Tried the new Spyderco Power Lock?

M

maximus83

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Nov 7, 2011
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Has anyone tried the new Spyderco Power Lock system, can you give any review of it?

Background:
  • I love the Spyderco Chinook knives. The blade shape is not super practical, but extremely cool. :cool: I own the Chinook 3.
  • Spyderco is releasing the Chinook 4, which will have this new Power lock system. I can't find many details about it, and interested to get how it works and the advantages it will offer over the existing back lock.
 
It is, essentially, a back lock with a cam between the traditional lock bar and the tang. Now, apart from that, I can't say much. The tang-cam-bar interface geometry is way too complex for me to intuit exactly what is accomplished by adding the cam. But it looks cool and Spyderco says it's stronger (in some way) than a normal lock back.

spyderco_amsterdammeet2014_productionsample_tatanka_open_lock_2.jpg

Knife-Locks-PowerLock.jpg
 
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With normal backlocks, a heavy cut will cause the lockbar to flex slightly. You can feel this in your hand sometimes, and definitely see it if you look close.

I don't think Spyderco's Powerlock will do this due to the pinned cam. I haven't used it myself; I'm looking forward to hearing from those who have.
 
So, using a little google fu, here's a miscellaneous collection of descriptive comments, or user reviews I found about the new Powerlock. Going from the marketing slogans and user reviews, it appears to me that the entire rationale for the Powerlock itself is equal strength to a backlock, while adding smoother opening/closing. Concerning the Chinook 4, what differentiates it from previous versions is the addition of the Powerlock, and a thinner, longer blade profile.

Spyderco's description:
Its defining feature is its high-strength PowerLock™–a deceptively simple yet incredibly strong lock that at first glance looks like an ordinary back lock. Take a closer look, however, and you’ll see a secondary cam component that is the secret to the lock’s strength. When the blade is opened, the tang contacts a sturdy stop pin in the handle to stop its rotation. At the same time, the spring-powered lever in the back of the handle rotates the cam around its pivot, causing a finger at the bottom of the cam to wedge against a concave surface on the top of the tang. This wedging action creates an incredibly secure lock-up, yet allows the lock to be released smoothly and easily.
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User review of the Tatanka:
Probably I should've named this section as "my troubles with PowerLock™". Most of the troubles were obviously of my own making, and part of it was construction specifics of the lock itself. To cut to the chase, once I was done with the initial inspection I've started playing with the knife, and I flicked it, quite fast too. Considering the blade and handle length, both of which are long for a folder knife, generated momentum of the blade would be really high. Nothing broke, however the blade got jammed in open position and I couldn't close it. I've tried real hard pushing on the lock release, then I put on the gloves and went with spine whacks, rather brutal whacks, while pushing down the lock release. No success. One thing that came out of all that, the lock is really string. I don't really do spine whack tests on the folders, but at this time it was different.

After 15 minutes of fruitless spine whacking, I've decided to take the knife apart and release stuck blade. Taking the knife apart was fairly easy. Removed handle slabs fasteners. pivot screw and the whole thing came apart with some wiggling. I did know right away that assembling the knife back would be difficult. There is a very stiff spring pin which is supposed to hold the lock release bar in place. It was very difficult to hold the pin in place under tension and at the same time slice handle liners and slabs in place. I've spent well over an hour assembling the knife back, and that's a longest time I've ever spent on any folder.
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Knife Informer site comments:
Spyderco’s Power Lock is another variant of the lockback, originally intended to increase lock strength on the enormous Tatanka with its 5″ blade. It uses a typical lock bar that’s mounted midway down the handle, which interacts with a counter-rotating cam which engages with the tang of the blade. This two piece arrangement helps to negate flex of what would be a ridiculously long lock bar if it were a single piece – the Tatanka stretches to more than 11.5” when opened.
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Tatanka review on Candlepower forums: (note: there are lots of detailed pictures and description in this review, very useful)
This new lock, the PowerLock, was actually invented by one of five brothers who work at the facility making Spyderco knives in Japan. The design was shown to Sal 5 or 6 years ago, but Spyderco, who already held a patent for a similar lock (the StopLock), were too busy at the time simply keeping up with demand so could not act on it at the time. With the PowerLock being designed in Japan it was decided to have the Tatanka manufactured in the same facility by the designers of the lock.

Taking a moment to just consider the PowerLock itself, though the Tatanka is a completed project, Sal considers there to be a work-in-progress regarding this lock. The Tatanka was the first implementation of the PowerLock, as Sal wanted to challenge the lock and get it noticed by choosing to use it in a large knife, but the intention is that the PowerLock will be used in smaller knives in the future.
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maximus83 said:
... while adding smoother opening/closing.
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This makes a lot of sense to me for two reasons:

1. I suspect that a lot of the lock's additional strength when compared to a traditional lock back comes from the addition of a stop pin rather than the cam.

