Firsts? Who invented what in the knife industry?

A

akthor

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Jan 23, 2010
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I have thought about this for a long time and finally figured to post it. Who did it first?

The liner lock?

Frame lock?

Axis lock?

Other forms of locking folders?

The pocket clip on folders?

The thumb stud?

I assume Spyderco invented the hole in the blade for one handed opening?

Any other cool "firsts" you can think of?
 
didn't spyderco invent the pocket clip? and benchmade perfected the axis lock. spyderco also seems to be the only compression lock I have noticed. though I may be wrong
 
Spyderco invented the Pocket clip, Spyder hole/opening hole, Ball bearing lock, Compression lock IIRC, and I believe they invented serrations on a folding knife.

Michael Walker invented the liner lock and detent ball/hole.

Chris Reeve invented the frame/integral lock

That's all I think of ATM. I do like learning who made what so I feel like i'm gonna dig this thread.
 
akthor said:
I have thought about this for a long time and finally figured to post it. Who did it first?

The liner lock?
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In its current form, Michael Walker

Frame lock?
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Chris Reeve

Axis lock?
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Joint effort of McHenry and Williams. Sorry, I don't remember their first names.

Other forms of locking folders?
Click to expand...

Front release lockback - McBurnette and Mar

Ball lock - Sal Glesser

Caged Ball lock - Eric Glesser

Bolt Action lock - Blackie Collins

The pocket clip on folders?
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Sal Glesser

The thumb stud?
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This one I don't know. They've been around quite a while

I assume Spyderco invented the hole in the blade for one handed opening?
Click to expand...

Your assumption is correct

Any other cool "firsts" you can think of?
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That depends on what you consider "cool".
 
Great idea for a thread. Especially if we can get historically accurate info.

I don't know who invented the liner-lock, but I know that the first time I handled/saw one was back in the 70's on those government issued electricians knives with the spear blade and the screwdriver. But the lock was for the screwdriver.

The first thumb-stud I ever saw on a knife was also in the 70's and it was one of those after-market screw-on thumb-stud called the "one-armed bandid". I don't know if they were spcifically made for the Buck 110 but that's what I saw them used on.
 
Spyderco also has at least one other patent on a lock that is not the Ball, or Compression lock. I thought it was called a puzzle lock, but I don't think that is right. Here is a patent link to one of the other locks. I think Sal had commented once on here about still trying to bring this other lock to light.
http://www.google.com/patents/US6918184
 
When was Michael Walker supposed to have invented the liner-lock? My research tells me that the TL-29 government-issue electricians knife (made by Camillus) was produced for military personnel during World War 2. Which makes the liner-lock in a pocket-knife a pretty old feature.
 
Steel130 said:
Spyderco also has at least one other patent on a lock that is not the Ball, or Compression lock. I thought it was called a puzzle lock, but I don't think that is right. Here is a patent link to one of the other locks. I think Sal had commented once on here about still trying to bring this other lock to light.
http://www.google.com/patents/US6918184
Click to expand...

Is it "Stop lock"? I think that's what they are supposed to use on the new Military. Interested in seeing how it works.
 
Walker refined the liner lock, but the concept has been around since the early 1900's.
 
seelow123 said:
Is it "Stop lock"? I think that's what they are supposed to use on the new Military. Interested in seeing how it works.
Click to expand...
That could be. I am not sure. One thing is for certain, is that Sal has quite alot of innovative ideas.
 
killgar said:
When was Michael Walker supposed to have invented the liner-lock? My research tells me that the TL-29 government-issue electricians knife (made by Camillus) was produced for military personnel during World War 2. Which makes the liner-lock in a pocket-knife a pretty old feature.
Click to expand...

Like I said, "In its current form". The concept of a locking tab as part of a liner dates back at least a hundred years, but those were not the same as what we call a liner lock these days. Those old liner locks still relied on a backspring to hold the blade open. The "lock" was merely a tab to inhibit accidental closing. What we currently think of as a liner lock, with a detent ball in the locking tab, a stop pin and no backspring was developed by Michael Walker.
 
Walker was not issued a patent for his version of the liner lock, although he was able to trademark "Liner lock" as he was the first to use that name to describe the product.
 
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