Spyderco's Lockbacks

A

aqgonzo

Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
19
Hi there, I was about to purchase a Stretch as my first Spyderco until I heard someone say that Spyderco's lockback design is very weak. Has anyone found this to be true and should be worried? Thanks.
 
I've been carrying a Spyderco lockback in one form or another (usually a Delica but I started with an Endura) since 1997 and I've never had one fail on me. I use a folder like a folder should, and don't expect it to be a fixed blade.
I haven't found them to be weak. But that's just my personal experience.
I also have a Stretch and find it to be a nice knife.
 
not on any of mine. either have or have had the Native, Dragonfly, and the Chaparral. only 'complaint' i've got on any of them is that the torsion bar is pretty stiff on the chaparral. so it's a little harder to press that one in than the others (which would actually make it even less likely to fail). but it's still my favorite 'nice' edc by spyderco, so i tolerate it pretty happily.

never had a lockback failure of any kind on any of them. course, i don't beat them against a desk. i use them to cut stuff that needs cutting. if i'm going to beat on a knife, i grab a fixed blade....
 
Spyderco's lockbacks are exemplary. I've used them for years without any issues, across all sorts of models with plenty of heavy use.
 
I'm pretty sure Spyderco has been using lock backs longer than I've been alive. That's more than a quarter century of experience with the lock.
 
I have a couple of Spyderco lockbacks and they have never felt weak to me. They lock up very solid and are some of the most trusted knives I own.
 
I've never had a problem with Spyderco back locks. Even using them in hard-use situations in Afghanistan while I was a fire support team member...
 
I've been carrying Spyderco lock backs since the 90's and never have had one fail. But as others have said, I use them as they are intended to be. I don't do the spine whack, over strikes, and ect bs test. I have found that if you treat your knife right it will treat you right.
 
Same here, I've had a Spyderco lock back of some sort since the mid 90's and never had a single problem. Also at the same time I bought mine 2 friends picked up a lock back Spyderco, one Delica and one Endura. The guy with the Delica is still using it, although he is pretty easy on his knives, with no problems. The other friend was really hard on his Endura, it was his ONLY pocket knife for around 7 to 8 years. He carried it every day all the time and anything he had come up the Endura got the call. He was a volunteer Fireman at the time and a Police reserve officer so he used it pretty hard on the job as well. I know he broke a pretty good amount of the tip off once and then he let someone borrow the knife and when he got it back they had used it to try and fix some wiring on a fire truck and somehow it got a big chunk burnt or I guess melted out of the edge. He was also a hunter and used it for his deer needs as well. He eventually lost it in a house fire. I said all that to say this, he never had one failure or problem either.
 
To be honest, I don't think I have EVER heard of problems with Spyderco's lockbacks. Even online where it just takes one Neanderthal failing a spine whack, to become circulated around by a thousand posters.

Their lockbacks should be more reliable than you will ever need.
 
I can't say that it is weak. I think it is too stiff/tight. I personally hate the lockback though in my brief experience with a G10 Dragonfly2 it was rock solid. If given the choice I would go liner lock or nothing.
 
Honestly, I have never had any type of lockback fail on me. I have'nt had a slipjoint fold on my fingers either. If you need absolute strength in a knife, a folder is not what you need. Get a fixed blade. If you are only using a folder for medium duty cutting, you don't really need a lock at all, and the Spyderco lockback is a good lock to have.
 
All of the lockback folders I've handled from Spyderco had solid lockup. I wonder if the person who told the OP their lockbacks aren't very good was referring to the FRN models, as they tend to have a bit more "flex," vertical and side-to-side play compared to non-FRN Spydies.

The FRN models still have great lockup, but the flex and play might make someone think they were handling a weak lock, which is not at all the case.
 
I have had one spyderco lockback fail in the dozen years or so I have used them commercial fishing and it was because of the way i was holding the knife. It actually was a byrd rescue...I've never had a spyderco lockback fail even the unlinered FRN models
 
Never had a problem with Spyderco lockbacks. My son carried an Endura 1 for 12 years as a Boatswains Mate in the USN with out any problems.
 
Spyderco lock backs are probably as good as it gets I own and have owned many different models of spyderco lockbacks without a single issue. I think you will be safe and very satisfied with one!
 
Hi Aqgonzo,

Welcome to the Spyderco forum.

We have standards for each knife and we break them regularly to make sure they meet our specs. How strong do you want the lock to be?

sal
 
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