Comparison Spyderco Police 3 vs Spyderco Military

Type of lock - a device for fixing the main blade - used in a folding knife (see “Design”). Theoretically, such a device should provide additional protection by preventing unauthorized closing (and sometimes opening) of the knife; however, in practice, much depends on the type of particular lock: different types can differ markedly in reliability, and there are solutions that do not provide for rigid fixation of the blade at all.

Among the most popular modern locks are liner lock, frame lock, back lock, axis lock, button lock and tri-ad lock, however, in addition to them, there are other options, including double auto, compression lock, viroblock and slip-joint. Let's look at both in more detail:

— Liner lock. One of the simplest, inexpensive and at the same time very reliable locks. The locking element is an elastic flat plate (“liner”) hidden inside the handle; when opening the knife, this plate moves to the side and supports the back of the blade, on which a special recess is provided for the liner. To disengage the lock and close the knife, the plate must be moved with your finger in the other direction, to its ori...ginal position.

- Frame lock. In fact, it is a modification of the liner lock described above, in which the role of the locking plate is played not by the liner installed inside the handle, but by part of the handle itself. Such a lock is considered more reliable, and on the whole it is deservedly so: the part of the handle that supports the blade is much thicker than the “liner” and is less likely to shift when the lock is opened. Also, the advantages of a frame lock include a rather interesting and stylish appearance: knives with such locks are mostly all-metal, without handle linings; and models with linings differ in appearance from knives with other types of locks.

— Back lock. A lock using a locking plate, which looks like a kind of spring-loaded “rocker arm” installed along the knife handle and capable of swinging around a transverse axis. When the knife is open, this plate, with its leading edge, rests against the hook on the back of the blade, preventing it from closing; and to close the knife, you need to press on the part of the “rocker arm” protruding from the handle, releasing the plate from the hook. The pressing force is usually quite large, which minimizes the likelihood of disabling the lock even with the tightest grip. In general, such locks turn out to be quite reliable, but it is very difficult to close a knife with a “backlock” with one hand, and in many models it is even impossible.

— Axis lock. Benchmade's invention: a lock controlled by a special movable pin in the front of the handle. When moved forward, the pin enters a groove on the back of the blade, fixing it; when moved back, the lock is released and the knife can be closed. The pin is often made spring-loaded, and the blade, unlike many simpler solutions, is fixed not only in the open position, but also in the closed position. Thanks to this, Axis Lock is considered one of the most reliable modern locks. On the other hand, such a mechanism is sensitive to contamination and requires some care (however, simple) for reliable operation.

- Button lock. Another lock based on the use of a pin. However, in this case, the pin does not move in the longitudinal groove, but is controlled by pressing a button: this press releases the lock, allowing you to open or close the blade (most often it is fixed in both positions - open and closed). Also note that many knives with a “push-button” lock have an automatic opening mechanism - a spring-loaded blade that opens into the working position without effort on the part of the user.

— Virobloc. A knife lock developed by Opinel and still a “calling card” of knives of this brand. The key element of the lock is a rotating ring with a longitudinal slot installed in the front of the handle, at the point where it connects with the blade. To open or close the knife (and it is fixed in both the closed and open positions), you need to turn the ring so that the slot is opposite the blade - then the blade can pass through the ring to the desired position. If the slot is not opposite the blade, the latter, when trying to open or close, rests against the ring and cannot budge.

- Slip-joint. A type of knife lock that does not provide rigid fixation of the blade. In the open position, the blade in such a knife is fixed by the so-called spacer - an elastic element that is to some extent similar to the back lock “rocker arm”, but does not engage in a rigid engagement with the blade (and also plays the role of a kind of closer for a not fully open blade). To close such a knife, it is enough to apply some force to the butt. “Slip joints” are used mainly in small Swiss knives (see “Type”), not designed for high loads.

— Compression lock. A modification of the Liner Lock described above, created by Spyderco and used in some models of this company. One of the key differences from the original is that the locking plate is located on the top side of the handle rather than on the bottom. Due to this, as well as some specific design solutions inside the mechanism itself, the compression lock turns out to be much more reliable than the original “liner”, however, such a lock is not cheap.

