Why Aren't There More Button Locks?

[Barman1]

He said he must have drilled the hole to large or something. And I don't know why it would take till June to make a new batch of blades though. Must be super busy with other things.

One thing I really like about this knife is the option to open it with the flipper or the thumb groove in the blade. It's nice having options

I've found 5 different ways to open the 451. Nice to have options.
More than likely he does all of the blades in batches. Ergo the wait.

 

[G. Scott H.]

Button locks seem to show up more often on cheaper knives than on higher end ones, which is sad, as cheap button locks usually have up/down play and don't feel all that secure, while higher end ones, like Hogue, are rock solid. My first button locks were cheap ones and I didn't really care for button locks as a result. I was actually hesitant to drop the money for my first Hogue button lock, but once I had it in hand I was very impressed. I now have seven of them (like potato chips, you can't have just one Hogue ). :thumbup: I'd love to see more higher end button lock knives.

 

[jbmonkey]

Button locks seem to show up more often on cheaper knives than on higher end ones, which is sad, as cheap button locks usually have up/down play and don't feel all that secure, while higher end ones, like Hogue, are rock solid. My first button locks were cheap ones and I didn't really care for button locks as a result. I was actually hesitant to drop the money for my first Hogue button lock, but once I had it in hand I was very impressed. I now have seven of them (like potato chips, you can't have just one Hogue ). :thumbup: I'd love to see more higher end button lock knives.

yep. much like liner locks. well done ones get lumped into poorly done ones and like a rotten apple ruins the whole barrel. although on liner locks its usually one good apple in a barrel of rotten apples.

i like plunger locks but prefer other more solid locks like lever locks on autos. what i don't like is autos plunge locks without a safety. that recessed button just isnt safe and secure enough for my likes. on non autos doesnt matter as there is no spring.

 

[Vicarious Reality]

By far the easiest lock to use
I love my Hogues buttons

 

[palonej]

Another excellent button lock on my favorite small folder. The lock on this one is the main reason I bought the knife.
Joe

 

[G. Scott H.]

Button locks aplenty!:thumbup:

 

[palonej]

Awesome line up GSH!!!! Here's another one of mine!
This bad boy is INCREDIBLY smooth and feels amazing in hand!! I can't find a single hold that isn't comfortable in hand!!
Joe

 

[chiral.grolim]

... Hogue makes an excellent lock with metal plates in the handle scale's G10 body to support the lock and includes a little lock to lock the button so the knife stays locked open or closed...

I thought that the Hogue switch only kept the knife open and didn't lock it closed..? Also, the safety-switch is housed outside the metal plates around the lock, so it is easily bent out of the way by excessive closing-pressure on the blade.

[video=youtube;SI0zD8uoI48]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI0zD8uoI48[/video]

Instead of purchasing a Hogue, I went with the Gerber Propel, even managed to find one with a black handle and S30V blade for ~$80. Made in USA, G10 scales, S30V blade, button-lock, full steel liners... It is a very sturdy knife. I don't care for A/O so removed the torsion spring and find it easier to operate than an axis-lock :thumbup: I actually sold my Benchmade 520 in favor of the Gerber and bought a 2nd (in 420HC).

The Gerber safety-switch locks the blade both open and closed, and the switch is housed between the G10 scale and steel liner-plate such that it should be significantly stronger than the Hogue version, but it is ~1 oz heavier as well. The new Gerber US-Assist has a button-lock as well. I'll probably get one and de-assist it and try it for a while.

The button/plunge lock is one thing that drew me toward WilliamHenry knives, but I've never been able to justify the purchase to myself, I'm just not nice enough to my knives

 

[SpySmasher]

The only button lock I've ever seen executed perfectly is done by custom maker Rod Olson.

Unfortunately, it looks like the only Rod Olsen folders I can afford are his 3" models. I really like to carry 3.5" and larger knives. If I'm going to spend at the top of my budget for a knife, I'd really want to love it. A little disappointing but we can't have everything.

I will say, those Hogues look perfect for me.

 

[unwisefool]

I like mine!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[oxman198]

I thought that the Hogue switch only kept the knife open and didn't lock it closed..? Also, the safety-switch is housed outside the metal plates around the lock, so it is easily bent out of the way by excessive closing-pressure on the blade.

