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Most Long-Lasting Folder
- Thread starter AsianBeerCan
- Start date
Good point, that's fair. I guess it's just a simpler design. Are there washers in the pivot of a slip joint? Anything with a pivot will eventually wear out.
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Typically, a slipjoint has no washers. I'm not saying washers/bearings are inferior to slipjoints, but like you said, eventually any pivot will wear out.
Eventually being the key word. It will take quite a long time if the knife is used within reason.
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If you look at where a knife is going to be wearing, and how that wear will effect the lockup, I think your longest lasting would be probably an opinel. under normal use, even as the kick and ring wear, there is still room to go. But since there isn't as much material to wear, and the overall materials used, in practical use, they would likely wear out faster than something with better materials.
After that, a mid/back lock is likely the next as in general they are "self adjusting" to a greater degree than others are. Axis locks suffer from the potential of spring failure, but otherwise they are similar. I would think that liner-locks would suffer more wear on a smaller area, and that would eventually cause the lock bar to no longer make good contact with the blade, or if the angle of the blade and the lock bar wear to match, then I don't know how strong that lock would be.
Would there really be any wear on lock of a compression lock? Pivot yes, but the lock?
A slipjoint is only going to last as long as there is material left at the detent notch, so they could last a long time, but the design ensures that the spring is always wearing at it on that contact point.
I wonder if there is anything inherent in a lock design that would keep it going for far longer, if materials and usage were made even? I feel like the compression lock would have the best wear characteristics due to the size of the mating surfaces, but I don't know. So my guess for longest lasting design would be ring lock, and compression lock all things being equal, and shortest would be liner/frame lock and slipjoint for least (again, materials and use not being variables)
After that, a mid/back lock is likely the next as in general they are "self adjusting" to a greater degree than others are. Axis locks suffer from the potential of spring failure, but otherwise they are similar. I would think that liner-locks would suffer more wear on a smaller area, and that would eventually cause the lock bar to no longer make good contact with the blade, or if the angle of the blade and the lock bar wear to match, then I don't know how strong that lock would be.
Would there really be any wear on lock of a compression lock? Pivot yes, but the lock?
A slipjoint is only going to last as long as there is material left at the detent notch, so they could last a long time, but the design ensures that the spring is always wearing at it on that contact point.
I wonder if there is anything inherent in a lock design that would keep it going for far longer, if materials and usage were made even? I feel like the compression lock would have the best wear characteristics due to the size of the mating surfaces, but I don't know. So my guess for longest lasting design would be ring lock, and compression lock all things being equal, and shortest would be liner/frame lock and slipjoint for least (again, materials and use not being variables)
Wowbagger
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Now I like Benchmades but that sounds astonishing after all the broken springs I have read about here. I have never broken an Omega spring but I don't use my Benchmades as much as my Spydercos. Not saying I don't really enjoy my Benchmades, I do, it's just that the Spydercos are even more suited to my style of use.
I would be pretty concerned about a spring breaking and not being able to get it say thirty years from now. Assuming my Benchmade was my ONLY forever knife.
Wowbagger
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I always have to bust on Opinels :
Sure the Opinel will last long because it is seized up solid half the time from a single drop of water getting on the wood causing it to swell up tight. Can't open it or close it until it dries out. Into the drawer it goes in favor of something that can tolerate "extreme" environments such as . . . oh I don't know. . . having the blade rinsed off and getting two drops of water on the pivot.
Or . . . working outside in the rain . . . hahahah if I tried that with ANY of my many Opinels they would be unusable for a week. Sure there is the fool with it of submerging the knife in oil for a few days . . . WHY DON'T THEY JUST DO THAT AT THE FACTORY ! ?
OK I got it out . . .
thanks for tolerating it yet again.
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Even without the spring though, the lock would still work.
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You are not far off base with that...
so maybe its the lock design that is good, where the execution could use work.
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Most knives of decent quality I've seen worn out have most of the wear from sharpening. Who hasn't seen the old slip joint with toothpick blades? Sometimes then even most of the wear will be on the main blade. The more modern style folders you don't typically see so sharpened down. Maybe they don't get used as much, or the steel is harder. Or, they just haven't been around as long.
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I have an Endura I bought in 1992 that is ready for another 25 years. It just got smoother as it broke in. No prying or twisting or destroying on an old bench grinder like people did in the 60's and it should just keep going.
Joe
Joe
A 17 year old Benchmade AFCK would very ,very, likely be a liner lock.
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The omega spring seems so simple and ubiquitous that I feel sure you could replace it almost forever. I like the Spydercos too!
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Slip joints benefit from a design that discourages people from flipping it open and closed while they browse the internet for their next knife.
SALTY
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In fact, IIRC, Chris Caracci actually commented against the Axis in a knife that could be potentially used for fighting.It was a long time ago and, again, IIRC, there may have eben been a comment in that regard right here on BF ... by CC himself.
If you spring for the S30V blade now that they have it available for the 112, it'll last even longer since you shouldn't have to sharpen it as often.
I've got an old full serrated Spyderco police it's black coated maybe dlc I guess. I've had it since around 1990 I believe. It's been used on construction jobs quite often from cutting wire, plastic, wood, ect. ect. pretty much what I just had to do.
Alot of it has the coating worn down some to a blackish/stainless look and it has been sharpened a few times but the lock is still good and it's still solid. I like it because of how thin it is.
Alot of it has the coating worn down some to a blackish/stainless look and it has been sharpened a few times but the lock is still good and it's still solid. I like it because of how thin it is.
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I recently examined a Mercator knife that was made in 1914 and was carried in WW1 until 1916 when the owner was wouned. It was very solid, and locked up without play. My made in 2013 Mercator has all sorts of issues.
I also fiddled around with some antique Navajas from Spain, very large folders (around 5 to 8" blades) with slipjoint or ringlock mechanisms. Most from 1850 to 1890. Still solid. Then again they were in a collection now for many decades, but they saw use during their owners lifetime.
I guess anything goes as far as durability.
I also fiddled around with some antique Navajas from Spain, very large folders (around 5 to 8" blades) with slipjoint or ringlock mechanisms. Most from 1850 to 1890. Still solid. Then again they were in a collection now for many decades, but they saw use during their owners lifetime.
I guess anything goes as far as durability.
LOL! I'm working on exercising my thumbnail just for that reason. It will be good for my wallet.