Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Understanding Folding Knife Lock Types” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/understanding-folding-knife-lock-types/.
Understanding Folding Knife Lock Types
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
Sld1959
Ronin
Nice article. Several points...
Liner locks were created by Micheal Walker and patented sometime in the early 80s. Why is this important, after a time it was found there was a rather serious weakness in all liner locks, and mostly likely thier bastard cousin the frame lock, but i have no evidence this occurs with them. This weakness was for left handed use. When held in the common saber grip by a lefty the natural compression of the fingers upon the knife liner can, and does, occasionally unlock the lock. I discovered this myself, luckily with a minor cut, and this was with a well know highly regarded Emerson folder, subsequently it happened with the Benchmade I replaced it with during my testing.
Subsequently Walker and Lake created the LAWKS, Lake Walker safety, liner lock safety, a lock for the lock if you will. I believe CRKT still uses it on thier liners.
Second point, you ommitted one of the seminal locks in knife history. The Blackie Collins Bolt Action used by Gerber for years, Myerco, and most recently Spyderco. This lock was basically the ancestor to knife locks like the AXIS, the ball bearing lock and others. It was the first design to use retractable spring loaded piece of metal in the handle of the knife which slipped into a recess on the blade upon opening, basically creating something of a fixed blade folder. Sliding back on the bolt unlocks the knife. I still carry one today in my GHB, the design is easy to use with either hand.
Liner locks were created by Micheal Walker and patented sometime in the early 80s. Why is this important, after a time it was found there was a rather serious weakness in all liner locks, and mostly likely thier bastard cousin the frame lock, but i have no evidence this occurs with them. This weakness was for left handed use. When held in the common saber grip by a lefty the natural compression of the fingers upon the knife liner can, and does, occasionally unlock the lock. I discovered this myself, luckily with a minor cut, and this was with a well know highly regarded Emerson folder, subsequently it happened with the Benchmade I replaced it with during my testing.
Subsequently Walker and Lake created the LAWKS, Lake Walker safety, liner lock safety, a lock for the lock if you will. I believe CRKT still uses it on thier liners.
Second point, you ommitted one of the seminal locks in knife history. The Blackie Collins Bolt Action used by Gerber for years, Myerco, and most recently Spyderco. This lock was basically the ancestor to knife locks like the AXIS, the ball bearing lock and others. It was the first design to use retractable spring loaded piece of metal in the handle of the knife which slipped into a recess on the blade upon opening, basically creating something of a fixed blade folder. Sliding back on the bolt unlocks the knife. I still carry one today in my GHB, the design is easy to use with either hand.
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Liner locks of a basic type go back a lot further than Walker and the 1980's
The venerable T-29 electricians knife uses a liner lock to lock the screwdriver / stripper blade open and it goes back to before WWII, The Schrade Uncle Henry 197UH Cats Paw uses a liner lock and I got my first in the 1970's. There are others
The venerable T-29 electricians knife uses a liner lock to lock the screwdriver / stripper blade open and it goes back to before WWII, The Schrade Uncle Henry 197UH Cats Paw uses a liner lock and I got my first in the 1970's. There are others
Sld1959
Ronin
You are correct I had forgotten those. It has been a long time since I saw one.
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matthew crankshaw
Alpha
Hey, I had no idea liner locks had been around for so long! Sld1959, that's a good point about the weakness in liner locks for left-handed users.
