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Spyderco compression lock and ball-bearing lock?
- Thread starter MrZ
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2001
- Messages
- 423
The Ball Bearing lock is very similar to Benchmade's Axis lock. Like the Axis lock it has a piece of metal (in this case a ball) that runs between a slot on each side of the knife, when open the ball is lodged between the scales and the tang of the knife. This is a very strong lock.
Plus point - the spring is much simpler than those used on the Axis lock, and so the spring is less likely to fail.
Negative point - being a ball bearing it can be hard to get a grip on it if your hands are cold and/or wet.
On balance I prefer the Axis lock, which is a pity as the ball bearing lock is currently attached to two great knives.
The compression lock is definately one of my favourites.
Some have described it as an upside down liner lock, and whilst it might look like such, this is totally wrong. In fact it is better to compair it to either the Axis lock or the Ball Bearing lock, as it works on the same principle, i.e. jambing a lump of metal between the tang of the blade and the stop pin through the scale.
This is a very strong lock (rated as one of the strongest in the Spyderco line-up), is fully ambidextrous, and is very slick to open.
Personally I'd like to see it in a lot more knives.
Plus point - the spring is much simpler than those used on the Axis lock, and so the spring is less likely to fail.
Negative point - being a ball bearing it can be hard to get a grip on it if your hands are cold and/or wet.
On balance I prefer the Axis lock, which is a pity as the ball bearing lock is currently attached to two great knives.
The compression lock is definately one of my favourites.
Some have described it as an upside down liner lock, and whilst it might look like such, this is totally wrong. In fact it is better to compair it to either the Axis lock or the Ball Bearing lock, as it works on the same principle, i.e. jambing a lump of metal between the tang of the blade and the stop pin through the scale.
This is a very strong lock (rated as one of the strongest in the Spyderco line-up), is fully ambidextrous, and is very slick to open.
Personally I'd like to see it in a lot more knives.
- Joined
- Jun 9, 1999
- Messages
- 4,729
I haven't seen the ball lock yet, but the compression lock on the ATR rocks. They're very high precision though, so if you get a bad one it can be a little loose. I always prefer to see one before I buy if possible.
u812
Gold Member
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2002
- Messages
- 13,438
I like the axis lock,but I am one of the few that does not like the compression lock.It is what is called backwards on the Gunting but it seems to be right to me.On all others if seems to be desinged for left handed people.You have to use your index finger to disengage it instead of your thumb.I handled the Para Military and the compression lock seemed to work well on it,had no problen disengageing it.On all the other except the Gunting it seemed to stick and was very hard to release.On my Vesuvius it is all most painfull to release the lock.Maybe if it is improved on future models I will come to like it more.
The ball lock on the Dodo is hard for me to work.I have very large fingers and short finger nails.Others I saw handleing it did not have as much trouble with it as I did.Joyce,with her finger nails could opperate the lock very easally.
The ball lock on the Dodo is hard for me to work.I have very large fingers and short finger nails.Others I saw handleing it did not have as much trouble with it as I did.Joyce,with her finger nails could opperate the lock very easally.
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2001
- Messages
- 423
U812 - Not sure why you needed the index finger in order to disengage compression locks on models other than the Gunting. It's one of the reasons I call it truly ambidextrous, because I close them all in the same manner with the thumb, right or left handed.
I know Bram Frank said there was a difference, that's why he designed the Gunting with the lock on that side, but I personally can't tell the difference, both sorts get closed easily with the thumb ehilst not having to change the grip at all.
On the Vesuvious the compression lock was the only thing that let the whole knife down. And even then it wasn't really the lock, it was just a too small thumb recess in order to get access to the lock. The Vesuvious II is out soon and is going to be a lock back.
I know Bram Frank said there was a difference, that's why he designed the Gunting with the lock on that side, but I personally can't tell the difference, both sorts get closed easily with the thumb ehilst not having to change the grip at all.
On the Vesuvious the compression lock was the only thing that let the whole knife down. And even then it wasn't really the lock, it was just a too small thumb recess in order to get access to the lock. The Vesuvious II is out soon and is going to be a lock back.
u812
Gold Member
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2002
- Messages
- 13,438
It may be because of the size of my thumb.It seems that the lock sticks and I can't get it to release unless I take the tip of my index finger and press in on the lock with quite a bit of force,if I do that with my thumb the lock pinches it.I guess because of putting alot of presure on the lock and in doing so the skin on the thumb gets between the liner and scale pinching it..It was like this on the Vesuvius and the Salsa.