What is your favorite locking mechanism and why?

walpur6isknight said:
I am technically right handed. I shoot left handed, so I generally think of myself as being left handed. I write, operate a knife, do everything else with my right hand.....
:confused:
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i am certainly right handed, but i will fidget around or something while i'm using a computer for example...
 
I love the silky smooth action of the Axis lock, and the ease of one-handed closing. And, of course, it's very strong. Of course, BM doesn't seem to be very interested in sharing, so this limits your choice of knives a bit. I've used lockbacks forever and never had any real gripes, so I go to them alot too.

I have no problem with liner locks either. It's all about fit and finish. Spyderco and Kershaw make excellent liner locks that I would trust for most any task. But I don't do the stuff some of you guys do, so make your own judgments.
 
Martini said:
I have no problem with liner locks either. It's all about fit and finish. Spyderco and Kershaw make excellent liner locks that I would trust for most any task. But I don't do the stuff some of you guys do, so make your own judgments.
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Yeah, I would have to agree. I am right handed, and I've found a number of liner locks that I do like, and a number of them that have failed on me. I definitely prefer monolocks to liner locks though.
 
Liner locks are definitely underrated. However, I think the compression lock is superior to the conventional liner lock in every possible way--stronger, more reliable, MUCH easier to use. It has all of its strengths and none of its weaknesses.

The balisong is my cleaer winner. But since the world is so dead set on not letting me carry one...

I'd say the next would be a WELL executed framelock. It's just so simple, I love it. Also, fun to watch n00bs try and figure out how to unlock it.

This is followed by the compression lock. Difficult to do with good QC, apparently, but when done well, it's very simple, cheap (I'd think...) and effective. I tend to prefer it to the axis lock clones because of it's crosslock based breeze through design....I don't have to worry about sand or water getting stuck in it.

Then there are the axis and its clones...the arc, the bb, the...whatever the heck cold steel calls theirs...I think the BB is my favorite of them. I like the coil spring design, there's nothing sticking out for threads in my pocket to catch, it looks better (in my opinion, of course)...etc etc...there are about as good to me, really. It's just too bad the springs are hidden away for water and sand etc to hide in on the axis lock (the biggest advantage of the bb). But, none of mine ever rusted or got stuck or anything, so, even though this is a potential problem, it remains merely hypothetical for me.

Then the stud lock. It's just super neat.

This is followed by the typical liner lock. With or without LAWKS.

And finally, the lockback. The lock that is quite definitely the slowest to use and the only one that has ever failed on me. It's pretty much the only lock I refuse these days. I'm not too worried about the reliability, honestly, it's just that they're so much slower to open and close, coupled with their poor track record (for me) means there's no real reason to buy it. Honestly, I think the axis lock is universally superior, every time, to the lockback. I sympathize to people who grew up with lockbacks, I did too. I was weened off of them though.

The attraction for many people to the axis and compression locks is flickability. People (as did myself) like the ability to depress the lock while flicking it, which creates a lot less drag on the blade. However, with practice, you can inertia flick anything much faster than reaching for the lock. Well, minus lockbacks. They're hopeless. At this point, I make my cut during the flick and then flick it closed. And yes, with practice, you can even axis flick close a liner lock, but it's dangerous enough that I still don't recommend it. My point being, some people might outgrow what initially drew to these locks, as their flickability advantages are more like training wheels while you develope your technique.
 
what is a good example of the Compression Lock? i can't quite figure out what it is
 
The Spyderco paramilitary is my favorite example, but in lieu of a good photo showing the lock in action, here's a gunting

gunting10.jpg


Basically, it's a liner lock on the back of the knife instead of the front. This serves two purposes: it allows the lock to be held open for flicking open or closed (much easier to use), and it's significantly stronger. The second one takes a little explaining.

A normal liner lock, as you can see on your own knives, has its locking surface pointed at an angle, directly up, into the tang of the knife. The compression lock's locking surface is actually pointed toward the front of the knife (the sharp side, when open) and interfaces with the tang that way.
As it so happens, there's a big bar right behind the liner, as can be seen in that photo. When the blade is pushed closed (while it's still locked, of course), it pushes the liner into that big bar. That's where the compression comes in. But basically, that bar and the new direction of force (as opposed to down in the old liner locks) is where the compression lock gets its strength.

Other examples are the ATR, Yojimbo and Salsa.

As far as I know, it's pretty much only a Spyderco thing.
 
I've read descriptions of the various locks until my eyes glaze over, but still can't seem to remember the differences. Is there anywhere that there is pictures of the different mechanisms and comparisons of them? Kind of like a "locks for dummies" thing?
 
Shann said:
I've read descriptions of the various locks until my eyes glaze over, but still can't seem to remember the differences. Is there anywhere that there is pictures of the different mechanisms and comparisons of them? Kind of like a "locks for dummies" thing?
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Probably not what you exactly want but
lock-1.jpg
 
To me, the most important aspect of any locking mechanism is reliability -- I value that over sheer strength (as in how much weight it takes to cause the lock to fail). Reliability has as much to do with manufacturing quality as it does with design.

I prefer the frame lock, if it's well-made. I had a frame lock fail on me, and it wasn't on a cheap knife. I trust the frame lock on the CRK Sebenza. IIRC someone on the forums has pointed out that a frame lock will fail if you stab it into something and torque it. I'm not concernied about that, however, because I don't stab and torque my folding knives.

