Which lock Really lasts longer....?

The axis lock is a poor move in circumstances where you'd expect to use the knife in the SD role. Different fighting grips occasionally cover the lock release and (in any case) can cause the lock to disengage at the absolute worst moment. That aside, it really does rock when it comes to strength, ergonomics, and probably lifespan.
The ball lock is a good one too; I'd trust if it came to hard use or SD, but I still prefer to trust the Chris Reeve integral lock - heat treated titanium minimizes wear, offsetting the primary drawback of the framelock.
 
Any one have any experience with the Hawk lock? as I'm planning to buy the Hawk designed Kershaw RAM knife as soon as it's avaliable. I have a Benchmade Griptilian with the Axis lock and I love the way it operates so smoothly!. I'm hoping for the same smoothness with the RAM knife.

Btw I have a well used Buck 110, 25 + yrs old. I've beat on things with it and it's still rock solid.
 
Now if you ya really want strong and long lastin' try Barry Woods Swivel Lock Folder.

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T. Erdelyi - You beat me to it. As a 30+ year fan of Barry Woods, his lock is by far the strongest and longest lasting. :thumbup:
Dave.
 
Joshua J. said:
In my opinion the Axis lock is still the best there is.
Yes the springs can break, but they can be replaced as well. When a frame lock goes, you retire the knife. when a back lock is used heavily, it develops tons of play.
I have yet to hear of an Axis lock wearing to the point that the bar can no longer self adjust, and if that were to happen the lock would probably still function.

Spyderco's Ball lock comes close, but doesn't have as much contact surface as the Axis and would probably wear out a little faster.
The Compression lock is another that should work until the knife literally falls apart, even if it develops a little play.
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What is the basis of your opinion?
None of my lockbacks have "developed tons of play". I've been using mine a long time.

Which of your lockbacks have developed such behavior? What did you do with them and over how long a period of time to cause such?
 
Ya know it's funny, if ya treat your knife like the fine tool it is, assuming you own a fine tool and not a POS, (and I'm not bein' a snob there are many good quality knives in the under $100 range)
but my point is use the right tool for the job, take care of your equipment like a precision tool, meanin' no abuse or misuse and any well made lock will last longer than the original owner.

This means no flippin' or any form of unchecked inertial opening technique, no pryin' or torsional forces, essentially all the fun stuff that makes a well made knife worth ownin' are inherently bad for it.

Now if ya can just stay at the edge of abuse and misuse, ya just might have a great knife with a long lastin' solid lock that's fun to own and thatdescribes most name brand knives.:D
 
from my experiences, lockback.i cant comment on axis lock. i havent had an axis lock knife long enough to tell
 
Str has some points I agree with.

Its like every other knife. Some are made well some not. Look for sturdy design with some guage to it.

I never truly trusted lockbacks fully as they are a weaker design but I have never had one unlock. That said I dont abuse folders as they are not for hard use.

Frame locks have appealed to me because of the robustness of their design. They tend to be on the pricier side.

I will not touch an axis lock if you paid me. The internal engineered mechanics begs for maintenance which cant be done easily. Its a new design that has not proven itself with time. Because its an enclosed system with lots going on they are prone to grinding dirt and sand in the mechanics. I witnessd one completely jam with sand that couldnt be fixed in the field. The test of time will tell.

Myself, I am partial to a sturdy liner lock for and EDC folder. Easy to take apart, clean and do maintenance on. It can be rinsed and cleaned with just med to high water pressure. A selling feature to me.

I dont do springs in a folder they are a week mechanical design in the long run IMHO. If you have many and buy and rotate a lot its no big deal. They are not heirlooms as far as i am concerned.

All this being said there are very old folders with good locks that never failed. Any lock will fail if you abuse it enough. Thats why you carry a fixed blade for serious woods use.

I am no expert on folders the above is just my opinion based on my experiences. Folders are even a more complicated subject than fixed blades if thats possible.:rolleyes:

Skam
 
skammer said:
All this being said there are very old folders with good locks that never failed. Any lock will fail if you abuse it enough. Thats why you carry a fixed blade for serious woods use.
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I agree with this. But I like the lockback the most, though I'd trust a framelock, too.
Sergey Korolyov once said something like "Everyone can find a difficult solution. But it takes a true genius to find a simple solution." I can get a trusty lockback for a lower price than a framelock.
With one exception. The framelocks from Böker Plus (designed by Chad Los Banos) are amazing for the price!
 
Alles im butter, Docarnie. If there is any doubt about lock failure, go with a FB.
 
Stainless steel liner lock. I have an Benchmade Mini AFCK still going strong and a 1903 Press Button knife that also works in flawless order:thumbup:.
 
JoHnYKwSt said:
What is the definition of a frame lock "going"? Wouldn't it simply lose the ability to self adjust thus develop play -- much like a lock back and compression lock?
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Generally when you hear of a Frame lock or Liner lock failing, it is because the lock bar develops the habit of slipping off the lock face, or if it is used hard, the lock bar deforms or breaks.
As it was originally designed by Michael Walker, the liner lock should stick and develop play like the other locks, but knives are almost never made that way now-days.

knarfeng said:
What is the basis of your opinion?
None of my lockbacks have "developed tons of play". I've been using mine a long time.

Which of your lockbacks have developed such behavior? What did you do with them and over how long a period of time to cause such?
Click to expand...

This is when used for silly non knife tasks.
If used nicely most locks (even the liner lock on my Spyderco Military) will last for a very long time.

And yes, I expect a good back lock to last a lifetime with proper care.
 
I have Folders with all the lock types. So far I have never had any of them fail or even come close.
 
Besides the Lockback I have a ATR with the Compression Lock that I have faith will last many years.
 
Good words skam :thumbup:. I was hoping you'd post your input sooner or later. I love my Emerson Commander which is a liner lock for all the reasons that you mentioned. I can fully assemble and disassemble my emerson with just a SAK. Very easy to clean and maintain.
 
I had my M2 710 with an Axis lock for over 5 years until I lost it :(. Used it many times daily for everything, as well as lots and lots of flipping it open and closed. Never did I detect any slight weakening of the lock, or have any problems with the springs.
 
I had a bali fail, enough flipping and the tang pin gets loose. After seven years and a few thousand inertial openings, my BM Ares... was trade to someone else, still in working condition with no play and never any repair work, jams, failures. The only locks that I have ever had fail were liner, frame, and poorly constructed lockbacks.
 
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