Spine Whack Test

[mat_890]

I wouldn't call that "deceptive" at all. The fact that some people might THINK they can stand up to certain rigors they were never designed to see is not the manufacturer's problem. The fact of the matter is that spine whacks are a huge weakness for liner locks and frame locks, you can have a very sturdy/reliable knife fail quite easily with a spine whack.

Do you really believe that? If a knife fails with a tap against your leg then what are you paying for? How can something be 'very sturdy' yet fail under the lightest of tasks? I have had 6 dollar knives that came in a plastic bin that have not failed me. I do not like the idea of paying 50-60 dollars for something that can't outperform a dollar store knife but hey, its your hard earned cash.

That said I can't think of many scenarios where spine whack would come into play unless you are carelessly slashing at something back and forth. Kinda like a safety on a pistol, IMO. If you're at the point where you're worried that if you pull the trigger, the gun will actually fire, then you're already a few steps past "bad decision making".

Your probably not ever going to accidentally whack the spine if your primary cutting task is consumer packaging, mail, and printer paper. The closest I ever got to recreating a spine whack test was breaking down really thick cardboard boxes. They were ones used for furniture and not a standard box shape but made from a million separate sections, a had to cut a flap off the inside to try to collapse it and somehow on the way out I hit the spine against another portion of the box.

People can call it user error, thats fine but I know that accidents happen and a quality lock has got my back. Hell even my SOG folders pass spine whack tests and I know how BF feel about SOG's quality

 

[mat_890]

So many people on this forum repeat the mantra about a knife being a tool, not a weapon...
Complaining about misunderstanding from their co-workers and the general public...
So here you are - a spine whack shit... What has it to do with a tool?
You can do with your knives whatever you like - that is your business. But do not assume it is of such an interest to anybody. After all, anybody can do it!
I personanly do not care at all. I believe I am capable to use my knives in responsible safe manner.

Lol what does it have to do with a tool...What does it have to do with a weapon?

 

[Poez]

Lol what does it have to do with a tool...What does it have to do with a weapon?

Stabbing? In what situation do you invision the knife to fold on your fingers?
Or I might be wrong - so tell me what is the point of this "test"?

 

[EricV]

People tend to take things to extremes it seems. From my mileage if I can take a knife smack it once against the sole of my boot and it doesn't fold, then I'm good, and most stiff slitjoints won't make it to their halfstops with the level of hit I usually use. Much more than that is abuse IMHO, you can be plenty rough on a knife without ever needing it to have a lock, I'd take a huge stop pin and thick bladed liner lock over any super lock out there. obviously YMMV. You can stab thick tough things like drilling into fiberglass or carbon fiber laminates with a slipjoint, sure sounds like some people could stand some knife use lessons from someone.

 

[mat_890]

Stabbing? In what situation do you invision the knife to fold on your fingers?
Or I might be wrong - so tell me what is the point of this "test"?

I was under the impression it was to stress the lock to extremes or maybe recreate an accident where you hit the spine against a solid object. Not to test stabbing potential.

Stabbing never crossed my mind so I could be entirely wrong.