— Levitator lock. A proprietary modification of the Frame Lock (see above), developed by Benchmade. Like the original “frame lock”, it is used in knives without pads. A distinctive feature of “levitators” is a specific pattern of slots in the middle part of the handle - this pattern forms a spring plate. A pin is attached to this plate from the inside, which, entering the hole on the back of the blade, fixes it (usually in both the closed and open positions). The lock opens by pressing the characteristic part of the pattern, which acts as a button.

- Arc lock. A proprietary development of the SOG Specialty Knives company, used in its knives; from a technical point of view, it is a slightly modified version of the axis lock described above. The control element is also a pin; and the key difference from the usual “axis” is that the pin is connected to a special rocker arm and moves not in a straight line, but in an arc. This provides additional reliability, however, such disadvantages of the original as high cost and sensitivity to dirt are also characteristic of such a lock.

- Double auto. The Double auto system is not so much a type of lock as a type of opening mechanism found in frontal knives (see “Design”). This mechanism is controlled by a sliding switch that can move in two directions - unfolding (forward) and folding (backward). The whole system works in this way: when the switch moves forward or backward, one of the springs is charged, and when the extreme point is reached, the blade is released and moves in the corresponding direction under the action of the charged spring. In general, this is a very convenient and practical, and therefore very popular type of lock among front-facing cameras.

- Safe lock. The full name is Ram Safe Lock. Developed by Cold Steel, a specific variation on the back lock theme (see above): it also uses a rocker arm to rigidly fix the blade, only in this case the rocker arm does not swing, but moves back and forth. The blade is fixed in the open and closed position; To open the lock, you need to pull the rocker by the back part protruding from the handle. This design is highly reliable and resistant to loads; Its main disadvantage is the inability to unfold and fold the knife with one hand.

— Cogwheel lock. “Gear lock”, also known as a ratchet lock. The rear part of the blade has the shape of a gear in such knives, and the locking occurs due to a plate with a cutout for one of the gear teeth. To open the lock, you need to lift the plate; For this purpose, a characteristic ring may be provided in the design. An interesting (although not very useful in practice) feature of ratchet locks is the ability to fix the blade not only in open and closed, but also in several intermediate positions. At the same time, the reliability of such devices is relatively low, so they are rarely used - in particular, in models that copy certain types of traditional knives (such as the Spanish Navaja).

- Slide lock. A relatively rare type of lock, found in certain models of Swiss knives - usually small, but advanced and multifunctional, where the additional mechanism does not particularly affect the dimensions. This lock is controlled by a slider on the side of the handle: the blade is fixed in the open position, and to fold it you need to pull the slider back, thus disabling the lock. The slider is spring-loaded, which does not allow it to “slide” back on its own (for example, under its own weight); In addition, the spring also plays the role of a closer for the blade that is not fully open. The reliability of “slide locks” is not particularly high, but this is not required given the specifics of the application.

— Tri-ad lock. An invention of the Cold Steel company, which is a variation on the Back Lock mechanism. It also uses a locking plate in the form of a characteristic spring-loaded “rocker arm”, but it is secured in the center by a floating pin (oval, not round). Next to the front end of the “rocker arm” there is another axial pin - together, these modifications have significantly improved the reliability of the locking mechanism. Thanks to such modifications, the blades of knives with Tri-ad lock are devoid of any backlash.

The grade of steel from which the main blade of the knife is made. Knowing this name, you can find detailed data on the steel used and evaluate how high quality the knife is, whether it is suitable for the intended application and whether it is worth the money. Here are some of the most popular brands today:

— 440A, 440B, 440C. Category "above average". Relatively inexpensive varieties with excellent value for money. The carbon content is 0.75%, 0.9% and 1.2%, respectively; 440C steel is considered the most advanced, however, all varieties are resistant to corrosion, keep sharpening well and at the same time are quite easy to sharpen.

