Strong folder

An Axis, Compression, or Spyderco heavy duty or better rated lockback will probably be the last part of the knife to fail. The Spyderco Chinook and Manix have MBC rated lockbacks, and generally either the blade will break or the pivot pin will shear before the lock gives.
 
The Chinook, the 110 or a Greco Folder? All are are great calls, I routinely rotate one these for carry. Also, both the Chinook and the Buck 110 (even from the Shoppe) can be gotten for under the $150.

For a liner lock I do like on my Microtech Kestrel.
 
neocon said:
I broke the liner lock on a CRKT M16 Special Forces :grumpy:
At the time I din't know a twisting action was hard on folders but I found out. Now I want a folder that has a very strong lock. I bet some of you have on opinion on what the strongest folder. :D
I will be using this knife for general utility, and self defense if it comes to that.
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strongest folder + strongest lock = Doug Ritter RSK Mk1

You will get a powerful wide chord drop point S30V blade, Benchmade AXIS lock, Griptilian handle and a lifetime warranty all for only 105 bucks (or 100 for the mini version).

Can't beat that!
 
One of the strongest folders I have is a Bob Dozier Workhorse. Uses Bob's tab-lock system and acheives lockup using a .080" liner. Works perfect!
 
If you want tuff without spending an arm and a leg , Spyderco Manix , or Benchmade 520 . Pref for the 520 , it's ugly as sin but locks tighjt into your grip .
 
if i were you i would go with the spyderco they are pretty tough. a lockback, if you are looking for a strong lock.
 
I've read about the issues with the strength of the locks on the various knives. My 705 and 735 Axis locks are smooth as butter and I know they are secure. BUT, will I or someone that is using a knife WITHIN it's stated and advertised perameters have the issue of the liner lock failure? I've been trying to do some research and I'm not having a lot of luck.

When we talk about torque, how much torque are we REALLY talking about and will I ever reach that load w/o a tool?

I'm just curious is all. I have a Strider/Buck 881SP and I can tell this thing is stout. Meaning I don't see myself placing a torque on this thing that it will fail.
 
TNRonin said:
I've read about the issues with the strength of the locks on the various knives. My 705 and 735 Axis locks are smooth as butter and I know they are secure. BUT, will I or someone that is using a knife WITHIN it's stated and advertised perameters have the issue of the liner lock failure? I've been trying to do some research and I'm not having a lot of luck.

When we talk about torque, how much torque are we REALLY talking about and will I ever reach that load w/o a tool?
.
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TN, the biggest problem for liner locks in a torquing situation is not that there will be some kind of structural failure, caused by the lock leaf giving out or something. My biggest worry is that liner locks are notoriously susceptible to unintended disengagement under torquing stress.

Were I looking for a reliable lock that I knew would be subjected often to hard torques, I'd pick something like an axis lock or lockback before I'd pick even a frame lock, much less a liner lock.

Joe
 
You shold probably know that one of the common fixes for a liner lock that engages too much or not enough is to loosen the screws and apply a little torque to the frame until the lock engages at or near the desired point then tighten the screws again. Doing this sometimes changes the alignment of the lock bar to the tang enough to correct a lockup problem.

If you think of that in terms of a torque situation you could see how a lock could disengage.

Press fitted parts are one way to minimize this issue and a full backspacer as opposed to stand-offs is another.

The amount of torque needed to cause failure is going to vary depending on the build of the knife. Obviously thicker liners mean something but lock bar engagement is every bit as important. Some lock bars are just not set to the right angle and very little pressure is needed to have them slip.

I had a liner lock close on me once when I was sitting at my desk, pulled out my knife and opened it below the work surface. As I was bringing it up to make the cut I tapped the spine on the bottom of the desk and whack - it closed on me. This was a $500 custom knife.
 
TN, the biggest problem for liner locks in a torquing situation is not that there will be some kind of structural failure, caused by the lock leaf giving out or something. My biggest worry is that liner locks are notoriously susceptible to unintended disengagement under torquing stress.
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I've had this happen with my CQC-7, I was quite dissappointed in such a nice knife. I've noticed that the Strider/Buck doesn't have such a large leaf that I would hit with a gorrilla grip.
 
TN, the thing is, the cause of accidental disengagement isn't just that the flesh of your palm accidently disengages the lock. The lockup is dependent on the liner and blade tang meeting at the right geometry. At the wrong geometry, it's easy for the liner to get lateral forces on it that overcome the friction with the blade tang ... and when that happens, the liner just slides right off. What happens when you torque the knife? Well, the frame flexes to some extent or other, and that slightly changes the liner/tang geometry, and that sometimes leads to bad things. Hence my suggestion that you avoid linerlocks completely, no matter how strong the knife's lock is when static, if torquing is something you'll be doing a lot.

For framelocks, if you're torquing clockwise, the palm of your hand actually reinforces the lockup. Counterclockwise, there are occasionally reports of disengagement (if you think about it, now your palm could be working against the lock). Not so many reports that I'm terribly worried, I carry my framelocks with confidence. But again, if I knew in advance that I'd be torquing the knife a ton? Axis lock, lockback. Compression lock probably solves the linerlock's problems, and is sound here too.

Joe
 
Spyderco Lil'T or Manix,
or any of the heavier Benchmades (like the AFCK). If you torque a lot, I would make sure it is a lockback, axis or compression lock.
 
You know I'd really like to see more heavy/severe use reports on the compression lock. I have great faith in spyderco's engineers but the "apparent" similarity to the linerlock isn't really confidence inspiring. I know that under normal closing forces it's far more secure than a liner, but that aside, how would it respond to things that would make a linerlock fail?? torquing, loose pivot/handle screws/rapid change in direction of the blade (cutting into something hard/sticky, like thick cardboard, then removing it fast) etc.
 
Spyderco makes tough and versatile folders:
Big knives: Chinook, Manix
Medium knives: Lil'Temperance, ATR, Gunting (this one is specialized for MBC -see cssdsc.com)
Or you could try an Extrema Ratio folder. They are strong, but much too heavy and bulky for my taste.
 
the Manix is about as strong as they come (i own on of these)...........but for real lateral strength ............i still prefer a fixed blade

a Bark River mini canadian (2.5" blade) or other small fixed blade, has greater lateral strength than any folder on the market

the Bark mini fits easily in a jeans pocket......heck, i carry a Gene Ingram 3" in my pocket with no trouble....talk about strength!!
 
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