Update on the Mike Franklin folder.

Going back through my records, I see that the actual period when Mike made this knife was 1988, not in 1980-1981 as memory had it.

Also, doing a bit of research online, Bernard Levine reported in 1997 that Michael Walker used a détente on his liner lock in 1984 (see: http://www.knife-expert.com/liners.txt ). Reaching out to Walker via his website I sent a message asking when he first used a détente on his liner lock but have not received a reply.

Looking further, I find a patent that included the ball détente was issued to Michael Walker with Buck Knives as the assignee in 1989. See: https://patents.google.com/patent/US4896424.

So…I am left to wonder a couple of things.

To wit, just when Walker actually came up with the détente as a feature on his liner lock mechanism? If it was before my conversation with Mike Franklin in about 1988, why was Walker’s design not patented until 1989. Perhaps he filed much earlier, but it took some years for the patent to be issued.

And…if Walker’s solution was before Mike made the knife I own…did Mike not already know (in 1988) that Walker had found a way to keep the blade with the liner lock mechanism from slipping open accidentally? Or did Walker not make known his design with the détente pending the issuance of his patent?

I don’t anticipate that this will be resolved unless Walker were to come forward and give a sure date or time period for first using the détente, and whether his détente feature was generally known before the patent was issued.

In any event, for whatever interest, here are photos of the 1988 Mike Franklin knife with the ball détente retention mounted through the front bolster of the knife. The slotted screw just behind the pivot is the one that adjusts tension on the ball détente.