Cold Steal sucks.
Axis, Framelock, and Compression lock...........flip a coin, all of these are tough/strong.
Note: Cold Steel fans will tell you that the Demko Tri Ad lock is the strongest.
I really think the whole argument of which lock is better or stronger is pretty silly when you are talking about designs/models that come from companies like Benchmade, Spyderco, and others that have a proven track record. If you are questioning the strength of a certain type of lock then one of two things should be considered. Are you using the right tool for the task? Are you using a cheap knife with low quality materials and sloppy tolerances? ........Most locking failures are contributed to poor materials and sloppy tolerances.
You will see a lot of companies testing the static load of a lock by placing dead weight on the blade until the lock fails. Also, you will see companies preforming the “spine whack” test. I have to wonder what real world conditions these tests are suppose to simulate. These tests are cool and all, but do they really represent what you will put a knife through in the real world.....it's more about marketing/hype than anything else, and some companies market their products better than others. Virtually all modern high quality knives have strong enough locks for most reasonable uses....it's your responsibility to use the right/correct tool for the task at hand.
When you start looking at the different designs from companies that have a reputation of high quality, it's like trying to decide between buying a Ferrari or Porsche.....buy or use the design that you personally are the most comfortable with. Make your decision based on the ergonomics, blade shape, over all size, and the locking system that you are most comfortable with from a manipulation view point. Personally I have a great fondness for the compression lock. More times than not, I carry an original Spyderco Paramilitary (pre Paramilitary 2) for my edc knife.
Mr. Dean: I have seen more problems with Spyderco's ball bearing lock than Benchmade's Axis lock, and you know I sell 100 Benchmade Axis lock knives to every 1 of the Spyderco ball bearing knives. I have seen ball bearing locking system failures and it's not because of the ball bearing being crushed or "busted", it's because of the spring that holds the ball bearing in place fails, which causes the ball bearing to move out of position or the spring getting jammed up (the spring is the weak point in this design, not the ball bearing). One other failure that I have seen, is the plastic textured grip (they can crack and break) that surrounds the ball and protrudes from both sides of the handle to allow easier disengaging of the lock. This type of failure probably wouldn't lead to an injury, but when they break, it sure is a pain in the butt trying to close the blade. As far as the omega spring in Benchmade's Axis design, I hear they can break, just like any spring, they will eventually break, but I have not personally experienced it or have I heard about it from any of my customers. It is a numbers game...Benchmade probably has over a hundred different models that use the Axis lock...it's their main lock design that they use. Spyderco only has a few models (Manix models) that use the ball bearing design. Just by sheer numbers, because of the number of knives that are out in the real world, you will hear about the omega spring breaking more frequently.
Ball Bearing Lock
With all the high end knives you have access to, I'm rather surprised you prefer to carry the Spyderco ParaMilitary.
With all the high end knives you have access to, I'm rather surprised you prefer to carry the Spyderco ParaMilitary.
I don't have enough experience to say which is the strongest, but I don't think the axis lock is it. I love how easy it is to manipulate but after only a year of normal use (cutting boxes/cardboard) my blade has significant side to side play now. It's probably more of an issue of the overall construction, not the lock, but Benchmade has underwhelmed me thus far.
I don't have enough experience to say which is the strongest, but I don't think the axis lock is it. I love how easy it is to manipulate but after only a year of normal use (cutting boxes/cardboard) my blade has significant side to side play now. It's probably more of an issue of the overall construction, not the lock, but Benchmade has underwhelmed me thus far.
Is it possible the screws have just loosened up?