I'll be honest, I am spring-adverse. The more springs, the smaller, the lighter, the more coils, the more reluctant I get. That's why when I bought me orange knife, I got standard RAT 1 as opposed to a RAT 1-A. I never store my Microtech outside of it's plastic bag, it's either in my fifth pocket, my hand, or the bag, unless the container is 100% clean, because I don't wanna risk dust, lint, cat hair getting in there. I'll risk that with cutting and carrying - that happens, but why let it literally collect dust? That's why I don't own a lot of automatics. My favorites in order of use, are a tie for back lock+Tri-Ad and compression lock for no. 1, good liner locks like a RAT, and have just been getting into the ball lock with my Dodo. I'd probably like the framelock more if I used it, I don't think my Cricket counts...
Spyderco's ball locks seem like better-made, stronger versions of the Benchmade Axis lock.
That's the other thing - I hear of Benchmade Axis Springs breaking all the time. "Buy aftermarket" I hear, "The ones I bought on Wish/Etsy/made myself have held up fine!" I've heard. No Benchmade knife I own features the Axis lock, nor do I intend to pay money for anything from Benchmade that folds, no offense to their brand, just not my style and I have all my slots filled.
Closest things I have are... a Chinese, D2 SRM knife with an Axis lock that I got as a gift, and it's fun, it's a good beater, definitely like to play with it, it's a fun lock, I will say that. And then, it has to be the ball lock on my three Dodos. This lock is not nearly as instantly fun as the Axis, but it gets more fun as it breaks in. Lol, judging a lock on how "fun" it is - you could call this the one-hand-openability aspect though as I am about to explain.
The most broken-in one I own, which was used, and had the scales replaced to Desert Ironwood, I can easily open and close it with one hand almost like the reg. Axis lock on my SRM. My new Jade M4 Dodo is a bit harder, though it's breaking in. First few tries were impossible to close without two hands and usage of fingernails! Ha. Glad it's like that though, I have extreme confidence in the strength.
Yab, you always are coming in clutch with answers, I am grateful for the stuff you answer all the time from me and others. You're second to Sal in the amount of history and facts and general info I've got about Spyderco.
I did not know about the MBC origins of the lock. Sal and Eric are some of the most respectable, just "coolest" people in the knife world, in my opinion. The more I find out about them, the more I seem to like them. I've heard of various things that they have done just out of concern and safety - read about Sal being presented with something that could have been a problem on the Rescue, shortly thereafter having a dream about a firefighter cutting through tough material as the blade failed on him, woke up, feared it becoming a reality, and fixed the problem. One of many just "cool" things they've done. I think we could all stand to take a bit from their philosophy on things, too.