2. Since (when looking at the cutaways) the cam seems to function as the detent, you should really be able to "tune" the detent action by precisely engineering the shape of the cam. The Hawks have done a cammed detent (I believe) in their new Orbit flipper.

Obviously, as I said before, I don't actually know anything. :D
 
I have no experience with it either, but I do like that it seems to both make for a smoother-operating lockback and also enhances the lifespan of the lock by eliminating the square-notch-lock-interface aspect of lockbacks. It honestly reminds me of ball bearing locks - which, much in line with the user review Maximus83 posted, have also had some jamming issues in certain knives. That was a pretty serious lock jam that the guy experienced, though.

It might take a few generations before they get it dead-nuts perfect.

I think the problem with debuting a new feature on a megafolder is that the market for that knife is too small to get useful volumes of feedback. We'll see how the Chinooks pan out, though.
 
The cam is not the only difference from a standard lockback. This lock also uses a stop pin.

A standard lock back works by using the "hammer" on the lock bar to stop the knife from both closing when locked and opening too far. This is why so many of them have a little wiggle. The tolerances have to be very tight between the hammer and the cutout to prevent play.

The triad lock for example adds a stop pin so that this can be avoided. The pin stops it in one direction and the lock bar hammer stops it in the other. This creates a tighter lockup. The Spyderco Chaparral uses an internal stop pin to accomplish something similar.

This power lock also uses a stop pin to control how far the blade opens. On the power lock instead of the hammer dropping into a cutout like other lockbacks this one has a cam that is pinned that engages the tang. The force when trying to close the knife is vertical, perpendicular to the knife. For the power lock to fail it would have to blow that pinned cam out the top of the handle. The force when trying to close a lockback is inline with the knife and it will usually fail by pulling the hammer off the end of the lock bar.

Also, if I am understanding correctly the Powerlock will require less spring pressure to be safe. A standard lockback to some extent needs a bit of spring pressure to hold the hammer down into the cutout and that the more pressure there is the more secure the lock is. It looks like the power lock relies more on geometry so it may not need as much spring pressure.

This is just the ramblings of a geeky guy so take it for what it's worth. :)
 
I, for one, appreciate geeky rambling BFK!!
Sounds like a very interesting locking system that I'd love to check out, but the 2 models it is offered on don't really interest me that much.
Hopefully they use it on some other models.......yes, I am a lock geek.
Joe


bearfacedkiller said:
The cam is not the only difference from a standard lockback. This lock also uses a stop pin.

A standard lock back works by using the "hammer" on the lock bar to stop the knife from both closing when locked and opening too far. This is why so many of them have a little wiggle. The tolerances have to be very tight between the hammer and the cutout to prevent play.

The triad lock for example adds a stop pin so that this can be avoided. The pin stops it in one direction and the lock bar hammer stops it in the other. This creates a tighter lockup. The Spyderco Chaparral uses an internal stop pin to accomplish something similar.

This power lock also uses a stop pin to control how far the blade opens. On the power lock instead of the hammer dropping into a cutout like other lockbacks this one has a cam that is pinned that engages the tang. The force when trying to close the knife is vertical, perpendicular to the knife. For the power lock to fail it would have to blow that pinned cam out the top of the handle. The force when trying to close a lockback is inline with the knife and it will usually fail by pulling the hammer off the end of the lock bar.

Also, if I am understanding correctly the Powerlock will require less spring pressure to be safe. A standard lockback to some extent needs a bit of spring pressure to hold the hammer down into the cutout and that the more pressure there is the more secure the lock is. It looks like the power lock relies more on geometry so it may not need as much spring pressure.

This is just the ramblings of a geeky guy so take it for what it's worth. :)
Click to expand...
 
I like locks. :) There are many things you can nerd out on when it comes to knives. I am a steel geek and a lock geek among other things. The thing is, I don't even care that much about lock strength for my own uses. I could be quite content just using slip joints but the design and engineering of locks fascinates me.

I am also trying to ease into GKD. After a long time hanging out in a couple subforums I just started poking my head in here. This is like the public pool and for now I am mostly just watching and dipping my toe in here and there. ;) There are some knowledgeable folks (and the opposite) around here so I don't want to talk too much and run my mouth like I know what I am talking about. :D
 
I would like to see how this powerlock compares to the stop lock which I know nothing about.

What was the name for the wire "lockback" on the Spyderco Q that functions sort of similar to the Buck Marksman stronglock?
 
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