[video=youtube;SI0zD8uoI48]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI0zD8uoI48[/video]

Instead of purchasing a Hogue, I went with the Gerber Propel, even managed to find one with a black handle and S30V blade for ~$80. Made in USA, G10 scales, S30V blade, button-lock, full steel liners... It is a very sturdy knife. I don't care for A/O so removed the torsion spring and find it easier to operate than an axis-lock :thumbup: I actually sold my Benchmade 520 in favor of the Gerber and bought a 2nd (in 420HC).

The Gerber safety-switch locks the blade both open and closed, and the switch is housed between the G10 scale and steel liner-plate such that it should be significantly stronger than the Hogue version, but it is ~1 oz heavier as well. The new Gerber US-Assist has a button-lock as well. I'll probably get one and de-assist it and try it for a while.

The button/plunge lock is one thing that drew me toward WilliamHenry knives, but I've never been able to justify the purchase to myself, I'm just not nice enough to my knives

I've been looking hard at this one for a while. Seems like the assisted version is the way to go between it and the auto. If you don't mind me asking where did you find one for $80?


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[G. Scott H.]

I thought that the Hogue switch only kept the knife open and didn't lock it closed..? )

True. On manual Hogues, the safety only works when the blade is open. However, on the auto versions the safety works both ways (open or closed).

 

[palonej]

^^^ Yup!

 

[Lapedog]

I never meant the locking tab was connected to the steel plate, only that the button lock was. If there is enough pressure to defeat the button lock it will pop the secondary locking tab no problem. You guys might be correct though and the Hogue secondary lock only locks the knife open and not closed. (I'll have to check mine out when I get home) Locking the blade closed would definitely be a good feature on the auto Hogues.

Palonej I can think of one position where the Ex-04 is not comfortable. Reverse Grip Edge In. When I hold that knife in that grip it feels like I am holding a G10 banana.

 

[palonej]

Really??? I have the knife in that grip right now and I'm squeezing it hard.
Might feel bananaish......but it's a comfy banana!!! No hot spots at all!
[emoji51][emoji51]
Joe

 

[G. Scott H.]

When I hold that knife in that grip it feels like I am holding a G10 banana.

Don't know why that made me laugh, but it did. :thumbup:

 

[AusLoX]

Allen Elishewitz makes a killer button lock for Hogue.

 

[chiral.grolim]

I've been looking hard at this one for a while. Seems like the assisted version is the way to go between it and the auto. If you don't mind me asking where did you find one for $80?

ebay item# 281449545166, it was actually only $75.94 all in, bought it 9/28/2014 (just found the e-mail, can you tell )

There's actually a similar one on there right now for $75, just checked.

One thing I noted was that the S30V one had much smoother G10 texturing than the 420HC one that i also bought but from OpticsPlanet 5/31/13 and paid $89.79 for. Perhaps the s30V one had a newer version of the handles in response to customer feedback about the texture... *shrug*

Anyway, i didn't much like the torsion-bar, it made deployment too difficult (strong detent as the tang has to slide along the bar until it reaches "active" position. And without the bar, the knife just flips open and closed like with an axis-lock :thumbup: Without the bar, the tang/plunge interface has sufficient detent to keep the knife closed.

I haven't tried one of the Hogues, but I've been sufficiently pleased with the less expensive Gerber to keep me from springing for one I would not doubt that the construction and action are superior in regards to the lock itself... but it should be, given the price difference.

True. On manual Hogues, the safety only works when the blade is open. However, on the auto versions the safety works both ways (open or closed).

That is good to know, thank you much! :thumbup:

 

[foofie]

Has anyone tried de-assisting a protech? That would make for a button lock. Not sure if there is a detent though.
I asked this question in the auto forum a while ago, but didn't get very far.

 

[G. Scott H.]

Has anyone tried de-assisting a protech? That would make for a button lock. Not sure if there is a detent though.
I asked this question in the auto forum a while ago, but didn't get very far.

If you took the main spring out of a Protech auto, it would function as a manual button lock of sorts, except you'd have to hold the knife pivot end down, push the button, and let the blade swing open via gravity, or push the button and give the knife a wrist flick to get it open. On a knife that's made as a manual button lock, the tang is cut so that the button acts as a detent but still allows you to open the knife (via thumb stud or whatever) without pushing the button. Button lock autos have a tang that's cut so that the button actually locks the blade closed, so it must be pushed to release the blade when you want to open it. :thumbup:

Here's a recent thread that covers some of this (same info would apply for a Protech): http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1476928-Convert-Boker-Kalashnikov-to-manual