What is the best kind of lock on a folding knife?

It really depends on how youpersonnaly feel with the locking system.
Personnaly I am fine with liner lock, frame lock and axis lock.
I feel right with these systems and I am fine in handling them with one hand.

I am not a fan of back lock because, I am less confortable to use it one handed.
But really it is mainly a question of personal preference
 
singularity35 said:
Don't you need two hands to close a slippie? Or a thigh and a hand?
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I use my thigh to "one hand" open and close my full sized sod buster. I generally don't need a lock for 99% of my use and when I do, I'll fetch a fixed blade.
 
Tri-ad lock is most trustworthy for me. But I like liner lock and axis as well. I don't like back lock in Spyderco because usually they've big blade play after while.

Compression lock is nice, I've bought PM2 twice because that lock, but finally sold it. Good lock isn't enough.
 
pinnah said:
I use my thigh to "one hand" open and close my full sized sod buster. I generally don't need a lock for 99% of my use and when I do, I'll fetch a fixed blade.
Click to expand...

So technically it's an arm and a leg closer? :p

I'm sure when you need a fixed blade one is always within fetching distance...:rolleyes:

But then I do carry a slippie with a modern folder. I just don't think it's as easy to close as the one hander. I don't want to risk stabbing myself in the thigh when I'm working fast so my one hander closer is more practical to use then. The slippie comes out when it's just random cutting especially in public. I used two hands to close it. ;)

I just hope you won't make this a slippine vs. locking folder discussion again. You seem to be one of those guys who can't use a locking folder safely. I can use any knife safely(and I do). It's user skill, my friend.
 
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Not me! People can use whatever makes them happy.

No idea what makes you think I can't use a locker safely. Maybe you have me confused with somebody else?

I agree with the comment on user skill, btw. No idea why somebody skilled with a slip joint would insist on closing it 2 handed though. I pinch the frame near the pivot with my strong hand whether I'm closing it against my weak hand, my thigh or whatever. Strong hand fingers are safely out of the way. Very easy and natural but then, I've been doing that since I was a kid.

The OP has tossed out the classic forum ink blot test by asking which is "best" without defining best for what? Different people have different needs and different lock/joint designs have different virtues. In some ways, the Opinel's lock ring is great in some ways (insanely durable under hard cutting and won't foul with dirt) and lousy in others (won't stop the blade from closing under hard closing force).

Again, people should use what makes them happy.

This summer has been an experiment with me. I've carried a full sized sod buster most days. I find it very convenient, easy to clean up (I use it for food a lot). I'm more careful with piercing cuts than with lockers that I own. But again, this is highly tied to user skill, as you correctly note, and I'm glad I learned as a kid how to pierce safely with a slip joint. That doesn't make a slip joint better.

Neither does is make it worse? Is locking needed? For me, most of the time. No. For some of the time, yes.
 
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I like slip joints a lot. My daily carry is a side locking Vic SAK. Never had a problem, but I'm not too rough on knives. I am also comfortable with general slip joints such as made by Case, Queen, GEC and so forth. I just don't do any stabbing and never have with a folder.

I also like frame or lock backs such as on Spyderco Delica and many others. They seem to be strong enough for me.

I dislike liner locks because for me, it takes a second hand to release the lock once the blade is open. However, if the overall knife appeals to me, then I put up with the liner lock. A couple examples are the ZT 0770CF and Vic Trekker.

SOG's Axis lock is pretty good.
 
I prefer the Axis lock and the frame lock.
The lock back, not so much, and the liner lock even less.
 
I recently got a PM2 and right now the Spyderco compression lock is my favorite just because of it's ease of use. I'll use slipjoints or any other type of lock, it really comes down to execution. Just about all "types" of lock have companies that do them well and some that don't. I would use any type of lock if the company had a good reputation. But, I don't really rely on a lock to protect my fingers. Any lock can fail. If I need to put a lot of force in the closing direction on folding knife I am probably using the wrong tool for the job.
 
singularity35 said:
So why don't you? Use a locker, I mean. Don't you use seatbelts? Airbags? ABS on your car?
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What makes you think I don't use lockers? The vast majority of my knives are locking folders. Tons of lock backs. Tons of Opinels. Good number of liner and frame locks.

