That isn't to say that the commonly available locking mechanisms aren't without fault. They all have their drawbacks, some more serious than others. The most common locks are the lockback, available in a variety of configurations, and the liner lock, once rare, now becoming common on even less expensive knives.
Readers are likely quite familiar with both styles.
The quality of these locks runs the gamut, from poor to excellent, but the majority all exhibit some common failings, to one degree or another. In no particular order they include strength, actually lack thereof, reliability problems, possibility of inadvertent release, and potentially injurious action even when used properly. McHenery and Williams spent four years developing the lock and getting it patented. We received a prototype of the new knife and for the past few months have been putting it through its paces. I was awestruck.