— AUS-8. The Japanese analogue of the "440th" line — more precisely, steel 440B (analogues 440 A and 440C are marked AUS-6 and AUS-10). It is distinguished by the presence of vanadium in the composition, which has a positive effect on wear resistance.

— 8Cr13MoV, 8Cr14MoV, 5Cr15MoV, etc. Chinese grades of steel with the addition of chromium, molybdenum and vanadium. The most popular and advanced option is deservedly considered "eight-chrome-thirteen". It is similar in properties to AUS-8, but has a higher carbon content; such steel is relatively inexpensive, but it has very good performance characteristics, due to which it is found both in relatively inexpensive knives and in premium models.

— 420. The material of the low-cost category, which, however, is distinguished by excellent corrosion resist...ance. Such steel wears out quickly, but it is also very easy to sharpen; it is well suited for low-cost knives designed for daily use.

— 420HC. A slightly more advanced version of the 420 steel described above, having a higher carbon content. As a result, the 420HC is noticeably harder and holds an edge longer; in terms of resistance to corrosion, it is practically not inferior to the original, but costs only slightly more. It is also considered an excellent option for mass-produced low-cost knives.

— D2. Category "significantly above average". A distinctive feature of this steel is its high chromium content, due to which, in terms of corrosion resistance, it approaches full-fledged “stainless steels” (although it still falls short of them). In addition, D2 is noticeably harder than most materials of a similar price category, due to which it is quite difficult to sharpen, but retains its working properties for a long time.

— CPM. A family of steels from Crucible that includes premium and super premium grades. Manufactured using the Crucible Particle Metallurgy proprietary technology, which, according to the manufacturer, provides higher quality than traditional production methods; however, such materials cost accordingly. The specific characteristics of different grades, of course, vary somewhat, but they are all characterized by good hardness and corrosion resistance. However it is worth considering that certain types of CPM (especially the most expensive ones) can be very difficult to sharpen; on the other hand, such sharpening is maintained noticeably longer than in cheaper materials.

— 65X13. Perhaps the most popular brand of Russian-made steel. It has a high chromium content, which contributes to corrosion resistance, while it is quite easy to sharpen, but does not differ in hardness. It is inexpensive and is used mainly in the mass production of inexpensive knives.

The total length of the knife blade. This characteristic is one of the most important, with several practical points associated with it.

Firstly, the length of the blade is directly determined by the purpose of the product, and even within the same type (see above) there may be different options. For example, hunting knives for skinning (skinners) are usually quite short, up to 10 cm - in contrast to general-purpose options. Therefore, it is worth choosing a model according to this parameter, taking into account the work for which you plan to use the knife.

Secondly, the dimensions of the blade determine the overall dimensions of the knife itself. This is especially important for outdoor models (see "Type"): although the knife is usually worn folded, it is customary to indicate its dimensions in the specifications for the unfolded position. And by the length of the blade, you can quite clearly estimate the length of the knife when folded: usually it is 1.5 - 1.7 times longer than that of the blade itself, and in any case, the knife cannot be shorter than its own blade.

Thirdly, the length of the blade can be (and in many CIS countries is) one of the criteria for determining whether a knife belongs to a cold weapon. Usually, regulatory documents indicate a certain minimum length value: shorter blades do not fall into the category of edged weapons, regardless of their design, and for longer blades, specific evaluation criteria come into force...(hardness of the material, shape of the point, blade thickness, etc.).

At the same time, it should be borne in mind that the length of the blade can be measured in different ways: from the point to the beginning of the handle, from the point to the peg used in opening, etc. In practical application, this moment does not play a decisive role, however, it can create legal problems: for example, state examination methods may not take into account the peg. So, if you have doubts about this, it is best to purchase a knife that has an official certificate that this model is not a melee weapon.

