What is the deal with the SOC Arc-loc?

[ginshun]

It looks like an Axis lock, but I dont have any SOG that has it.

How does it work and what is the difference between it and the Axis?

 

[orthogonal1]

From the pictures on SOG's site, it is similiar to the axis (I believe someone mentioned they have to pay a royalty).

The cross bar goes in a slot in, versus on top of, the tang area.

The one I handled (a Vision - had titanium handle), worked real smooth.

 

[Gryffin]

It differs in another way -- the lock bar swings on a hinge, rather than just sliding in the slot. Functionally the same, and less prone to binding in the slot, but the hinge means that the Arc Lock takes up more vertical space. In a big knife like the Vision, that's not a problem, but it doesn't scale down as well as the Axis for a knife the size of, say, the BM 707 Sequel, much less a smaller gent's knife like the BM 770 Osborne. But of course, that's not exactly SOG's market, anyway...

 

[Joe Dirt]

It's a copy of the Axis lock and they just made enough changes to not infringe on the patent.

Why accept a copy. Just go buy the original. :

The Axis lock in the 707 is the same size as what's in a 710. The 770's had smaller Axis locks.

 

[Lurp]

It has basically the same idea as the axis lock but as joe dirt said they made some changes. The axis lock is the original but I feel the SOG Arc-lock is alot smoother and has a more solid feel to it. I think they took the design and improved it more than copied it.

 

[Gryffin]

The Axis lock in the 707 is the same size as what's in a 710. The 770's had smaller Axis locks.

Actually, that's my point. The regular Axis is more space-efficient, and can work in a 707-sized knife, and can be miniaturized even further, to the size of a 770. The smallerst knife I've seen with the Arc Lock is the Sculptura, which while very short, is very wide, in part due to the lock.