I was looking at my Vic Outrider last night--particularly the workings of the lock (at least one vendor calls it the "side lock" to distinguish it from Vic's liner lock, but I don't know if that's an "official" term). It actually looks pretty good to me--when the blade is open a metal cross bar engages a hook that hangs down from the spring that in turn engages the top of the blade tang. When the bar is engaged with the hook, the spring is locked against the top of the blade tang. It does not look like the blade tang can lift the spring without breaking or bending the bar, hook, or spring. I tried whacking the blade a few times with the handle of a old (small) screwdriver (being careful to keep my fingers out of the way) and it "passed". I have also read that side lock Vics have passed spine whack tests administered by other members. I think this lock design has potential--particularly if scaled up with beefier components.
Has anyone else subjected their Vic side locks to the spine whack or other tests? I'd be particularly interested in the results of even more torturous tests. For example, I would be interested in seeing how much force the lock would take before breaking with the blade fixed in a vice or the like. I suspect the force required would be beyond that typically applied to SAKs in use
Maybe I'll have to buy an Alpineer so I can test it and post results.
The main drawbacks of this design seem to be (1) the possibility of dirt preventing the crossbar from fully engaging the spring and (2) the possibility of accidentally disengaging the lock while cutting.
Has anyone else subjected their Vic side locks to the spine whack or other tests? I'd be particularly interested in the results of even more torturous tests. For example, I would be interested in seeing how much force the lock would take before breaking with the blade fixed in a vice or the like. I suspect the force required would be beyond that typically applied to SAKs in use
Maybe I'll have to buy an Alpineer so I can test it and post results.The main drawbacks of this design seem to be (1) the possibility of dirt preventing the crossbar from fully engaging the spring and (2) the possibility of accidentally disengaging the lock while cutting.