titanium frame locks, what's the big deal?

Twistmaster, great knife but you forgot another adjective , no longer made.
 
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GronK said:
I'm just enough of a contrarian to think a pink Mili would be a must have.
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NetshadeX said:
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(Rehandled and Finished Okapi Ratchet Knife)
That is what I thought of my old Okapi. I like it much better now. :cool: :thumbup: The ring was too messed up to save. I took off the messed up looking duck and replaced it with some pink 550.
 
There are many very cool, durable, ti frame lock designs in a variety of sizes and shapes, from many different manufacturers. It is just another choice in the seemingly infinite buffet of knife designs. Obviously, I happen to like them a lot.

 
My second "real" knife was a Techno, and somthing about the 'click' when it opens, and simplicity of the knife itself has me sold on the framelock. It may not be super strong, but I have fixed blades. I have no doubt whatsoever that any of my knives will stand whatever I put them to. I've never had one disengage without me wanting it to, and dude, it's titanium. It's just cool.

Also, I love the clean/simple/understate look they have. To each their own.
 
Anyone who knocks a frame lock for being sticky or weak or having wear issues, has never owned a sebenza. Ive carried a plain jane large 21 since 2012 every single day at work and i have had Zero issues, none. No lock wear, no lock stick, no blade play or movement at all in any direction. It is perfection in a knife for me. And in my line of work, my knife is used many times per day to cut anything from drywall to plastic straps to rope. Not easy stuff on a knife. And for 3 years of carry it still looks pretty good, and functions even more smoothly than the day i got it.
 
Not a great or even all inclusive pic but it to pretty much some up my taste in locks.

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I actually prefer smooth ti to g10. I like just being able to wipe stuff off also..
 
I've tried them all and I just prefer a frame lock, the Ti is strong and lightweight, perfect for a folder imo.

Also the simplicity of the lock makes so it will work in adverse conditions. I love my benchmade mini-grip but it just won't function if the lock mechanism gets dirt and gunk in it, great design but not a ķnife I trust if I'm going anywhere but the office.
 
Neomentat said:
I dont understand the popularity and high prices of titanium frame lock folders. Its not the strongest lock, have the potential to develop more problems, premium priced, slippery, accidentally disengage some times. Why are they so popular these days? And makers charge ludicrous prices for these when titanium is not very expensive. Has these become a knife snob status symbol? Is that the true reason for their popularity?
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To reply to the OP, I do understand the popularity. But everybody has his or her own reasons to like the Reeve Integral Lock. I like titanium frame-locks because they are so simple to clean and is the least likely to get "gunked up" with food or something. I use my folder for food a lot. Further it looks cool and doesn't corrode. Another reason why I stick to liner- and frame-locks is because I prefer the motion/motoric over any other locking mechanism. The motoric (if that is correct English--or should I say motorics?) is the sole reason why I sold my Wilson Tactical Hogue EX-01 Star-Light and why I have never tried a Para-Military2 despite the Military is my favorite GOAT production folder which I am EDC'ing for more than eight years now.

But I am not someone who thinks a frame-lock is stronger than a liner-lock. I think it isn't. A lock is as strong as its weakest part. And the cut-out of the lock-side of a titanium frame-lock is often as thin as an average liner-lock. I know frame-locks can fail.
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Source photo: http://strsbackyardknifeworks.blogspot.nl/2012_06_01_archive.html
 
cuchulain77 said:
I've tried them all and I just prefer a frame lock, the Ti is strong and lightweight, perfect for a folder imo.

Also the simplicity of the lock makes so it will work in adverse conditions. I love my benchmade mini-grip but it just won't function if the lock mechanism gets dirt and gunk in it, great design but not a ķnife I trust if I'm going anywhere but the office.
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I don't understand this logic - if a small amount of dirt, grime or sand gets onto the lockface of a frame or liner lock then you'll have lock slippage issues. You'd have to completely drown an Axis lock in viscous dirt for it to not function.

It's not a simple lock at all. The precise geometry of the blade tang and lock face matter so much that even tiny variations in the same batch of knives can make certain knives safer to use than others, and make certain knives prone to lock problems.
 
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I love Ti framelocks; the caveat being that I'm cautious seeing every average Joe on Instagram go from an unknown to superstar "knife-maker" selling overpriced lumps of Ti & metal in a very short period of time... Too many risky purchases out there IMHO versus sticking with an established maker/brand especially for folding knives. YMMV.


Probably my favourite Ti framelock that I've owned; the ZT 0300. Still rock solid after two years of steady use. :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::cool:

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Most recent pic of her all cleaned up, blade oiled, choil added and detente added/drilled with a diamond burr. I have to say I'm impressed at how much abuse G10, Titanium and the DLC coating can take without showing to much appreciable wear. Great materials IMHO. :thumbup:

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I've got no problem with frame locks, but I can't stand titanium frame locks without a lock bar insert. Even the Senbenza I owned had a very sticky lock. I've tried every trick in the book to fix them (including sending them in for warranty) but the titanium frame locks still feels absolutely terrible when being disengaged.

They're not for me. Give me a stainless steel frame lock any day.
 
asdf12345 said:
I don't understand this logic - if a small amount of dirt, grime or sand gets onto the lockface of a frame or liner lock then you'll have lock slippage issues. You'd have to completely drown an Axis lock in viscous dirt for it to not function.

It's not a simple lock at all. The precise geometry of the blade tang and lock face matter so much that even tiny variations in the same batch of knives can make certain knives safer to use than others, and make certain knives prone to lock problems.
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I took a standard Millie liner lock to the beach and had issue with sand in the lock. All from 20 minutes of lying on a dune. No hard use, no extreme environment. Just a few grains of sand that got into my pocket while at the beach for the day. I can't see how a frame lock WOULDN'T have the same issue. I wouldn't know though. I've never bought one because they're overpriced and ugly.:D
 
collim1 said:
Man jewelry. No different than a Rolex watch, it's what's in fashion right now.
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It's only man jewelry if somebody's carrying a knife they're afraid to use IMHO... :foot:;):thumbup::D

That's the difference between an accessory and a tool. :thumbup::cool:
 
Shotgun said:
I took a standard Millie liner lock to the beach and had issue with sand in the lock. All from 20 minutes of lying on a dune. No hard use, no extreme environment. Just a few grains of sand that got into my pocket while at the beach for the day. I can't see how a frame lock WOULDN'T have the same issue. I wouldn't know though. I've never bought one because they're overpriced and ugly.:D
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A liner lock is more likely to be hung up by sand due to the possibility of sand wedging between the liner and the scale. I've seen it happen.
 
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