Strongest lock

M

Marc Engels

Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
5
Hi guys, new here. I currently own a Grik, Finn wolf and a Code 4. Love these knives. In the past also had a mini Reacon one, Lawman and a Ad10. Also great knives. My question is we all see those super videos about weight and hanging tests which I love by the way. Has anyone knowledge about the Rick Hinderer Xm18? Any idea how strong his framelock is and how much weight that could take? Thanks for any answer guys. I am just curious about this.
 
Greetings! If you check out Cold Steel’s YouTube channel, you’ll see them compare their knives in head-to-head torture tests with other knife brands.

Not 100% sure if a Hinderer was featured, but there’s a video where a ZT 0301 was pitted against the CS AK-47. All in all, the framelock ZT didn’t do too bad. It’s definitely strong enough for reasonable everyday cutting tasks provided your knife doesn’t have QC issues. If the Hinderer has a similar quality of framelock, then I suppose it will do just fine. Happy hunting, bud.
 
Welcome, Marc.

I doubt anybody can make a statement about all XM-18 locks. Depending on the generation, and how the knife was configured (e.g., for use with thumbstuds vs. flipping), and given that people dis-, adjust and re-assemble Hinderers all the time, lock strength will cover a large spectrum ... The late Gen4 flippers probably have the strongest lock, IMO (Ti on Ti & strong detent).

Roland.
 
I don't think there is any objective testing data of framelocks.

I wouldn't call Cold Steel's tests objective. Illustrative, yes. But.... they're here to sell a product, ya know?

The engineering is difficult, though. If you're talking about some kind of laboratory cutting rig, then you can exert force straight down on the blade. But your hands are never going to be pushing the blade straight through a cut, so now some of the force is lateral. In addition, there is the difference between strain load and shock load.

The lock engages at an angle, so force isn't transferred straight through the lock face, and all of this means that you can thump on a knife, or hang weights from it until it fails in some way, but it will be extremely difficult (read: expensive) to get information that you can use to compare.
 
Shorttime said:
I don't think there is any objective testing data of framelocks.

I wouldn't call Cold Steel's tests objective. Illustrative, yes. But.... they're here to sell a product, ya know?
Click to expand...

I agree. "Lock Strength" is primarily advertising.

In my mind there is a difference between "reliability" and "strength".

I really don't care how much weight I can apply to the back side of a blade and have the knife remain in the open position. In any normal usage, it isn't an issue. (I don't consider stabbing trees or hanging weights on a blade to be "normal usage". )

I do very much care that the lock does not accidentally disengage while I am using the knife. This is not the same as mechanically overpowering the lock.

Any well made liner lock or frame lock or lock back or etc. will all meet the requirement of not accidentally closing. And any are strong enough to survive normal usage.
 
So a lock can support two or three times that you weigh of steady pressure applied to the spine before it fails.
Big deal.
How does that apply to "real world" usage?
I don't know about you, but I don't cut things with the spine of my knife.
Seriously; Under what possible real world scenario would how much steady weight a blade lock can support be even remotely relevant?

If you're worried about a folding blade lock failing, use a fixed blade instead.
 
My first post here was in a similar fashion to this. I think I used the word "prybar", and I don't want to talk about it.

If Bladeforums is your first experience with internet knife culture, it can be equal parts informative, and bruising. Finding real and reliable numbers about engineering aspects is surprisingly difficult to find, even in possibly the largest repository of such on the internet.
 
Few months ago I saw some nice lock's testings.
Very entertaining and disturbing too.
Strongest lock design is back lock.
Followed by frame lock.
Sad was that all linerlocks failed completely, bent as butter ...
Only back locks (a few) survived - but knives didn't !
Locks stay locked, blades broke !!
Anyway it's good recommendation for good quality back lock knives.
Or as some said before - use fixed one :^D

Traditionally sorry for my Purrfect Englishe ...
 
As long as you are cutting with the edge, the lock doesn’t matter and you can just as easily use a slip joint. If for some odd reason you feel the need to apply pressure to the back of the blade, either use a fixed blade, or accept that you may sacrifice a few digits.

Marketing hype over locks or blade steel is far from real life. Rely on that at your own risk.

n2s
 
The strength of the lock doesn't really matter, you're unlikely to break it with brute force as all the tests I've seen has an average of a couple of hundred lb before they fail. Even a spydy tenacious liner lock coped with the max of 380lb of force in BladeHQ's tests.

The only one I've seen that is questionable was a ZT that closed while a guy was spine whacking it against a roll of tape.
 
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