As I said before, different people -> different uses -> different solutions.

I do a lot of working with wood, which generates a significant amount of opening force (hard cutting). This force tends to generate vertical play in folding knives. I've found over the years that the most durable designs relative to not developing vertical play are the Opinel lock ring design and simple slip joint. Frame locks in which put the blade against a pin wear fast. Lockbacks tend to push the lock bar up in hard cutting, as the front face of the lock back is almost always angled to provide clearance.

One thing to note, I consider the lock as just one part of a knife's overall design. Other things matter more to me. I use my EDC for food a lot so I'm pretty particular in the blade shape and having a knife that doesn't freak people out. The large Sodbuster and Opinel #9 are both ideal for me in this way. I used them at restaurants often and in the lunch room at work (professional office setting). Both knives are big enough to reach the bottom of the peanut butter jar, have enough belly to spread butter well and slide like nobody's business. These are important to me and may not be to you.

There *are* times where I want a lock on a folding knife. Separating frozen hamburger patties or frozen bagels is one. Pierce cutting sheet metal or heavy materials in my shop (I tend to beat on my knives) is another. But for my EDC use, these are pretty uncommon. Your EDC use may look different and so a different joint/lock design might suit you better.

I should note though that when I rely on the lock, I still treat any folder like a folder and not a fixed blade. Others are free to think of it different. Their fingers, their choice.

For the OP, if you could describe what you do with a knife, you might get more clear advise on what is "best".

Bottom line, I don't carry a locker sometimes because most times, I don't need one.
 
pinnah said:
What makes you think I don't use lockers? ...
Click to expand...

Your words suggest to me that you don't...

pinnah said:
I use my thigh to "one hand" open and close my full sized sod buster. I generally don't need a lock for 99% of my use and when I do, I'll fetch a fixed blade.
Click to expand...

When do you use a locking knife? In your words you said you fetch a fixed blade when you need a lock...:confused:
 
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Well this should end in about 9 pages of opinions and argument lol jerry jerry jerry!!

Singularity.. You must be in a back and forth kinda mood today huh? You had to know the old seat belt analogy stirs up the pot lol

Pinnah ... It did come off as you don't use locking knives although I know from reading your past posts you use lockers.

The best kind of lock is the one I like best.
 
singularity35 said:
This...



When do you use a locking knife when as you said you fetch a fixed blade when you need a lock...:confused:
Click to expand...

Who cares?

Why do you feel the need to correct someone who lives their life differently than you live yours? There is no correct answer to the question OP answered as it's entirely based upon opinion and preference. It seems pretty idiotic to argue over something that is entirely based on opinion and preference. I've also never ever have ran into a situation where two hand opening has every been an issue.

Watch how easy it is to do what your doing. One could ask you "If you are so concerned with lock strength and one handed opening, why don't you just carry a small fixed blade?"

You like what you like, I like what I like, and Pinnah likes what he likes. God forbid someones preferences and experiences don't line up with your own.
 
155440 said:
Who cares?

Why do you feel the need to correct someone who lives their life differently than you live yours? There is no correct answer to the question OP answered as it's entirely based upon opinion and preference. It seems pretty idiotic to argue over something that is entirely based on opinion and preference. I've also never ever have ran into a situation where two hand opening has every been an issue.

Watch how easy it is to do what your doing. One could ask you "If you are so concerned with lock strength and one handed opening, why don't you just carry a small fixed blade?"

You like what you like, I like what I like, and Pinnah likes what he likes. God forbid someones preferences and experiences don't line up with your own.
Click to expand...

If you read my previous posts, you'll find that I said I carry both a slippie and a modern knife. I never said Pinnah was wrong. He quoted me when I asked said a folder that requires more than one hand to close is by definition harder to close than one which doesn't.

shinyedges said:
Well this should end in about 9 pages of opinions and argument lol jerry jerry jerry!!

Singularity.. You must be in a back and forth kinda mood today huh? You had to know the old seat belt analogy stirs up the pot lol

Pinnah ... It did come off as you don't use locking knives although I know from reading your past posts you use lockers.

