Thoughts and Opinions on The Tribal Lock?

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buffalo01

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Oct 13, 2016
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Just wandering if any of you guys have had some experience with these.
I saw the Bose Tribal Spear and fell in love with it, but Im not paying that much for one, so the next closest thing is the tribal lock. Just wandering if any of you that have one can tell me how they have held up. I wish they would have just made it a slip joint with nice half stops because Im picky with my lockbacks. I cant STAND a locking knife to have blade play and it seems like its very common among lock backs.
I kind of had my eye on these for a while but now I noticed that they have a couple models in CV and now I am really interested in buying one. The blade shape seems perfect although it looks like as usual case rounds the tips off of them.
So let me know what you guys think and if you don't mind post a couple size comparisons, maybe with a sodbuster, trapper, peanut, tl 29 texas jack, spyderco delica, griptilian etc because Im familiar with those and would proved a good comparison. I can't find much info on these besides a thread from last year that didn't help me much.
Thanks guys!
 
I can't say that I have really put my Tribal Lock through a lot of hardship, but I really like it. The lockup is great. No play. The knife is really really good looking. It is a substantial knife. I don't think I have a picture of it next to a soddy, but I do have some other photos of it next to knives. The second picture is with (top to bottom) a Gerber Air Ti, an Imperial Peanut, a Case Half Whittler, and the Tribla Lock.

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I've accumulated a number of these now, from the earliest runs up to the most recent, and I have become a big fan. The lockup on each of mine is superb, very little if any play. My most recent one, the black canvas pictured below, is close to flawless, with the typical Case less than pointy tip being my only complaint. The factory is really starting to dial these in. There is no half stop, but there is a noticeable pause of some sort when you go to close one handed, which I very much appreciate. Have yet to be gator snapped on the knuckle by one of these, which tends to happen with me and lockbacks. My only criticism of the pattern itself, in general, is it feels a hair under-bladed. There was room in the handle to inch the pivot point up another couple mm, which could have improved this. Maybe even better, the grind could have been continued a couple more mm into the kick/tang area: more blade less billboard. Maybe both. Anyway, my 2 cents. I too have my eyes on the CV ones they are starting to put out.
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I would recommend a Tribal Lock based on the one I have. It has no blade play and the lock seems solid enough, short of (ahem) batoning the blade. It doesn't have a half stop, but it has kind of a soft "quarter" stop that I'm not sure if it is intentional. For me, the knife is a user, so I don't really notice it. I would have preferred a thinner grind, but it's not really enough to bother me.
 
I think the knife looks great. I can't buy a Case now unless I see it in hand. The last one I bought on line was a Pocket-Worn Congress. Beautiful jigged red bone but it reminded me of those scissors we had in elementary school...you know, the ones you could run with safely. I swear that the last station on the production floor is a killjoy whose job it is to blunt every blade coming down the line.
 
bill2000 said:
I think the knife looks great. I can't buy a Case now unless I see it in hand. The last one I bought on line was a Pocket-Worn Congress. Beautiful jigged red bone but it reminded me of those scissors we had in elementary school...you know, the ones you could run with safely. I swear that the last station on the production floor is a killjoy whose job it is to blunt every blade coming down the line.
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Ha, it does seem that way sometimes
 
Here you go buffalo01. From bottom, Copperlock, 2 Tribal Locks and Delica.
Like the Copperlock the Tribals have a solid lock up. Unlike GEC, Case has this down on these lockbacks.
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bill2000 said:
I think the knife looks great. I can't buy a Case now unless I see it in hand. The last one I bought on line was a Pocket-Worn Congress. Beautiful jigged red bone but it reminded me of those scissors we had in elementary school...you know, the ones you could run with safely. I swear that the last station on the production floor is a killjoy whose job it is to blunt every blade coming down the line.
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It is from tumble polishing. Since I always sharpen new knives from any maker of traditional knives, it's never a problem for me. Don't know how some guys use knives with the factory edges from Case, Queen, GEC, or any of the other traditional knife makers.

