Guide to knife locking mechanisms

Brief introduction to the locking mechanisms:

Liner lock

It's the most common. The locking mechanism is incorporated in the liner of the handle, hence the name. A liner lock engages when the blade is pushed out. The lock snaps in place and engages the bottom of the blade to prevent it from closing on itself. To close the blade back, you have to manually push the liner out of the way for closing the blade. It is one of the strongest locking mechanisms for a camping knife. Liner locks are commonly found on tactical folders, both production and custom.

Frame lock

It's similar to a liner lock in the way it engages and disengages the blade. However, instead of a handle liner, the frame lock uses part of the frame itself to engage the tang and fix the blade.

Axis lock

Axis lock has a sheer ambidextrous design. It gets its function from a steel bar on the handle, which rides forward and back in a slot machined into both steel liners. When a blade is opened, a steel bar is pushed into position using springs, engaging the knife tang and locking the blade into place. The tang becomes wedged between the bar and a stop pin, preventing the blade from closing on itself while cutting.

Back lock

With a locking arm that sits along the spine of the handle, features a hook that fits into a notch on the back of the blade. The hook uses tension from the back spring to lock the knife into place. The lock generally requires two hands to unlock and close.

So when you open and close your folding knife next time, figure out the  locking mechanism first, this will help you to be completely hassle-free even with a knife in your hands and prevent any possible accident due to improper use.

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