What's Your Favorite Type of Lock on a Folding Knife??

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SliCed

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What's Your Favorite Type of Lock on a Folding Knife?? - Optional>> - and why??

What are ones you don't like at all?.. and why??

Currently, my favorite is the compression lock, because I love a good liner lock, and this is a step up from a liner imo. It's technically a more secure lock, and it makes opening and closing a lot easier and fun. It's a great design. I would currently rank my favorites 1. Compression 2. Liner 3. Frame - The Axis may be starting to grow on me more & more.

-Here are some options off the top of my head (feel free to add more): compression, liner, frame, axis, arc, plunge, lock back, ring, caged ball, tri-ad, clasp, slip joint.

I'm not a big fan of lockbacks in general, because for me it's not as easy to close quickly with one hand. I don't like the fact that dirt or lint getting into it, would make it fail easily or not lock properly, which I have experienced carrying out here in the windy desert.
 
+1 for the compression lock.

Works very well on the Paramilitary 2. Fun to play with, easy to use, locks up solid.
 
1) Axis - Reliability and ease of opening and closing
2) Frame - Easy to use and when done correctly, very dependable
3) Compression - Solid lock and easy to use when things are properly tightened/loosened
4) Liner - Classic design that works well

I respect back-locks, and I find them very solid, but I do not like them. Nak-loc is not great, but it does work.
 
Call me a little old fashioned, but I just love the plain old Frame Lock. There are several great locks out there, like the Compression, Axis, and a few others, but the Frame Lock does it's job and does it well. I like the simplicity of it.
 
Whatever lock is in my price range. I like them all. I'm only looking to cut things, not put it through spine whacking and stabbing tests.
 
Frame locks and liners for me. I haven't tried anything else and I am not a fan of lock backs since one closed on my fingers...thank god it was dull as hell:o
 
Interesting topic.

For quite a few years now I won't consider buying a lock-back knife .
I just don't like them when it comes time to close the knife .
I have no experience with the compression lock so can't comment , but I'm more than happy with my Seb 21's frame lock and can't see myself changing , the ease of closing one handed and the lockup is secure and solid enough for me .

Ken
 
It's mostly a matter of the pants I'm wearing, simply because the bare steel of a frame lock isn't going to tear up my pocket like some of the more aggressive G10 or Zytel scales on a few of my liner lock knives.
 
Compression Lock.... So glad Spyderco decided to put it on the Szabo folder...
 
BBL, compression, button, frame, axis, klecker, liner, backlock, arc.
 
Frame lock for me love how they look and a well done frame lock is solid as a rock
I also only buy (any more ) frame locks as I found limiting my self to frame lock flippers was a great way to limited purchases
I do have a compression lock and axis lock nothing wrong with either Just my muscle memory always reaches for that flipper now lol

pretty much the only lock i dislike is the lock back and I don't know why I think it could be the two handed closeing
 
Frame lock for me love how they look and a well done frame lock is solid as a rock
I also only buy (any more ) frame locks as I found limiting my self to frame lock flippers was a great way to limited purchases
I do have a compression lock and axis lock nothing wrong with either Just my muscle memory always reaches for that flipper now lol

pretty much the only lock i dislike is the lock back and I don't know why I think it could be the two handed closeing
 
When I first got into knives I had the idea that a lock that you did not have to put your fingers in the path of the closing blade was superior, maybe that's the lawyer in me. Nowadays my thought process is different. Here is my ranking:

1: Frame lock; most of my knives are frame locks, robust, simple, reliable.
2: Button/Axis; fingers not in the way of the blade, easy to operate.
3: Liner lock; similar in function to frame but not as robust.
4: Compression; my experience is with a BM shoki and the lock fails left and right, I don't have a spidie example to use as a data point, so that could be the difference.
5: Lockback
6: Friction; if it counts as a locking system it should be at the bottom.
 
1. Axis: Although I am not a big Benchmade fan, I wish they didn't have the patent for it.
2. Ball Bearing lock: Same functionally as the axis, but the plastic housing is just a little insecure.
3. Triad: Would be at the top as far as durability for me, but not as ergonomic to use as the first two.
4. Frame lock: With proper geometry it is a great lock, but I'm not always comfortable going hard on them, the physics of them inherently make them less secure. You're using a wedge to hold the blade open as opposed to a perpendicular block. I EDC a frame lock nearly every day, so I don't discriminate against them.
5. Lockbacks.
6. Liner locks: definitely last on my list. The best execution of a liner lock I have ever seen is on the Cold Steel Ti-lites, The liner is folded over providing more surface area for the tang to grip onto. Liner locks fail more often than Frame locks (Just talking about regular liner and frame-locks, nothing fancy) because of less surface area contact on the tang. Both liner and frame-locks will fail by loss of contact with the tang (slipping) than they will by bending outward/inward.

Most other locks fall somewhere between 4 and 5 for me.

Here's a good video showing why I try to avoid liner locks: http://youtu.be/4KmHfbG7z7g

These are just my opinions (well besides the physics), please don't lynch me.
 
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My single favorite is the compression lock. Just as simple and reliable as a frame or liner lock, but stronger and easier to disengage than either. The axis lock is a close second.
 
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