The "as ground" knives from Case will have pointy blades since they aren't tumble polished. Don't know if any of the Tribal Locks have "as ground" blades.
 
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Yeah figured it was from tumbling. Surely others tumble too. They sharpen (sort of) after tumbling anyhow. Couldn't they bring the point back? Good gravy.
 
bill2000 said:
Yeah figured it was from tumbling. Surely others tumble too. They sharpen (sort of) after tumbling anyhow. Couldn't they bring the point back? Good gravy.
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Given a choice, I prefer Case's "as ground" over polished. I also prefer GEC's Tidioute finish over the more heavily polished Northfields. Although GECs aren't tumbled, buffing rounds off swedges on the Northfields. But shiny seems to be popular.

As far as sharpening... I'd prefer that Case, GEC, Queen, Buck, etc. do as little as possible to the edge since I'm going to end up fixing whatever they did anyway. ;) Case and Buck use a belt grinder and hand sharpen. GEC uses a stone wheel and hand sharpen. Not sure about Queen except that it's done by hand. Victorinox uses a completely automated system.

Back on topic, that black micarta Tribal Lock is going on my wish list.
 
Thank you everyone for the replies! Your size comparisons and opinions are greatly appreciated. It is about the size I like for a primary carry traditional. Im really glad to hear these are solid blades, a lot of case knives feel kind of "dainty" to me some times instead of a real tool. I really hope I can find one to look at in person, I think I will really like it. I would still love to see a version of this in the $100 price range in a slipjoint, with nice half stops, and some 154cm, kind of like they did with the trappers. But if these are finished as good as the sway back jacks I will be very happy. My SBJ is the most perfect knife I own traditional or modern. I have not been able to find a flaw on it in all the years I have owned it.
supratentorial supratentorial I agree with you on this for sure! The polished blades scratch way too easy, a big reason I buy only CV knivse because the patina covers it up.
 
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Luke73 said:
View attachment 867319 Solid lockup and no blade play whatsoever. Love the Tribal Locks. Size comparison beside a mini griptilian and sodbuster.
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Thats for sure the size I like! I wish they would make a sodbuster with that same blade shape... :rolleyes: Ill probably actually be deciding between a tribal lock or a chestnut bone cv sodbuster, which I also found I really liked, especially for the price!
 
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I've been eyeing these as well, but haven't seen any in person. Nice knives! Going to give in and get one now once I decide which flavor I want. I watched a video where they interviewed Tony Bose about the Tribal Lock and he said he designed it to be an easy carry type of knife but stout enough that you could easily field dress a deer with it, so it should be plenty stout.
 
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Well, I had ALWAYS liked the looks of the Case Bose Tribal spear but held off due to price, when the Tribal Lock came out I wanted to get one for a long time but other things, life, made me put off getting one, only recently have I had that urge and caved the other day and ordered one of them. It arrived today :) very nice, blade shape is of course to my liking, handle is comfortable as well and lockup is solid, a bit strong to unlock right now but I put that down to being new and once broke in should operate better. The lock bar end is ever so much proud of the following spring but it is not a problem and is not sharp edged, so no issue.

I'd recommend folks pick one up when they can, this is the stainless version, as I'm not a big carbon fan for folding knives myself, and the steel seems to take a nice edge, it arrived with a toothy edge but I did touch it up just a smidgen to make it cut better.

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2
 
This is a great thread. I've been thinking about trying this pattern, too. I really prefer bareheads on 99% of all traditional slipjoints I buy, so I've been holding off a bit. They make a navy jigged bone version in a barehead, but that's the only one to date, that i know of. I'd love a barehead version in the amber bone pictured by Gary W. Graley Gary W. Graley above. I a guy can dream. After reading this thread, I think I may break-down and order one....now....I just have to decide whether I give up on the barehead or the color. Ah, first-world problems.
 
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