I also carry a BM 710HS with the Axis lock. There's no play on my 710, and I trust the Axis. But it's a little more complex than a frame lock, and I did have an omega spring break once, so I rate it a little lower. I also have a Paramilitary with a compression lock, and it seems very secure. I've had numerous lockbacks, and I feel the same about them as I do about frame locks -- it's got to be well made to be trustworthy. Several I've owned have failed moderate spine whack tests.
 
Lock-backs are my #1 favorite!
They are simple to operate.
They are strong enough for anything that should be done with a folder.
They are immune to "white knuckling" if the handle is designed correctly.
They are easy to clean.
They stay closed when you want them to since they have constant backspring pressure
(unlike a liner-lock or frame-lock which rely upon a ball-detent to keep the knife closed. I have had more liner-locks and frame-locks open in my pocket that any other locking folder. The Compression-lock has the same problem).
And they have a well proven track record of being used for about forty years!


My #2 favorite is the button-lock like the one on my Microtech UMS.
 
For me the best lock is the frame lock but only when it is made right. It is as strong as it gets and simple. As an example, you can buy one made by Reeve or Elishewitz or Wilson and it will last a lifetime. You can buy one made in Taiwan and it won't last any longer than a liner lock.

Choice #2 would be the lockback. Very strong, simple and reliable.

I probably carry as many liner locks as I do lockbacks and I think, for the most part, they are fine. They are not strong enough, though, for people who tend to abuse the knives. But if I could choose between the same knife with a locking liner or lockback, I would choose the lockback.

I don't use Benchmade knives and haven't really used many of the rolling tang type locks but they could be fine. I just reject them personally because of their complexity.
 
Artfully Martial said:
And finally, the lockback. The lock that is quite definitely the slowest to use and the only one that has ever failed on me. It's pretty much the only lock I refuse these days. I'm not too worried about the reliability, honestly, it's just that they're so much slower to open and close, coupled with their poor track record (for me) means there's no real reason to buy it. Honestly, I think the axis lock is universally superior, every time, to the lockback. I sympathize to people who grew up with lockbacks, I did too. I was weened off of them though.

The attraction for many people to the axis and compression locks is flickability. People (as did myself) like the ability to depress the lock while flicking it, which creates a lot less drag on the blade. However, with practice, you can inertia flick anything much faster than reaching for the lock. Well, minus lockbacks. They're hopeless. At this point, I make my cut during the flick and then flick it closed. And yes, with practice, you can even axis flick close a liner lock, but it's dangerous enough that I still don't recommend it. My point being, some people might outgrow what initially drew to these locks, as their flickability advantages are more like training wheels while you develope your technique.
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What lockbacks do you have, I can flick my 4 without touching the blade.

The hardest is my AMK Falcon, the blade is very light with a very strong spring and friction from the linerless micarta scales. I don't flick it much because I don't want to ding up the lock baar where it meets the blade tang, the fit there is so nice as it is.

If any of my lockbacks had adjustable pivots, I'm sure they would be able to open much faster. The only one with liners is my SERE Attack, so the others would benefit from that as well.

I'd like a Delica 4 waved, it should flick extremely well.
 
Well, in fairness, I don't really consider waving flicking, although it definitely accomplishes the same task (probably better than my way, even).

The lockbacks I've had off the top of my head:
Buck 560C (the only one I still have)
A bunch of cheap ones in my youth
Spyderco: Kopa, Native (S30V and VG10), Delica, Centofante III
A bunch of ones I try in the store.

It would be unreasonable of me to make a claim that all lockbacks are unflickable (unless I'd really tried them all...), but I think I can safely say that, on average, non lockbacks tend to be significantly more flickable than lockbacks.

I can actually inertia open some of those lockbacks, but it's using the slow old school techniques. There's not much I personally can't flick these days, even tiny AO knives like the scallion, so it doesn't say much.

Give me a couple of your favorite to flick lockbacks for example, and next time I'm in a knife store, I'll reevaluate lockbacks with those knives. If the design can be improved, then sure, the lockback and I might get along okay.
 
I don't consider waving flicking either, it's just the changes to the Endura/Delica 4 make flicking that much easier-liners, pivot adjustment. I want the waved model just for the extra opening option.

I don't have a favorite lockback for flicking, but I flick my med. voyager the most, as it is my most abused work knife. My first one-hander was a Delica, and it was somewhat fast. I could draw, thumb open, and present it in about a second on average. Inertials took about as long.

The only thing I do different when thumbing open a lockback is that I use my thumbnail instead of the pad of my thumb on the stud/hole. Inertials just require a bit more snap to them, but I like that I have to focus a bit more on them.
 
The only locking mechanism's I've ever owned are lockbacks, liner locks, monolocks, ultralocks, slipjoints, and balisongs (they have a locking mechanism of their own :D.....sort of anyway hehe). I've had liner locks and lockbacks fail on me when they were poorly made, and I have yet to own a monolock thats failed on me.
 
My favorite has got to be the Axis lock. Easy to use, and the most solid of locks out there right now IMHO. Next is the Compression lock, probably a little weaker (but at this point the difference is a matter of how much gas you give the tractor pulling on it), it’s a little sticky on my ATR, but a simpler mechanism and way easier to clean. Third would be the mega back locks on Spyderco’s Manix and Chinook. You know those are good ones when the knife breaks by shearing the pivot pin.
Artfully, I also have a med voyager, and it flicks open without much trouble. Try the six inch version, I’m sure you’ll like it:D. As long as the blade is heavy enough back locks don’t make much of a difference.
 
Yeah, I'm really starting to like the Axis lock. Went to a knife shop today and played around with a number of Axis locks, and they're cool.
 
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