Is the Emerson linerlock insecure?

Joined
Jan 10, 2017
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27
Hello.

I bought an Emerson ETAK some months ago and i love it. But when i read on the forums people are talking about how titanium linerlocks will wear out and how they are not reliable and so on...

But when i hear Ernest Emerson speak on videos and read what he says about his products i get the impression that he is an honest man who takes pride in his work.

So i am thinking like - if mr Emerson is a highly profesional knifemaker and he makes quite expencive knifes which he markets as fighterknifes, then why would he use a unreliable material? It doesent makes sence.

Or does people mean that the knife will break down after some years and thats what people thinks are bad and non reliable? If thats the case, then how long do you think this knife will last if i dont open it often and follow the maintenense guidelines?

I bought this knife as a selfdefence tool but when i read how people says that the linerlock is non reliable i get a little bit worried and i am thinking about buying a fixed blade instead
because i dont want to get my fingers chopped of if the linerlock collapse and the blade closes.

But i really like this design and i cant find a knife i rather have than this one, and if all this talk about the Emerson linerlocks being unreliable is just talk from people who want to show of and be smart can someone please tell me that?

Thank you.
 
The liner lock is one of my favorite locking mechanisms, and I've had zero problems with my Emerson liner locks. If it wears out through normal use and locks up too late -- after, based on your description, years or maybe even decades if you're a light user -- then their warranty covers liner replacement.

My experience has been that once they settle in during the breaking-in period, Emerson liner locks tend to stay there.

Short version: Don't worry about it, you'll be just fine. :thumbsup:
 
Ok thank you. But i was thinking like, if i hold the knife in the "icepick grip" and strike with it, is there any chance the lock will break and my fingers will get chopped of?
 
In many cases, a liner lock is actually stronger than a frame lock. It seems odd but for example the ZT 0620/30 is fairly easy to get to unlock with a hard spine whack, I've never had an Emerson liner lock unlock from that. I don't make a habit of it either but my results are not peculiar, there are many videos showing how frame locks aren't especially strong.
 
You should be fine with the liner lock on your Emerson, enjoy! I personally prefer frame locks and love the Hd7 that I purchased. When in use, the hand holds the lock in securely.
 
Send it to Nathawut and he'll take it to the next level as far as a secure frame lock is concerned.
 
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In many cases, a liner lock is actually stronger than a frame lock. It seems odd but for example the ZT 0620/30 is fairly easy to get to unlock with a hard spine whack, I've never had an Emerson liner lock unlock from that. I don't make a habit of it either but my results are not peculiar, there are many videos showing how frame locks aren't especially strong.

This might be true for a spine whack test but in the hand as your hand grips tighter the lock engages more. In regards to Emerson liner locks, I've used and abused a CQC-8 to the point where the liner went full over to the non-lock side past the blade tang. Even in this condition while it wasn't locked, it wouldn't close more than 30% of the way so it couldn't cut you. The knife was sent back to EKI and repaired at no cost.
 
Proof that your hand holding the framelock actually helps the lockup plz.... I always hear this claim and find it extremely dubious. First of all a force that will cause a knife to close will often come as a surpruse. People do not gorilla grip their knives while using them, they generally hold them fairly lightly. Therefore the scenario is like this you are gripping the knife normally and a 2x4 falls onto the spine of your knife suddenly applying 350lbs of pressure to the spine causing the lock to fail. I don't believe that tiny bit pressure you are putting on the lockbar is going to save you. Especially if you actually look at how most framelock knives fit in your hand. The lockbar will sit in the crook of your fingers where hardly any pressure is applied to the lockbar.

The ZT 0620/630 did sometimes have poorly cut locks. My 0620 would close with the lightest spine whacks. I had to bend the lockbar to give more tension and now it is ok. It all depends on the lock design and build. There are liner locks that are more secure than framelocks.

The best indication in my experience that a frame/linerlock will cause you trouble is lock slip or up and down bladeplay. If you push on the spine of an open folder and it causes the lock to slide closer to unlocking then your folder has a defective lock.

At the same time I have found that knives with some lockstick usually settle in and become knives with no problems. All my Emersons that came with lockstick eventually wore in to lock up perfect.
 
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I'm all the years I've had liner locks I have never had a problem. I also had a horseman that I worked to hell and the liner lock never failed. I ended up selling it as it was, but it still had a ways to go before it reached the non-locking liner side and I reckon it'd take a couple more years of abuse before it needed a new locking liner. This was a 2008 mfg knife... so a 10+ year service life is good in my books for a real hard-use knife.

Liner lock failure worries are keyboard-warrior concerns.
 
I don’t recall ever reading here on bladeforums about frame locks closing on an individual when held properly. They are extremely popular. If that locking mechanism was dubious at best; we should be hearing of more accidents.

When cutting into thick materials my hand does strongly push in on the lock bar of a frame lock. While everyone’s grip varies, it seems the majority of people experience this. I’ve never had any quality made knife close on my hand, regardless of the type of lock.
 
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I don’t recall ever reading here on bladeforums about frame locks closing on an individual when held properly. They are extremely popular. If that locking mechanism was dubious at best; we should be hearing of more accidents.

When cutting into thick materials my hand does strongly push in on the lock bar of a frame lock. While everyone’s grip varies, it seems the majority of people experience this. I’ve never had any quality made knife close on my hand, regardless of the type of lock.

No that could just mean the framelocks are working well in the first place, and not that the grip is making them work. I am not saying that putting pressure on the lockbar will not help at all. I am just saying that I think in a scenario where spine of the blade takes a force strong enough for the framelock to fail, I wondering if most people will be gripping the knife in a way that will add any practical ammount of strength to the lock.

Obviously everyone grips a knife different and there are different knives. For me though whether left or right hand the lockbar usually doesn't recieve much pressure in a normal grip.
 
stabbing with folders is a bad idea. any lock can fail. even a tri-ad, but it would hold up the best of the bunch.

using a folder for stabbing is not a good idea regardless of lock type. if ya have to stab, hold the scales without fingers over the blade fold. easy to grip back and edges without holding like an icepick as you described. that aside....if ya do want to stab icepick style......accept the risks of the lock failing, and potentially losing fingers. if you are okay with that, so be it. im not so i dont stab stuff with folders.
 
I had 2 that all l I had to do was push on the back of the blade and the lock slipped. But that does not mean Emerson liner locks are not trustworthy. Just test yours by applying pressure and if the lock slips then you just got a lemon. In that case snd it back to Emerson and they will get it right.
 
Sad to say, but no it isn't secure and as hard use as we would believe. I bought my bulldog at 25% lockup and with a week worth of use watched lockup wear go to 75-80%. One hard thrust into wood and concluded into lock failure. will be having Emerson service the liner. Not biased, but Emerson isn't as hard use as we would like to believe
 
Hello....
But i really like this design and i cant find a knife i rather have than this one, and if all this talk about the Emerson linerlocks being unreliable is just talk from people who want to show of and be smart can someone please tell me that?
Thank you.

I would not think too much on it. Use and enjoy your knife, it should last you many, many years.
The obsessive knife hoarders will still be on the internet complaining about the same old things from now on until they find what's missing in their lives.
You can leave blade forums for 5 years and come back, they will still be here to tell you how your knife is going to fail, meanwhile you have been using
it just fine, all those years. Knives, guns etc. can be fun, it is the obsessive hoarders and know-it-alls on the internet that ruin it.
 
Luckily I've been fortunate enough to (1.) never be attacked by lumber, and (2.) own a variety of saws.

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