Small Linerlocks

johnniet

johnniet

Gold Member
Joined
Jul 12, 1999
Messages
4,676
Since Bill McW's post on the virtues of the Toad, I'm thinking again about Spydie's smaller linerlocks and how cool they can be.
Who out there has some experience with:

*Aluminum or CF cricket?
*Toad?
*Almite Walker?

Are there any other smaller linerlocks from Spyderco? Maybe the small Centofante?

Do any of you own more than one of them, and can compare?

A big part of what I like about these knives is the feel of the materials and of the action, so I'm especially interested in how those compare--I know that all of them will cut well.
 
I can vouch for the aluminum Cricket. It is a great, sturdy knife that takes an edge very easily. The zytel cricket does not impress me. The lock on mine will not hold. The small Centofante is a great gentleman's knife. I would mcarry mine more if it were not numbered. If you can find one, check out the Wegner jr. It seems to be the most popular small Spyderco liner lock, at least among forumites.
 
I was pleasantly surprised by the Almite Walker. It is sturdy, smooth and all screw construction. The finish is very slick butt pleasing to the eye and touch. The blade is deeply hollowground and has some 'belly' and the lock operates flawlessly and fluidly.

It is a small knife made to 'big' standards.

I just received a "bubblegum" Cricket for my daughter. Cute, butt not in the same category with the Walker at all.


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><CHINOOK*>
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Cleverly Disguised As A Responsible Adult
 
I have the small Centofante and as stated above it is a great gents carry. I would carry mine more but I like it to much to use, it fits my hand well and I like the "back-up" lock. The wegner jr. was also mentioned above and I have to agree it is a great knife, it is my everyday carry and is quite a workhorse. You might want to try and find one, it is my favorite spydie.
Eric
 
One of my favorites for daily carry is the Almite Walker. Very smooth. Good ergonomics. Nested liner lock.

If you go to a 3" blade the Wegner Jr. linerlock has a lot going for it. I would consider 3" blades to be midsize.

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Roger Blake
 
I sought out all the liner locks offered by Spyderco as I prefer them over lock backs.
You don't have to move the position of the knife in your hand with a liner lock. You must flip the knife over and back again with lock backs.
Unfortunately, I don't think liner locks last as long as other locking mechanisms.
I wore out my Wegner Jr and really didn't cut much. Perfect blade but worn out-bummer.
Other walker locks being considered are the Cricket (aluminum), Bob Lum, Starmate and Walker.
Thanks for the tip on the Cricket johnniet.
Bill
 
I love my C19 Terzuola Jr. Clipit. It has a >3" blade and a liner lock with black anodized aluminum scales. Has this model been discontinued?

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Walk in the Light,
Hugh Fuller
 
And mine with g10 scales.
smile.gif
Yes discontinued for some time.
frown.gif
 
Bill -- I am extremely surprised to hear about the liner on your Wegner Jr. wearing out fast. (Would be about any Spyderco -- but especially one of the Wegners, given the reputation.) Sounds like one you should have Spyderco's warranty dept. take a look at.

I think it's true that liner locks don't last as long as lockbacks, but a good one should work fine for a few years of normal use... or I would think pretty heavy use in the case of the Wegner Jr.

I'm still hoping for more feedback on these guys--I'll have to try to handle some of them soon. Wegner Jr. isn't really one I would normally have thought to get.
 
johnniet,
I'm not the only ELU that has experienced rapid wear on the Wegner Jr.'s liner lock.
I've seen several similar posts noting the same problem, and know another person who sent his back to Spyderco and got word that it was shot. Spyderco had no more Wegner Jr stock, so he got a Standard in replacement.
My first Wegner was a serial numbered (528) model.
I loved it's action so much and it felt so good in my hand that I seldom put it down.
I neved flicked it. I just rolled the blade open with my thumb and relished the smoothness as well as the distinct "kerchunk" it made when it locked.
The liner lock, at delivery, positioned itself midway in the blade base. Four months later it was touching the opposite scale.
I sent it to Spyderco. They sent it back saying it was fine. This took a couple of months. In the meantime, I got my spare Wegner Jr. (told you I liked them) out of storage and began to use it. It's lock moved to 3/4 very quickly.
I put it back in storage to prolong it's life, and developed a suspicion about this model's longivity.
The first Wegner sits here on my computer desk and still gets opened and closed a lot.
But I lack the confidence in it's integrety to do any serious cutting with it.
I love the Tim Wegner Jr and am glad I have both of mine. But I don't want another.
~~~~~~~~~~
Back to the Toad.
I've opened and my Toad far more than the Wegner. It's liner lock started midway, went to 3/4, and stayed there.
If it moves all the way to the liner, it will touch aluminum instead of G-10 as in the Wegner Jr.
Also, if it does, the knife will remain safe in the cutting applications it will endure.
Just got a new knife in the mail and used the Toad to cut open the package.
I guess the Toad will greet all my new purchases.
Later, Bill

[This message has been edited by Bill McWilliams (edited 02-12-2000).]
 
I don't understand. What is wrong with having
the liner touch G-10? And how is it dangerous for the liner lock to go to the opposite scale? With my Khalsa I was a little nervous at first because the liner only seems to go to the near end of the blade.

Ordinarily, does a liner tend to drift toward the close side (the side that the rest of the liner is on), or the far side? I'd expect that with time, it would get "used to" the straight-line position that it's in most of the time (i.e. closed) -- which would tend to have the engagement position getting closer and closer to the near side.
 
Fortunately with Spydercos liner models, the blade pivot washers are very thin and in some cases no washers are present on the opposite scale side (I think). This prevents the locking liner from lodging itself hopelessly between the blade tang and opposite scale. Just wrist flick a BM or an Emerson enough times and you' ll see. Even so, vertical play will develop sooner or later with enough use. Here' s my question: why aren' t the steel rear spacers which serves as the blade stop, on the Wegner series replaceable? A replacement one can be fitted so the lockup location can be corrected. Can they not be serviced at warrantee dept.? Hmmm....

L8r,
Nakano
 
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