What lock type is the most tolerant of getting gummed up?

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Clang!

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Jul 26, 2010
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What lock type (lockback, liner lock, axis, ???) is the most tolerant of getting gummed up? Sand, mud, food, etc. I'm not really concerned about lock strength insofar as it won't close on my fingers. This is for an outdoor utility knife, and not for combat or hardcore survival.
 
Clang! said:
What lock type (lockback, liner lock, axis, ???) is the most tolerant of getting gummed up? Sand, mud, food, etc. I'm not really concerned about lock strength insofar as it won't close on my fingers. This is for an outdoor utility knife, and not for combat or hardcore survival.
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I'd say a frame or liner lock. They are very simple, few parts, open design.
 
Not a liner lock, I got my Military full of snow a few years ago and I had to blow out the snow before I could close it. I would say that any Integral Lock (Reeve style or Compression Lock) should do best.

The ZT 0500 M.U.D.D. did a pretty good job of keeping stuff out, as far as getting crud to actually stop the lock from working that knife would probably take the cake.
 
probably a frame lock. Maybe a ball lock like on the manix 2, not sure though I've never used one. The lock on my kershaw RAM would be quite resilient to grime and debris.
 
for a specific folder, i agree the zt mudd is the most resistant to, and tolerant of, debris.

my first instinct was to say something like the triad lock, which seems to have a pretty low margin of error.
 
I'm gonna roll with Axis lock on this one. I was using my 942 at work today, dropped it in dirt and mud, it didn't fail to lock. Rock solid lock up, even with all of that garbage in it. And I have had other axis locks do the same, there's a video on YouTube of some guy dumping massive amounts of dirt on his grip and it locked open.
 
+1 on the Axis lock, really is an incredible design, i've used mine in mud, underwater, with sand and at the beach, never failed on me, they have saved my life on more than one occasion
 
I never had one but remember some advices, not to lube the tang or micro - bar on Microtecs liner lock folders, for they could slip. I wouldn´t trust a frame or liner lock in that respect.

My vote goes to Axis.
 
There are a few designs that I've never had to worry about getting gummed up. Off the top of my head, Framelocks and CBBLs have been particularly resistant to getting clogged with gunk.
 
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