The thickness of the knife blade at its thickest point (usually at the butt). According to this parameter, one can to some extent evaluate the strength of the blade for transverse loads: a large thickness gives an appropriate margin of safety. At the same time, one should not forget that the “endurance” of a knife as a whole depends on many other features of its design, and only blades made of materials similar in properties can be compared in thickness. But what this indicator directly affects is the weight of the product.

Also, legal issues can be associated with the thickness of the blade, which determine whether a particular knife belongs to a cold weapon and the corresponding rules for buying, wearing and storing. The relevant rules may state, for example, that blades with a thickness of more than a certain value cannot be classified as melee weapons, regardless of other features.

The total weight of the knife. It is worth evaluating this indicator depending on the type (see above) and purpose: for example, for a compact hiking model, light weight is usually a virtue, among hunting and fishing it all depends on specialization, and a machete, by definition, must be weighty — otherwise, cut with such a blade it will just be uncomfortable.

— No point. Models that do not have a pronounced point in the main blade. This design does not allow the blade to make punctures, which in some situations can be an advantage. For example, such models are great for the role of “the first knife for a young tourist”: the absence of a point reduces the likelihood of injury, which is important for children who do not have a clear skill for safe handling of a knife. In "adult" situations, the absence of a point can come in handy, for example, when skinning a hunted animal (so as not to pierce the insides) or cutting a net that fits snugly against the side of a rubber boat. In addition, the presence of a point may be one of the criteria for belonging to a melee weapon; in many countries, a knife without a point is not automatically such a weapon, regardless of other design features.

— Blade lock. The presence of a special lock in the folding knife, which prevents accidental folding of the blade. Such folding is both inconvenient and very traumatic, since the owner's fingers usually get in the way of the blade; blocking prevents such troubles. Note that the lock may not be installed in compact Swiss knives, the blade of which is not dangerous due to its small size, and this function is not found among butterflies in principle — the handle design itself does not allow the knife to fold while held in hand.

— Opening with one hand. The ability t...o open a folding knife (see "Design") with one hand. Among the knives with this feature, two varieties can be distinguished — with manual and automatic opening. In "manual" models, for opening with one hand, a protrusion (peg) or cutout is provided on the blade, which plays the role of a stop for the thumb; in "automatic machines" the blade unfolds (and in many frontal knives — and folds) under the action of a spring controlled by a button or a slider. Anyway, this function provides additional convenience; however, note that in some countries, opening with one hand is considered one of the signs of edged weapons.
Separately, we note that butterfly knives in our catalog are also considered “one-handed”, and by definition: any such knife can be “unwound” from a closed position to an open one using a relatively simple technique.

— Emerson Hook. A device designed to open a folding knife directly when pulled out of a pocket. A knife with such a device, unlike more traditional models, is worn on a clip with the tip up, not down; and the hook itself is located on the butt at the base of the blade and is designed in such a way that when removing the knife, you can catch the hook on the edge of the pocket and open the blade completely or almost completely. This function can be very useful in critical situations, where, as they say, everything is decided in a split second. On the other hand, it is worth bearing in mind that a certain skill is needed to use it effectively; and the Emerson hook is “not friendly” with fabrics, it can damage the material of the pocket, so it is best to use this method of opening with jeans or other clothes made of dense, durable matter.

— Finger notch. The presence in the design of the knife of a special recess located on the handle, where the index finger is placed with a direct grip. This feature provides additional convenience when holding the knife, but makes it less versatile — when using grip options other than straight, the notch can create difficulties (therefore, for example, it is quite rare in hunting models). It should be noted that the presence of a subfinger notch and its depth can serve as one of the criteria for determining whether a weapon belongs to a bladed weapon.

— Strap attachment. The presence in the design of the knife handle of a special fastening for a lanyard — a special strap. The lanyard provides additional convenience when removing the knife from the sheath, can be used to additionally fix the handle in the hand, to install a counterweight that facilitates chopping blows (for machetes and similar models, see "Type"), etc. The traditional strap mount is just a hole in the handle. However, in some types of knives (in particular, Swiss ones), this role can be played by a ring, which is also used to attach the knife itself to a carabiner, a bunch of keys, etc.

