Compression lock bias

[liko]

Have a question regarding the liner and compression lock. Most all locking knives have a bias towards the closed position, so the blade won't open accidentally. How do liner and compression locks bias towards closed? Is there a cut into the side of the tang that corresponds to where the lock lever is at the closed position? Is there a spring back on linerlocks?

[sal]

Hi Liko. Early linerlocks (circa 1900) used a backspring to bias the blade closed. About 20 years ago, Michael Walker invented a way of biasing the linerlock closed by using a ball bearing located in the liner that dropped into a hole or detent in the tang of the blade. This innovation permitted linerlocks to be made with very little pressure thus making them a lock of choice for smooth unobstruction action opening the blade.

On the Compression locks, we use a cutout in the tang that the lock grabs on some of the models; Gunting, Lil' Temperance, Vesuvius, ATR and the Trakk'r. On the Salsa compression locks, we use the Michael Walker ball bearing/detent combination.

sal

[liko]

Thanks. I figured there was a mechanism that grabbed the side of the tang, but didn't know for sure.