Whats the deal with locking Liners???

I've measured a lot various knives. Some I've had have been thicker even in the same model. I've seen one CQC12 for example with a .033 lock relief and another that had a .042 of the same year. Striders seem to vary some but others like Kershaw seem to have a pretty consistant CNC grind that repeats pretty darn close to the same on every knife. I've had three of the Zero Tolerance 300 series folders for example and everyone one of them was a mirror image of the other and so identical that without the different number stamped on the blade you could easily mix them up. Precise to a fine art on those knives.

I don't mean to negate the toughness of the frame lock. These knives still hold up and are still quite capable of some tough hard uses. I just tend to ask why a lot when I see things that make no sense. You can still trust the lock, it just may be easier to push downward, and you might not want to remove the pocket clip, especially if the lock tends to stick really bad.

In my opinion, most all of the makers and manufacturers using this method of extremely thin lock relief cuts should be contacting Rick Hinderer and licensing to use the lock stabalizer he invented just for this very reason. To date Strider and Kershaw/Zero Tolerance are the only two that have been smart enough to do this.

STR
 
Thanks, again. Quite a bit to consider. I may never buy another knife with all this thinking and compromising to mull over. :(
 
Many people enjoy linerlocks and it's not something to get upset over. I have a CRKT Wasp w/an AUS118 blade that's been sitting in storage since I got it. But the reason I don't carry it is blade length, not because it's a LL. In fact, it's a very sexy little knife, and it's very sturdy.

The only time most LLs are apt to fail is after you've wrestled a grizzly to the ground and are trying to skin it alive.
 
STR, thanks for all the info, and I'm glad to know I'm not the only person that has pondered the thiness or thickness of teh relief this is something that has puzzled me for a while. I also can relate to something else you mentioned about removing the pocket clip, I'm one of those wierd o's that takes off the clip and on several frame lock knives have experienced the very thing your talking about, in fact on one knife I recently ordered from a highend production company when I pushed it open upon it disengaging it actual went so far to the left that it hyperextended and the titanium was bent, this was due to the relief being too thin. I own several knives of the same model of the same knife from the same company and upon examination the relief on teh one I had just been sent was MUCH Thinner than on the other knives same model (same 100 batch run of knives), as I had never had nor have I had that problem with the other knives same model. I don't want to say what company this was but the knives were titanium frame locks and were over 400 apiece. I fired off an email and returned the knife, I now check the relief cut on all frame lock folders I am considering to purchase as I don't like the pocket clip and have experienced first hand the problem which you discussed previously, theres no need to take them down so thin. I'am currently very limited in the frame locks I can purchase, I even talked to the people at Chris Reeve about making me a Sebanza with minimal relief cuts and they wouldn't do it, so I am acutally not buying knives because of it. This thread has been incredible now if we could just get the production companies and custom makers to read it. Not only am I not buying knives because of it I am currently working a local custom maker to remake some handles for my knives with the minimal amount of relief as possible, or have him make some new knives all together. If something is so thin you bend it with your thumb thats too thin and too weak in my opinion as that is not improper or misuse of a knife but rather poor design/engineering or workmanship.

Thanks again for all the info and glad to see others think of the same things

Mike C
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top