FAQ: Is there a folding knife that's as strong as a fixed blade?

In a word: No.

There's no such think as a folding knife with a locking mechanism that makes it the equivalent of a fixed blade. It just doesn't exist.

You should never subject a folding knife to the same kind of stress that a fixed-blade knife can handle. To be honest, we never completely trust a locking mechanism, no matter how good it is.

Now, although a folding knife will never be a fixed blade, if you're willing to use it within its limits, there are plenty of stout folders available with solid locking mechanisms. Generally speaking we like the simple framelock, like that found on products from Chris Reeve Knives, Zero Tolerance, Three Sisters Forge and a few others. And we love the AXIS mechanism from Benchmade.

Like we said, we never use a locking folder without remembering that it's still a folding knife. No mechanism is perfect and no folder can trade blows with a fixed blade. But when a folder is the right tool for the job, there's a range of options equipped with confidence-inspiring locks -- just don't get cocky.