Best Frame Lock Folding Knives Available at KnifeCenter.com Media
Published: 5 years ago
Congratulations to Ed Medina for winning the Kizer Gemini.
The winner will be selected on Monday Feb. 11 2019. good luck!!
You must have a U.S. Shipping Address to be eligible to win.
To buy one of the best framelock knives click this link: https://bit.ly/30KfKhH
Also known as the Integral Lock, the Frame lock functions similar to a liner lock, but instead of a thin liner that holds the blade open, the entire thickness of the frame becomes a lockbar, making a secure system that only gets better when you grip harder.
The first knife we’ll be looking at is a no brainer. No list of framelocks would be complete without the Chris Reeve Sebenza. Not only is Reeve the inventor of the frame lock, they have dominated the genre for years. Originally developed in 1987, the Sebenza is still the standard by which all other framelocks are judged. Their fit and finish is impeccable and are well known for their “bank vault” solid lockup.
The classic version features this elegant drop point blade with a hollow grind, although you can also get it with a tanto, or their Insingo blade shape, which bears a modified sheepsfoot profile. Here is a well-used example of that shape that has never let me down as I have carried it.
Another maker who is almost synonymous with frame locks is Rick Hinderer, and his XM-18 sports a lot of features that have become commonplace today.
The lock bar is also enhanced with a stabilizing disc. When you’re disengaging the lock, the disc is designed to prevent overtravel or pushing the lock bar too far, which could cause premature wear.
The final improvement is a removable steel insert on the lock face. Since titanium is softer than the steel of the blade, this insert ensures consistent lockup even after heavy use.
The Zero Tolerance 0560 series deserves mention here for many of the same reasons. This highly-regarded Hinderer designed flipper is closely related to the XM-18, featuring the same stabilizing disc and lock bar insert, and sports a deep carry pocket clip and Hinderer’s “Slicer Grind,” both of which make it fantastic for edc.
Next up is a collaboration between Ray Laconico and Kizer, called the Gemini. This knife was at the forefront of a new wave of high-end imports, and impresses with tremendous precision and an astonishingly affordable price. The Gemini uses parts cut with a high-tech wire EDM machine. This method is slower than laser or waterjet but the payoff comes in the precision and tight tolerances that they can achieve. Final fit, finish, action, and sharpness of each knife is achieved entirely by hand.
The first is the SR-1 by Lionsteel, which takes the frame lock formula and adds a few innovations to make it as strong as possible
First is a single piece frame. Rather than two sides screwed together, the SR-1’s frame wraps around the spine, creating one integral monolithic piece of titanium for excellent stability. This complicates production, but the end result is stronger than any multiple piece design could ever hope to be.
We also see LionSteel’s patented Rotoblock. This enhancement allows you to screw down the stabilizing disc with a twist of your thumb. This prevents the lockbar from being disengaged and holds the 3.7” blade in an open position.
Next up is the American-made Kershaw Bareknuckle, whose lock puts a new spin on the frame lock. This model is based on the limited edition ZT0777 which introduced the new sub-frame lock mechanism. Rather than a full back frame with integrated lock bar, the sub-frame essentially takes the full lock bar and transplants it into a separate handle material. This does a couple of things.
First off, depending on the materials used, the knife can be made lighter than a full single piece metal frame, without sacrificing any lock stability.
Secondly, it opens up more aesthetic options for the back of the knife. Instead of a single texture, other materials can be used to set off the lock bar, such as carbon fiber, G10, or in the case of the Bareknuckle, anodized aluminum. Add in a fine-grained Swedish 14C28N stainless steel blade, and this is a knife that can go the distance when the going gets rough.
The final knife on our list is from Italy’s Fox Knives, and it is called the Suru. There are two versions of this knife. The base model features an aluminum frame and N690 blade steel, but that is not version we want to focus on here.
The real star is the carbon fiber version which took home the Overall Knife of the Year award at the 2018 BLADE Show. Turn the knife over and you will quickly see why.
The frame of this knife is constructed entirely of carbon fiber, up to and including the lock bar itself. Other typical frame lock features can still be found here, including an internally mounted overtravel arrestor, and the hardened steel lock bar insert that actually interfaces with the blade itself.
