Weak liner lock..???

L

LJTanzer

Joined
Aug 4, 2013
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Was thinking about getting a 3"STEEL WILL CUTJACK M390. Then I read a review on YouTube about the liner lock being too thin. Any truth to the matter..? Thanks.
 
If I don't know about the specific model you are looking at, however I had the same concerns with the Buck Sprint. When I spoke to them they said that the thin liner lock was hardened and just as strong as normal sized liner locks. For Buck, they said it helped them to reduce weight, it's a light knife.

That said, the Sprint is a keeper, and I have not noticed the thinner lock being a detriment at all.
 
YouTubers aren't experts on knifemaking and design, they're just people with opinions who get more money the longer they talk. That means they'll go on and on about things that don't really matter, just because longer videos equals more views. Take everything they say with a grain of salt.

The Cutjack has been on the market for about 5 years, and it has been a fairly popular budget knife recommendation. I don't recall hearing of any locks failing over that time. A thicker liner lock doesn't always mean better or stronger, it's about how well the lockface and tang interface is designed. Don't go abusing your knife or chopping trees with it, and a thin linerlock should be fine for every day use.
 
A properly fit liner lock should be more than strong enough for hard use. While thicker liners may be technically stronger, the amount of pressure needing to flex any piece steel enough to fail is generally pretty high...IF the liner lock has been fitted to engage the tang properly.

Not to turn this into a spine whack thread, but I have a $45 Cold Steel Zytel Ti-Lite that sports a liner lock. Well done but pretty thin as far as liners go. No big issue as the blade is pretty light and lock really snaps into place. Giving it a few whacks, it doesn't budge.

I also have a $200 ZT 909. One of my favorite knives, really. Big and beefy with chunky liners. Super thick compared to many knives. However, it will slip its lock if I tap the back of the spine just right. Not hard. There are places I could wail on it and it wouldn't budge, but right at the tip with just a little bit of jarring shock and it slips off the liner. It doenst bother me, but it could happen.

I wouldn't be too concerned about the SW. I have had a couple and they are fine knives. Use it how it was meant to be used and don't worry about it shutting on you.
 
K.O.D. said:
I concur. My Civivi's have thin locks and are fine. I don't generally trust youtube reviews. 90% of them are idiots abusing knives.
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yep.

here's and old article by Bernard Levine with Michael Walker back in 1997 I think about liner locks and strength and history etc....good read for op.....

 
K.O.D. said:
I concur. My Civivi's have thin locks and are fine. I don't generally trust youtube reviews. 90% of them are idiots abusing knives.
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Yeah it's funny hearing how Civivis are apparently light use only, as if we haven't been begging knife companies for thinner stock and better grinds for a decade or more. I've got three, they're all very well built and not over engineered knives.
 
I have two Steel Will Modus. One is black with blue backspacer, the other is blue with orange backspacer.

They are both in D2, with FRN.

The blade itself is great, no issues. The liner lock however, is not great. There is no blade stop, but rather the liner lock doubles as the blade stop, as well as the lock.

When using the knives, they both move all
the way over to 100 percent, and almost touch the opposite scale.

I do not like this, and it does not create much confidence.

I don't believe the thin liner is the issue, but rather the design and execution.
 
For light use and fun fidgety , easy open and closing , the liner lock is OK .

For "hard use " , mostly not , with some exceptions for especially well made models .

Not so much from weak liners that bend , but from the lock slipping open when "bounced"from impacts /baton , or from twisting of the hand on the handle to accidentally open .

Axis type , frame locks and most of all: back locks are much more reliable for hard use . The modified back lock , Cold Steel Tri-ad being the all time winner .

The price you pay is increased effort to work the lock .
 
Of course, anytime there's a question about knife lock, someone has to bring up the tri-ad, even if it has nothing to do with the question at hand. It's pretty much rule #1 of talking about knives online.
 
Silent H said:
Of course, anytime there's a question about knife lock, someone has to bring up the tri-ad, even if it has nothing to do with the question at hand. It's pretty much rule #1 of talking about knives online.
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Yup! And for very good reasons . Simple truth ! :cool::thumbsup::thumbsup:

So sorry if you don't like the facts .

And , If the OP's concern is about lock failure, I think it's totally relevant and on topic .
 
I'll take a good liner lock over a BM axis any day. I don't understand batoning with a folder for that matter.

While it may be strong, I'm not a triad fan. I had a Recon 1 and it was very difficult to disengage. While that was in the early days of the triad, it's put me off since.

The Spyderco Gayle Bradley is an excellent example of a well done liner lock and I would have no doubts it would be fine were I to do stupid stuff with it.
 
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