Using rare earth magnets in a liner lock?

[Matt Shade]

From what I've heard, one of the big challenges to making a liner lock is having something to hold the blade closed.I was wondering what would happen if you were to embed a rare earth magnet into the inside of one of the handle scales. I thought if you put it towards the butt end of the handle that it would attract the blade while it was completely closed, but release as soon as you started to flick it open. That way the knife would stay closed tightly but flick open very easily.Just an idea.

 

[Pete Peterson]

The experience I have had with the rare earth mags is that they tend to pick up
any metalic dust at an alarming rate. This would make the knife hard to keep clean.
IMHO the detent ball seems to be a good way to keep the blade closed.

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old pete

 

[Phillip Jones]

I will agree with everything Pete said. Those magnets are so strong they will pick up any little speck of metal and are very hard to clean once they do.

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If a man can keep alert and imaginative, an error is a possibility, a chance at something new; to him, wandering and wondering are a part of the same process. He is most mistaken, most in error, whenever he quits exploring.

William Least Heat Moon

 

[Cougar Allen]

I think a rare earth magnet would hold the blade closed a little more strongly than you really want, too. A conventional magnet might work better.

-Cougar Allen :{)