The winner will be selected on Monday Feb. 11 2019. good luck!!
You must have a U.S. Shipping Address to be eligible to win.
To buy one of the best framelock knives click this link: https://bit.ly/30KfKhH
Also known as the Integral Lock, the Frame lock functions similar to a liner lock, but instead of a thin liner that holds the blade open, the entire thickness of the frame becomes a lockbar, making a secure system that only gets better when you grip harder.
The first knife we’ll be looking at is a no brainer. No list of framelocks would be complete without the Chris Reeve Sebenza. Not only is Reeve the inventor of the frame lock, they have dominated the genre for years. Originally developed in 1987, the Sebenza is still the standard by which all other framelocks are judged. Their fit and finish is impeccable and are well known for their “bank vault” solid lockup.
The classic version features this elegant drop point blade with a hollow grind, although you can also get it with a tanto, or their Insingo blade shape, which bears a modified sheepsfoot profile. Here is a well-used example of that shape that has never let me down as I have carried it.
Another maker who is almost synonymous with frame locks is Rick Hinderer, and his XM-18 sports a lot of features that have become commonplace today.
The lock bar is also enhanced with a stabilizing disc. When you’re disengaging the lock, the disc is designed to prevent overtravel or pushing the lock bar too far, which could cause premature wear.
The final improvement is a removable steel insert on the lock face. Since titanium is softer than the steel of the blade, this insert ensures consistent lockup even after heavy use.
The Zero Tolerance 0560 series deserves mention here for many of the same reasons. This highly-regarded Hinderer designed flipper is closely related to the XM-18, featuring the same stabilizing disc and lock bar insert, and sports a deep carry pocket clip and Hinderer’s “Slicer Grind,” both of which make it fantastic for edc.
Next up is a collaboration between Ray Laconico and Kizer, called the Gemini. This knife was at the forefront of a new wave of high-end imports, and impresses with tremendous precision and an astonishingly affordable price. The Gemini uses parts cut with a high-tech wire EDM machine. This method is slower than laser or waterjet but the payoff comes in the precision and tight tolerances that they can achieve. Final fit, finish, action, and sharpness of each knife is achieved entirely by hand.
The first is the SR-1 by Lionsteel, which takes the frame lock formula and adds a few innovations to make it as strong as possible
First is a single piece frame. Rather than two sides screwed together, the SR-1’s frame wraps around the spine, creating one integral monolithic piece of titanium for excellent stability. This complicates production, but the end result is stronger than any multiple piece design could ever hope to be.
We also see LionSteel’s patented Rotoblock. This enhancement allows you to screw down the stabilizing disc with a twist of your thumb. This prevents the lockbar from being disengaged and holds the 3.7” blade in an open position.
Next up is the American-made Kershaw Bareknuckle, whose lock puts a new spin on the frame lock. This model is based on the limited edition ZT0777 which introduced the new sub-frame lock mechanism. Rather than a full back frame with integrated lock bar, the sub-frame essentially takes the full lock bar and transplants it into a separate handle material. This does a couple of things.
First off, depending on the materials used, the knife can be made lighter than a full single piece metal frame, without sacrificing any lock stability.
Secondly, it opens up more aesthetic options for the back of the knife. Instead of a single texture, other materials can be used to set off the lock bar, such as carbon fiber, G10, or in the case of the Bareknuckle, anodized aluminum. Add in a fine-grained Swedish 14C28N stainless steel blade, and this is a knife that can go the distance when the going gets rough.
The final knife on our list is from Italy’s Fox Knives, and it is called the Suru. There are two versions of this knife. The base model features an aluminum frame and N690 blade steel, but that is not version we want to focus on here.
The real star is the carbon fiber version which took home the Overall Knife of the Year award at the 2018 BLADE Show. Turn the knife over and you will quickly see why.
The frame of this knife is constructed entirely of carbon fiber, up to and including the lock bar itself. Other typical frame lock features can still be found here, including an internally mounted overtravel arrestor, and the hardened steel lock bar insert that actually interfaces with the blade itself.