question on full-length liners vs. shortened/nested liners

[curious2003]

Liners are supposed to add strength to folders and act as a point where screws can be used to hold the knife together correct?

My question is if liners actually make the knife "stronger" or if they mainly only help by allowing screws to hold the knife better than if they were merely just put into the handle.

One common thing I've heard is that liners don't add much to the strength of the knife b/c under pressure the handle material (such as G-10) flexes under stress away from the liners and the knife comes apart at the screws.

For example this is Sypderco's reason for their use of single/nested liners as opposed to full or double liners in many of their knives.

Is this really better to full-length double liners? Are full-length double liners unecessary and only there to give the illusion of more strength and security?

 

[rev_jch]

In my own opinion, they do help. Now if your speaking of a handle say, made of bone, wood, yes it definitely makes a difference. Now when your speaking of G-10, carbon fiber, micarta, it does not makes as much a difference. In any case though, liners do make a difference any time you are speaking of screws being anchored properly, in other words they are neccessary.

This is my own opinion when making knives, hope this helps some.

 

[sj_lutz]

Far from an expert, but here's my .02 cents...For a liner lock, it seems to me to make scense to have full length liners on both sides. For a non- liner lock, from what I've seen, the lack of full length liners has a minimum impact on strength. I'm basing this on my experience with my Benchmade 721. I've owned one for about 6 months now, and have not had any problems with it at all.

 

[rev_jch]

The 721 has fairly thick G-10 handles, this has alot to do with the strength of the knife. The only place that will experience much wear on the knife is the axis lock, which of course is a module, without the module the lock would definitely wear on the G-10.