Choosing A Lock
Or Non Locking Knife
The lock knife is considered by most knife aficionados, to be a far superior tool than the "UK legal" non locking knife.
But is this true?
A non locking knife is just as capable of performing the same basic survival and bushcraft tasks that a locker will do.
It does, however, have one main, and quite significant drawback:
Namely, the secure fixing of the cutting blade, and potential danger to the users fingers..!
So, is a non-lock knife more dangerous than a lock knife?
This is a non-locking and UK legal knife:
'Pocket Buddy' from Grizzly Bushcraft
See full article on non-lock
UK Legal Carry Knives here
The main question we need to ask ourselves is what are the real chances of the non-locking blade actually closing on your fingers, specifically due to the lack of locking mechanism keeping it in place?
Well, the non lock blade can very easily close onto your fingers, however I don’t necessarily believe it's the design of the knife that's at fault.
Although a knife has many uses, we primarily use it as a tool for survival, and as such it is very much considered a cutting tool, for all sorts of tasks - the fact that it has a razor sharp blade means you treat it we respect and don't play the fool with it.
If you are using a knife for the use it was designed for, then there should be no difference between a locker and a non locker knife.
When your using it correctly, the very action of cutting dictates that the actual cutting action will be forcing the blade to stay in the open position - regardless of whether it is locked or not.
BUT, herein lies the problem - If you are fooling around or you are inexperienced with handling knives, and using it incorrectly. You will certainly have a far higher chance of injury and cutting yourself regardless of what type of knife you are using.
In this example here, using a Swiss Army Knife with a non locking blade - the action is away from the user and the blade pushed back in a position where the blade is secure - BUT, the inexperienced uses has his thumb pushing on the blade as well.
With heavy pressure and once the cut has been made, that pressure is still there, potentially forcing the blade to close.
Incorrect and inexperienced user can cause injury.
See full article on the
Swiss Army Knife Guide here
There is also another trail of thought here - some people who prefer to use the lock knife also put their complete trust into that knifes lock mechanism design.
This in turn makes them far less cautious about potential injury.
If the locking mechanism were to fail (highly unlikely, but anythings possible) the result could be injury.
So therefore, using a non-locking knife means you should always be more aware of the dangers of the blade closing on your fingers!
To some extent that very reason makes the non locker a possibly safer knife as the user is constantly aware of that fact.
I would be quite interested to hear your thoughts on the "lock V non lock" knife.
I have never had any significant injury whilst using either other than the odd nick.
Happy Prepping Folks.
Steve
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Yeah well, to be honest british people are dumb, they need training for literally everything. I grew up in Romania where you can buy tasers like US police has from many shops and online (i was playing with one when i was 13 years old or so) and never electrocuted myself unintentionally. I also played as a kid with telescopic batons, used them as rods and for many other things. My mom back in Romania still has a stun gun which was mine, i was playing with it with my friends using it to lit up fires and many more other things and never had any sort of “accident” with it. And funny thing, i never heard in my life about anyone having an accident with such things. In the UK everything is considered offensive weapon, if you think like that everything you can possibly think of can be a weapon, i learned that in special forces. I’m an ex- green berets, romanian ones, not US. and i have been trained in manufacturing prototype weapons, i know how to make over 200 different weapons from a news paper. These objects (taser, stun gun, baton) can be used as weapons as well as everything you can see around you. These objects are not dangerous, people are dangerous. Batons won’t beat people by themselves, also knifes/machetes won’t cut, stab people by themselves, guns won’t shoot people by themselves etc. The answer to these problems is not banning them, the answer is education and not in school, home education. The most important education is that received home from age 0 to age 7. Home you learn manners, to make the difference between right and wrong etc. In school they teach kids math, science, english, history, they don’t teach in school wisdom. Wisdom is learned home by parents. In my opinion 98% of parents in the UK 2018 did or are in course of failing as a parent. You take a glance at the youngsters in the UK and see parents who failed at the job of being a parent. There are no problematic children, but there problematic parents.
I have used both – the non lockers in inexperienced hands can be dangerous (dont ask how i learned that one – still have a large scar to back that up) – However, used correctly they are a useful tool and avoid the vagaries of the uk law. My own preference is for a locking knife of good quality as some of the cheap imports metal is so poor that the locking mechanisms can fail as i know to my detriment. personally i like the opinel with the locking ring – does a fine job and is not to expensive. Hth.
As a kid I had a Swiss Army knife in the U.K. Since moving to Florida I now carry a Kershaw launch 6 3.75″ auto knife as my every day carry, I can leagally carry a handgun but choose not to, my knife is a tool not a weapon
I have many knives, locking and SAK. Most of the time I rarely have to use a knife when I camp or fish. The SAK gets the most use because I plan my trip where I don’t really need a knife. The most important thins to remember is when you are using a knife, PAY ATTENTION. And always use a sharp knife, and clean it and put it away as soon as you use it.
Hell yes non-lockers are dangerous. I have the scars to prove it.
As a child I was given a Swiss army non locker too young (about aged 6). While trying to bore a hole into the end of a stick to make an arrow, the blade snapped shut and cut down the finger so that one half of the finger peeled away from the bone. Pointy downward force may be needed in an emergency. Lockers! Whatever the law may say. I carry something small and elegant, think vintage ivory handle rather than ‘tactical’, and I hope that Mr plod will decide that i don’t intend pumping someone’s abdomen with it prison style.