Spyderco and Lockbacks?

calyth

calyth

#!/bin/sh of a man
Joined
Feb 23, 2002
Messages
3,574
I thought that people donb't regard Lockbacks as much a stronger locks as linerlocks, but why is that so many people here embrace spyderco so much when plenty of their models were lockbacks?
Or are they lockbacks at all?
 
Spyderco makes a strong lockback, stronger than many linerlocks I have owned.
 
From what I've read, I believe it's the other way around. People seem to think that lockbacks are more trustworthy than a liner lock.

Personally, I have enough confidence in a liner lock. Then again, I'm jittery enough about my knives that I take extra care to keep from possibly unlocking it.

Zero
 
the reason spyderco is looked so highly upon is the strenth of thier locks.

You go from a Delica with about 80lbs for lock strenth, to the Chinook, at what 800lbs/inch?

Think the millie was tested to 150lbs, and that a linerlock.
 
Hm... ok
Well I've heard of people saying that certain lockback failed and cut their hand before.
 
they are as strong as the materials will let them !
I would not try to go past that . It's a tool ,once you cross those lines anything can happen.. but from one that
beats the living daylights out of one ,every day ,and lets numerous people use that knife !!( these lockbacks are fine)
;)
 
I have much greater trust for spyderco lock-backs than any liner-lock i've come across so far, I've put my Delica through a lot and it's never even thought about failing on me. In my opinion liner-locks are ok for light use, for medium to heavy use i look elsewhere. :)
 
Strength-wise, it's not clear to me that liner locks or lockbacks have some inherent advantage over one another. Both formats can be made strong, or weak. Until a couple of years ago, most low-end knives (with badly-done locks) were lockbacks, so people buying cheaper knives might have gotten a bad impression of lockbacks that way. But Spyderco's lockbacks are excellent, plenty strong for their intended use, and very very reliable.

Although I think both lock formats can be made strong, I do think lockbacks have a huge advantage over liner locks when it comes to reliability. Liner locks are difficult to consistently manufacture reliably, so I'm one of many people who won't buy liner locks for anything but light-use knives anymore. Note there are plenty of people who disagree with this, and who feel liner locks are perfectly fine for hard use.

In any case, the reason people don't slam Spyderco for their lockbacks is because there's nothing to slam: those locks are very sound.

Joe
 
I think lockbacks are a little stronger. More importantly I think they are more reliable. We get a noticeable number of returns from people who bought liner locks and think the lock goes too far or not far enough over the tang when it is locked. Also some liner locks wear reasonably quickly and cause problem #1 above. We don't seem to have the problem with lockbacks. Incidentally, Spyderco makes liner locks as well - and frame locks too. They are famous for the lockbacks and the Spyderco lockbacks have proven to be quite reliable. Take care.
 
My experience also has been that Spyderco lockbacks are extremely well made. Probably in general stronger than a similarly-priced liner lock.

I do feel that a well-executed liner lock can be as safe, but you really have to check out the specific knife to make sure it holds under the stresses that you are likely to expose it to.
 
Ok. I see
The only problem that I have now with spyderco is that they usually have too big of a hump for me to reach the keys and change in the pocket... any suggestion?
 
I have the Multitool, a small mini maglite and CRKT KFF on the other pocket, and I don't want to put anything on the back pockets. I suffer more sore backs when i have something that puts my back out of alignment.
 
Clip the Spyder inside your waistband, exactly at 3:00 or 9:00. You won't sit on it, it won't poke you when you sit, it will be (more or less) accessible even when sitting.
 
I'm with Joe 100% on this one. Linerlock for light duty only,
slipjoints for pocket carry and name brand Lockbacks for
heavy duty work. Of all the linerlocks I have (VERY few)
the O.E. Magna is the only one I really trust at all.

For lockbacks I've had only one fail on me and it was a
cheap spanish import of a very bad design. I'll never do
that again!!
 
To : ALL

Most of my knives are Spydies! Sal Glesser & Co. REALLY have something
here! If you want a good compromise from the folks at Spyderco, try their Centofante C 66 "Vesuvius" with it's "compression lock". I was one of the first in line for one of those!

All Hail Spyderco!
Switchblades BAD, Spydies GOOD!

A.E.T.
 
I chided Sal on the Spyderco Forum about updating the design of the Civilian. He answered, and one of the points he made was that their testing showed their lockback design to be inherently stronger than a liner lock. I guess that's why the Chinook and the Civilian both come with a lockback.

Remember, the strength of the lock is a function of both the materials and the design. And if you really want a strong lock, go for the Camillus frame lock as designed by Darrel Ralph. Their EDC is bullet proof, while the CUDA Maxx will probably take a hit from a rocket-propelled grenade. :D
 
How does the compression lock work? I've read up on it but never figured it out.
The guy who wrote the small article on the centrofante gives me this rather vague description.....
 
To : calyth

The "compression lock" functions not unlike a liner lock but is more
sturdier. I don't engage in technical paroachialism myself. Just facts.

A.E.T.
 
The Compression lock is not unlike a liner-lock on the back of the handle, it feels much more secure than a liner-lock. I like the Compression lock. :)
 
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