The best kind of lock is the one I like best.
Click to expand...

Hehe well, doesn't saying there's no need for a lock stir the pot as well? :D

Pinnah did quote me when I commented about which knife was easier to close. ;)

I find it funny that I'm supposed to be stirring the pot but when fixed blades are mentioned in a lock strength thread...it's not...
 
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singularity35 said:
If you read my previous posts, you'll find that I said I carry both a slippie and a modern knife. I never said Pinnah was wrong. He quoted me when I asked said a folder that requires more than one hand to close is by definition harder to close than one which doesn't.



Hehe well, doesn't saying there's no need for a lock stir the pot as well? :D

Pinnah did quote me when I commented about which knife was easier to close. ;)

I find it funny that I'm supposed to be stirring the pot but when fixed blades are mentioned in a lock strength thread...it's not...
Click to expand...

Perhaps I was being too cynical. However I do genuinely believe that if your (not you specifically) number one priority is lock strength, than you should reach for a fixed blade to achieve the desired comfort while cutting. This is not to say that locking folders don't have their place and uses, more that a folding prybarr is somewhat redundant.
 
singularity35 said:
Your words suggest to me that you don't...



When do you use a locking knife? In your words you said you fetch a fixed blade when you need a lock...:confused:
Click to expand...

Your confusion may or may not dissipate if you note that when I said that I'll fetch a fixed blade, it's in the context of carrying a Sodbuster (or by extension, some other slip joint).


If I'm carrying a locking knife and need a lock, I'll generally just use the locking knife (although I reserve the right to fetch a fixed blade if I'm about to do something particularly stupid, which I often do).

But while I've carried a locking folder for more time than I've carried a slip joint, I'm not so daft as to think that the lock actually helps or is in anyway necessary for 99% of what I use a knife for. What that means is that for me, 99% of the time the lock is just an additional complexity that offers no real advantage and sometimes offers a disadvantages.

Let me put this another way...
wt
On any given day, I might carry any one of these with my Micra.
Big folders by Pinnah, on Flickr

But I'm not going to justify carrying any of these lockers by saying the lock is needed to safely use a folding a knife. 99% of my cutting doesn't rely on a lock in anyway because I don't pry with folding knives. Ever. I'll occasionally carefully pierce/stab cut in hard material and I'll take great pains to ensure my fingers aren't in the path of the blade and yes, I'm more comfortable doing this with a locker than a folder, as I noted in a prior post. But we're talking maybe once a month?

On the other hand, about 40% of my use involves hard cutting in wood and I've concluded, much to my sadness, this simply kills lockbacks. And about 40% of my use involves using a knife near dirt and sand which can foul most locks. To this end, I've found the Opinel lockring to most durable for my kind of uses which put a lot of hard opening stress on the knife and introduces a lot of dirt and sand.

So... I can safely use my Case Sodbuster about 99% of the time and I can use my Opinel effectively about 99.5% of the time and I rely on a lock on my Opinel about 1% of time. When I can't use my Sodbuster safely, I'll find a fixed blade (and I've got a bunch laying about).


This helping at all?

BTW, I can easily one hand open/close both the Sodbuster and Opinel. Do it all the time.
 
I prefer mid-backlocks. I do not trust liner locks. I also like the Axis and Ball Bearing locks. The mid-backlock is just as easy to close one handed as a liner lock, using almost the same motion.
 
pinnah said:
blah blah blah
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As the other guy said, who cares?

Have you ever found me interjecting some objection into a post about slip joints?

OTOH, you are always jumping into a post about lock strength with declarations that you don't need locks and fixed blade blah blah...

On this thread, you posted that you never needed locks 99% of the time and when you did you fetched a fixed blade...which really has nothing to do with the topic again...

So you indulge in verbal gymnastics...to try to squeeze your foot out of your mouth...

Sometimes we gotta just admit we put our foot in our mouths. Although some people would rather just jump through hoops just to avoid admitting that....

I am out of here but then I'm sure I'll see you again posting out of topic in threads about lock strength or reliability....
 
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