What customs knives are as strong as Cold Steel folders. Who doesnt use Liner locks

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kip44

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Apr 29, 2010
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What custom knives compare to the strength of Cold Steel folders? Maybe I will just go with a cheap 4 inch Cold STeel. Wish more companies did strength tests like Cold Steel does. Will a TOPs CQT 711 Folder come anywhere near the strenght of a Cold Steel Voyager? Does cold steel use linear locks?

What companies dont use linear locks?
 
If the stregth of your blade lock working in oposite dirrection of the way you will be applying force when using it properly is your point of interest, than maybe CS is the ticket for you. I doubt many people test their locks using the same methods as CS.
 
Might as well get in before the move.

Wonder where we'll end up? I like road trips.
 
I was looking for some entertainment this evening. Good thing I just poured a glass of Johnny Walker, this could go places.

If you are using Cold Steel as your benchmark of performance, then you will be happy with almost any custom knives on the market. As far as companies that don't use liner locks you have Benchmade, Chris Reeve, Spyderco, Case, Hinderer..............

You want a strong custom knife with no liner lock?
Get a Hinderer XM-18.
 
I think there are some good Custom makers that can make some really strong Frame Locks and Liner locks.

Also Strider and ZT frame Locks are very strong, they are done very well.

But with Demkos Tri-Ad lock I don't see anyone beating them now for pure brute strength.

I don't think there are many knives that you can hang 800 lbs off of swinging and have the knife still hold together and function like new.
 
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kip44 said:
What custom knives compare to the strength of Cold Steel folders? Maybe I will just go with a cheap 4 inch Cold STeel. Wish more companies did strength tests like Cold Steel does. Will a TOPs CQT 711 Folder come anywhere near the strenght of a Cold Steel Voyager? Does cold steel use linear locks?

What companies dont use linear locks?
Click to expand...
would a linear lock be something like an axis lock or gerber bolt action lock?
I can't think of any other way a straight line lock would work.
Most of the locking mechanisms I can think of require either slightly curved metal (frame or liner lock) or something with a "hook" on the end (rocker or traditional lockback).
 
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In before the lock!
jdraizor said:
I was looking for some entertainment this evening. Good thing I just poured a glass of Johnny Walker, this could go places.

If you are using Cold Steel as your benchmark of performance, then you will be happy with almost any custom knives on the market. As far as companies that don't use liner locks you have Benchmade, Chris Reeve, Spyderco, Case, Hinderer..............

You want a strong custom knife with no liner lock?
Get a Hinderer XM-18.
Click to expand...

Spyderco does use liner locks (Military, Gayle Bradley, Sage, Tenacious, Persistence, etc.) HOWEVER I have no issues with any of my liner locks. My 3 Gayle bradley folders lock up like a friggin bank vault (no play in any direction). Whatever floats the proverbial boat.
 
RevDevil said:
In before the lock!


Spyderco does use liner locks (Military, Gayle Bradley, Sage, Tenacious, Persistence, etc.) HOWEVER I have no issues with any of my liner locks. My 3 Gayle bradley folders lock up like a friggin bank vault (no play in any direction). Whatever floats the proverbial boat.
Click to expand...

They do use liner locks, and damn good ones. But they also have some models that are not liner locks. I also have no problems with liner locks. My EDC right now is a frame lock, but I have never had any problems with any liner locks I have owned.
 
kip44 said:
What custom knives compare to the strength of Cold Steel folders? Maybe I will just go with a cheap 4 inch Cold STeel. Wish more companies did strength tests like Cold Steel does. Will a TOPs CQT 711 Folder come anywhere near the strenght of a Cold Steel Voyager? Does cold steel use linear locks?

What companies dont use linear locks?
Click to expand...

I don't think any of us here really knows all custom knives being made today to answer that question. There may be some super great custom out there besides one of Demko's that will stand up to or exceed the factory Triad locks for all I know. At this time I don't know of anything custom other than a Triad Demko custom though.

What really should be addressed is this in my opinion. Andrew has come up with an exceptional lock with an exceptional patent and a design that is apparently rock solid thats for sure and no one is disputing the merits of his lock. Its not only very strong but its also very reliable so it has great qualities we all look for particularly in a hard use folder. Its nice to have something you can say is the strongest available I grant you. The Triad locks I have currently are certainly among the hardest use folders I've ever owned but the real question is whats strong enough, as well as reliable enough to suffice?

Obviously many folders are quite strong and fit the bill for hard use and get by just fine. Some have already been mentioned. Does the lock really need to hold 600 plus pounds dangling on it in a vice to be superior so long as it has a decent high reliability? I don't think it does. If the lock has a good balance of reliability and strength with a fair to decent edge keeping it will more than suffice for 99.9% of all you'll ever dish out to it. There are some locks that reach the pinnacle of both strength and reliability while others may have equal reliability but not be as strong. Yet they are probably strong enough in all uses to really impress even a brute capable of tearing up all manner of things.

Personally I still find I love frame locks just fine for most of my uses. I love the Triad lock believe me but I don't carry one all the time. I doubt I'll carry one all the time even after getting my custom in the mail from Andrew Demko here hopefully in a few weeks time or so. I look forward to what new makers will be coming up with in the future now that the bar has been raised. Should be interesting to say the least. :thumbup:

STR
 
Oh and yes Cold Steel makes liner locks. They use what they call the "Peerless" liner lock which is a upside down L leaf spring basically. It works quite well. Some of their liner locks hold quite a bit for something that small and light duty.

You know speaking about custom knives since that seems to be what you are interested in I want to add that when I buy a custom for myself I look for knives with soul. I know that probably sounds corny to some but some makers really put their heart into a folder and I find that I really like, keep and prefer those when I find one with that otherwise indescribable something that just sets it apart. Knives with that kind of character, heart and soul or whatever you wish to describe it are a different league for me and stand out as preferable even above looking at strength and reliable function in the lock.

To give you a couple examples of a folder custom made with what I consider one with soul, look at a Dozier folder sometime. Look at a Gene Baskett folder or one of the fine examples from other makers that do similar work themselves the old fashioned way. These guys put some small part of themselves into their work and in my opinion it shows. Thats worth more than gold to me so don't discount a fine custom just because its not as strong as some machine made user on a CAD program and CNC machine. I'm not saying machine made knives are not good knives or that they are less than a great knife. They certainly can be all that and more. Sometimes though its just not all about strength, reliability and toughness when it comes to custom purchases. You want to take home a piece of the heart of the maker behind it too or at least thats how I've always seen it.


STR
 
I bought a benchmade axis assist for my main carry knife. I am looking for a large beefy folder that is STRONG.

I want to replace my CRKT m21-14SFG with a 4.5 inch or larger blade.

I like the tops CAT 711 magnum folder. Please tell me about TOPS knives. I noticed it has a Linear lock and that is what has me skeptical. I know they can be strong if made right but am not sure how good Tops is. Where is this knife made?


http://www.topsknives.com/product_info.php?cPath=5&products_id=58

I am also considering other possibilities such as EMERSON but it must be strong. I bought the benchmade b.c I know it wont fail on my hand. Now I want a larger blade that I can trust.
 
ron_m80 said:
If the stregth of your blade lock working in oposite dirrection of the way you will be applying force when using it properly is your point of interest, than maybe CS is the ticket for you. I doubt many people test their locks using the same methods as CS.
Click to expand...

:thumbup:
 
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