Liner locks

Bob,

It is not so much that a liner lock isn't suitable for last ditch defense, as it is that you need to know its limits. You are much better off thinking of a liner-lock as a slip joint rather than a fixed blade. When it comes to that last ditch, you use whatever ya' got.

Harv
 
(not directed to anyone)
Whenever i have bought knife in past, I never really considered them for self-defense. Perhaps it's because I've lived in a place where danger never really presented itself (knock on wood). I am curious about the reliability of the locks for general use or emergency use. I know that usually the pressure is going the other direction on the blade, but i don't want it to close on me if i have to pucture something.
I suppose it's because of my mindset that I am sometimes aggrivated when non-knife people first see my knife and get scared. They react as if it's a weapon meant to hurt people. I know that the knives I own can definitely do this, and if i needed it, i would resort to it. However, i don't think of my knives that way.
I have conidered finding a FB to carry with me, but because i usually dress casually, i can't really find a system that i like which will properly conceal it, but leave it in a handy place.
As for why I like "tactical" folders, they are built to take heavy abuse and last.
pk
 
Well, looks like the whole world is against liner locks doesn't it? All of you guys do have valid stories and arguements against some liner locks. Ill be the first to admit that I have had little personal experience with most of the various models mentioned here. I guess I just got lucky with my knife. If something aint broke, I try not to fix it. Mine hasn't "broke" in 4 years of use and it hasn't "broken" in the past few days when Ive repeatedly tried to make it do so with the liner lock tests. So I guess Ill just have to stick with my good ol' reliable liner lock-- my CQC7! I do thank all of you for the input though; I never really questioned liner locks before. While Im definately not going to mark them completely out of my consideration, I will definately test any future knives for reliability to weed out the bad liner locks.

Brock
 
spoon --

Your words do my heart good, we couldn't have asked for more. If you like liner locks, the best thing you could do is test 'em, and aggressively seek customer service help when you find one that fails.

Joe
 
I guess it's finally time for me to put my few cents worth in.
To say the "they all fail" is what I would consider a misleading statement.
Years ago I had a 1963 Rambler and because of it, I could have said "all cars are a piece of junk". Luckily for me, I knew it was just the l963 Rambler, not all cars. I didn't want to influence people into not buying a Ford, Chevrolet, or Plymouth, just the piece of junk Rambler. Get my drift??
Hope I made my point.


 
Kit,

I'll go along with that to a point. No, not all liner locks fail, and in my enthusiasm I mistakenly sometimes give that impression. My mistake.

However, both you and Sal have given very similar analogies, and I think they're worth addressing. No, if one Rambler fails, that doesn't mean every one is a piece of junk. But what if you buy 10 Ramblers, and have problems with 5? Meanwhile, you also have 10 Darts, and 10 Camaros, and only 1 of each of those cars broke down. Would you then at least acknowledge quality control problems?

Those are exactly the kind of ratios I'm seeing with liner locks failures versus all the other locks in my collection -- lockbacks, fancy button locks, twisty ring locks, etc. You'd have to have your head in the sand -- deep! -- not to at least notice that liner locks are more difficult to do well than other locks. Not every liner lock is bad! But the percentage of bad ones is high enough to be worth the test advice. "These are the possible problems, here's how to test for them", would seem to be reasonable.

Joe
jat@cup.hp.com
 
I believe it is the manufacturers responsibility to test their locks. Spyderco has been doing the "AT Barr" test on its knives since 1981. This caused quite a stir among our vendors in the "early" days since this type of testing "had not been done before".

Modern knives are very sharp, lock defeats at at best an inconvenience and at worst, downright dangerous.

Joe - to equate 5 out of 10 ranblers is not entirely logical since not all linerlocks are produced by Rambler. Linerlocks are produced by many companies and individuals. Check your ratios of failure by manufacturer. I hate to get in trouble for something Rambler did when I'm driving a Lotus.
sal
sal
 
Okay Sal, that last paragraph I agree with whole-heartedly. There are definitely some manufacturers and makers who are obviously and consistently better than others. As a knife collector, it's natural to look at the collection as somewhat monolithic -- bunch of liner locks versus bunch of lockbacks, etc. But anyone who has enough access to enough different knives will definitely begin to notice patterns of whose liner locks are especially good or bad. I definitely have in my mind a map of makers and manufacturers I trust more, and a list of those I trust less.
 
Thank you Joe. extra effort must count for something or no one would extend the extra effort. Though only a very small percentage of the market would be knowledgable and caring enough to recognize the extra effort, it is from that small group that we derive our reward. We must serve many to be recongnized by few. Most just take it for granted (if that makes sense). But that is just the way reality treats us. She (reality) is a firm but honest teacher.
sal
 
Well that does it I said to myself a few minutes ago..

I went into the den and took out my AFCK and my 950, went to to kitchen and gave both of then 10 good wacks on the back of the blade turning them upside down on a cutting board, They did not open. Then I went and got a cheap liner lock knife a friend got me at a swap meet. two wacks and it came flying open..Scared the hell out of me.

I thought you guys were to radical, but your not. That knive is now in pieces and tossed. That knife was a dangerious tool to have around the house--You can easely get your finger cut off by such a piece of crap.

Thank Guys for all you info and help, and maybe I'll see some of ya at the Pasadena Knife Show.

Bill
 
I just tested my only liner lock in my collection. my BM stryker. After about 20 spine hits on different places on the back of the knife this lock has not failed yet. All its left is alot of little dents in the table. It passed the white knuckle test also. The lock on mine is Rock Solid. I feel more lucky than ever that its a good lock.

But it is really disturbing how many of yours are bad.

Sincerely,
Adam
 
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