Are frame locks considered stronger than liner locks?

A

ALittleHigher

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Feb 6, 2017
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Here's an unanswered question of mine. I get those sometimes and I usually leave them be.

I've gotten the impression over the years that frame locks are usually considered more robust than liner locks but I'm challenging that now. In my mind, I just can't get over this: both the liner lock and frame lock styles are limited in the stiffness of the lock bar or liner by the strength of the average user's thumb. Frame locks are thinned down to bend more easily, and liner locks are of a uniform thickness of the liner but narrow enough to not provide too much resistance to unlocking.
If failure occurs at the weakest part of the frame lock (rather than the big beefy part people see near the pivot) what makes them more inherently strong than a liner lock? A liner lock could be made that was very difficult to unlock if a very wide portion of the liner was dedicated to the lock, or the liner was very thick. My Rat 1 seems to have a stiffer liner lock than some frame locks I have.

Could it be that before the framelock became popular liner locks were the only thing around so people remember cheap liner locks they might have come across?

Any thoughts?
 
ALittleHigher said:
……
If failure occurs at the weakest part of the frame lock (rather than the big beefy part people see near the pivot) what makes them more inherently strong than a liner lock?…….

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

What makes it stronger is your hand pressing on the lock bar to help hold it in place.


n2s
 
If the geometry of frame/liner lock is done properly, then the lockbar tension should not change the lock strength.

Both liner and frame locks can be implemented well and be plenty strong, or implemented poorly and fail under light pressure. The geometry and lock face is much more important than the thickness of the lockbar (as long as it isn't super thin).
 
ALittleHigher said:
Here's an unanswered question of mine. I get those sometimes and I usually leave them be.

I've gotten the impression over the years that frame locks are usually considered more robust than liner locks but I'm challenging that now. In my mind, I just can't get over this: both the liner lock and frame lock styles are limited in the stiffness of the lock bar or liner by the strength of the average user's thumb. Frame locks are thinned down to bend more easily, and liner locks are of a uniform thickness of the liner but narrow enough to not provide too much resistance to unlocking.
If failure occurs at the weakest part of the frame lock (rather than the big beefy part people see near the pivot) what makes them more inherently strong than a liner lock? A liner lock could be made that was very difficult to unlock if a very wide portion of the liner was dedicated to the lock, or the liner was very thick. My Rat 1 seems to have a stiffer liner lock than some frame locks I have.

Could it be that before the framelock became popular liner locks were the only thing around so people remember cheap liner locks they might have come across?

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
If your primary concern is for lock strength : try out almost any Cold Steel Tri-ad lock .

So far as your actual question , have to know the exact knives you are comparing .

I've seen examples of both locks that I'd trust for most routine uses and some I wouldn't carry for any reason .
 
It has less to do with the lock type and more to do with the finish of the individual lock. A thin linered knife may flex and fail. A poor fit of a frame lock can skate right off the junction and fold.

When done correctly, the difference between the two is one is a 700lb gorilla. The other is probably an 800lb one. The Tri Ad is a T Rex you brought to a dog park, most likely. The Buck 110 won't fail because those that own them are either wise in the way of the world and how to use a folding knife or simply don't have the lower back strength to haul one around enough to make it fail ;)
 
not2sharp said:
What makes it stronger is your hand pressing on the lock bar to help hold it in place.


n2s
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, but this is another wild misconception with no basis in reality. Any force that's strong enough to bend steel or titanium isn't going to be stopped by your grip strength. And if your grip strength is the only thing holding that frame lock from slipping, then you have a defective frame lock.
 
RousingRabbles said:
That's a good point. Still don't think I would ever buy a Buck or CRKT liner lock and expect much performance out of it.
Click to expand...

i've got lots of both. had no Bucks fail...one pro vantage i was using to cut up sugar cane pushed lock bar far over towards other scale permanently, but didn't fail. sugar cane is tough stuff and I shouldn't have been using a folder to cut it up, but its what I had on me.

hit and miss on crkt. none have failed, but some im weary of from testing by pushing on spine towards close with my hand out of the way and how the lock bar moves towards open. I just use them carefully, but have no fear of normal light tasks.
 
jbmonkey said:
i was using to cut up sugar cane pushed lock bar far over towards other scale permanently, but didn't fail. sugar cane is tough stuff and I shouldn't have been using a folder to cut it up, but its what I had on me.
Click to expand...

Sugarcane you say...

sweet stuff.
 
I have had both fail. A gerber frame lock and a Kershaw liner lock. I used them a lot and they started to wear and get loose so I replaced them before I injured myself. I think liner locks can be a little easier to accidentally close than frame locks sometimes but it depends on the individual knife design. I don’t notice a big difference in strength between them personally, They are both acceptable under normal use. If given a choice though, I would prefer neither and would choose a ball bearing lock or cold steels tri add locks personally.
 
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