knives gets turned into a bashing against liner locks.

I don't understand how the Millie's liner lock is the gold standard either, or how it's different from a lower-priced Kershaw, or a Buck liner lock. I WOULD understand if it were made of titanium, because it is lighter, stronger, and more expensive than steel, but it sounds like that it isn't. Perhaps it is all in the "smoothness" of feel in hand.

If your question was if liner locks are good locks, then yes, they are much better than no lock at all if you are going to stab something.
If your question was WHY the Spyderco Military's liner lock is better than others, then I don't know, I hope someone else can answer that.
Click to expand...

Exactly, you need to have and use it to really understand. It's nothing mystical or magical at all, it is just a very well thought out and executed design. Spyderco is only one of few manufacturers that implements CQI (constant quality improvement), this is how a knife design evolves.

As far as the comment on Ti being a liner, it's nice, but not stronger. Squints nailed it in his post.
 
It is easy and cheap to stamp out a basic liner lock. It is complicated and expensive to make one right. Spyderco uses an offset arc lockface on their liner locks. What does that mean? The surface of the blade tang where the liner lock engages is not straight across. It has a tiny straight section on the locking leaf side, then it curves in an arc with a radius slightly tighter than the radius of the arc described by the end of the locking leaf. As the parts wear, the engagement point will move across the tang, but it will do so slowly because of the differing arcs. Likewise, even if the leaf slips toward disengagement under pressure on the spine, it should stop at that small flat, or offset. Of course, once you've beat it enough to round off the edges, it could slip off anyway. There is no such thing as idiot-proof.
 
Random Dan said:
From reading many threads on the forum the general impression I've gathered is that most people dislike liner locks when compared to other locking mechanisms (axis, compression, tri-ad, etc). Except, of course, when talking about the Spyderco Military, in which case many people rave about how good the millie's liner lock is. What is so different about the millie that makes it better than other liner locks? I'm genuinely confused here :confused:
Click to expand...

Just because it seems like most people on forums dislike something does not mean it is bad.

In fact, many people will speak out against something that they have absolutely no experience with.

The Military is one example of a well executed liner lock. Design, materials, and tolerances make it effective, and the Spyderco Military (which is a fine knife, that happens to be in my pocket at this moment) does not hold a monopoly on this concept.
 
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