— Case. The classic case is an accessory that provides convenience and sometimes additional safety when storing and transporting the tool. At the same time, the difference between such an accessory and a scabbard (which perform a similar function) is that, usually, the knife is placed entirely in the case, while the sheath covers only the blade, leaving the handle outside. Accordingly, folding knives and multi-tools are usually equipped with covers, and such accessories are quite popular among awkward models. And here are the main options for materials:

• Fabric cover. The most popular variety nowadays. As a “fabric”, a durable and reliable material is usually used, resistant to abrasion, temperature extremes, ultraviolet radiation, etc.; a typical example is dense nylon ("cordura") or polyurethane fiber. Anyway, fabric covers are cheaper than leather ones and are not so demanding to care for, while they are reliable, practical, and look good, which is why they are widely used.
• Leather Case. Leather cases differ primarily in their characteristic appearance. Often such a product is not just a utilitarian addition to the knife, but a full-fledged fashion accessory, further emphasizing the style and character of the owner. And in terms of protection, leather covers are somewhat superior to fabric ones. On the other hand, genuine leather is quite expensive, requires special care rules, and in some situations may lose its appearance and performance (for example, when wet and dry quickly, the material may crack). And various leather substitutes (which can also be implied in this case) may have different characteristics — usually, they directly depend on the price.
• Carrying case. This option is indicated in our catalog in two cases: either if the manufacturer did not directly specify the specific material, or if the knife can be supplied with different types of sheaths (at the user's choice or depending on the batch / region of delivery — this point should be specified separately). However, anyway, the material can often be clarified from photographs — after all, covers are most often made of leather or fabric, and it is not difficult to distinguish between these options.

— Scabbards. This accessory, like the case, is used for convenient and safe storage and carrying of the knife. The difference lies in the fact that the sheath hides only the blade, leaving the handle open. Accordingly, it makes sense to supplement only clumsy knives with such products. Also note that the sheath is usually designed to be able to quickly remove the knife (another difference from the same cases). And here are the most popular materials used for such accessories:

• Plastic scabbard. Plastic is an inexpensive and at the same time quite practical material. Nowadays, there is a wide variety of plastic grades on the market that differ in characteristics; this allows you to choose an option for almost any purpose and price category of a knife. Thanks to this, plastic scabbards are very popular. We only note that products made from kydex (which is also formally plastic) are listed separately in our catalog.
• Kydex scabbard. Kydex was originally a trademark of Sekisui SPI, but nowadays similar materials from other manufacturers are also combined under this name. Kydex is actually a special advanced type of plastic, which is characterized by high strength, scratch resistance (it is difficult to scratch such a surface even on purpose) and general reliability. For illustration, it can be noted that even aviation fairings and marine deep-sea robots are made of such material nowadays. Thus, the scabbard is made of kydex and placed in a separate category. Of course, such products cost more than plastic ones — however, the difference in price is not as serious as one might imagine. So such scabbards can be found even in relatively simple models of knives.
• Leather scabbard. Leather scabbards have the same characteristics as sheaths made of this material. Such products look great; often they, in addition to practical functions, also play the role of fashion accessories. This material is especially well combined with hunting and tourist knives in a traditional design; in fact, such models are most often supplemented with leather scabbards. And on the practical side, the skin is distinguished by excellent strength. At the same time, this material requires certain special rules for use and care. For example, a wet leather product should dry slowly, at a low temperature — otherwise it may lose its luster and become deformed. And for a full guarantee, it is advisable to periodically treat the surface of such scabbards with special means. Also note that genuine leather is quite expensive, and various leather substitutes (which can also be used in this case) may have different characteristics — usually, they directly depend on the price.
• Fabric scabbard. The scabbard is made of dense and durable fabric — usually based on synthetic fibers (for example, nylon cordura). To protect against contact of the fabric with the blade, such products often provide an additional insert made of plastic or other dense material. However, in general, this option, for a number of reasons, is used quite rarely — mainly in relatively inexpensive knives.