Just how old is the linerlock

[Noa Isumi]

For many of us linerlocks are an advent of the late80s/early90s; but what if I told you they where older...much older.
How old? I dont exactly know.

But imagine my surprise watching Steve1989MREinfo open a 1944 'USN M-592 pilot survival kit' and pulling out a large Colonial 2blade jack knife with a liner lock from a 'C-1 Survival Vest' at the 10:50 mark

https://youtu.be/CKUcFhJLm34

Naturaly I had to learn more so I went to everybody's favorite online fleamarket E-something-or-ranother and found a couple.
Here's one:
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F352489986196

Looking at the pics it is definitly a liner lock with a slipjoint backspring. It seems the lock enguages to the tang front instead of the end. In this it is the same as a Victorinox OH Trekker which enguages to a matching semi-round cutout on the tang front (pic3).
The second blade is a nonlocking slipjoint wood saw (broken on the auction example).
It is a large knife with an intresting design. Its existance makes you ask; "why it wasnt used more?"

Now I do not own one and unless one falls into my hands at a steal I never will. Whether this is the 1st or not I can not say, its just the oldest I've seen. I just thought it was an interisting piece of knife history.

If anybody knows what the 1st liner-lock was please chime in. It has allways been something I took for granted as bieng modern.

Note:
Since I dont own one all pics of the Colonial are hijacked from seller linked above

[cody6268]

I want to say the mid-to-late 1930s at least--when the TL-29 went from the Schrade design where the large blade released the screwdriver to a brass or steel linerlock on the screwdriver blade.

[Noa Isumi]

Now there's an oversight on my part. I guess I never considered the humble electrician knife. Perhaps maybe because the lock was on the screwdriver instead of the main blade.
Oh well... five minutes and a fleaBay bid later; now I am adding a tl-29 to my collection. It is something I have been putting off getting for a few years now.

[Ray S]

I would concur that the liner lock dates to about the 1930's. I have a Case Tested XX fisherman's knife that the master blade has a liner lock and those were made from about 1920-1950. The Camillus Boy Scout knife (mid to late 1940's) had a lock on the screwdriver blade and their Cub Scout knife had locks on both ends.
The Colonial raft knife was also made by United Cutlery of Grand Rapids Michigan during WWII.

[Etherealicer]

According to the Liner-lock Wikipedia page, the liner-lock was patented in 1906 by Cattaraugus. In 1926 the patent expired and that is when other companies started to build knives with it.

[Poncho65]

Did not realize the liner lock was that old of a design (which isn't that old if you consider how old knives have been around) but still much older than I would have guessed  Great info guys, thanks 

[Etherealicer]

Did not realize the liner lock was that old of a design (which isn't that old if you consider how old knives have been around) but still much older than I would have guessed  Great info guys, thanks 

Just found out about Viking folding knifes, no liner lock but a very neat design... have to ask my go-to guy if I can make one with him in the near future.

[Poncho65]

Very cool design, Eth I like how the it rest against the pin inside to hold it at a certain spot

[Etherealicer]

Very cool design, Eth I like how the it rest against the pin inside to hold it at a certain spot

Good thing is 2 pins at the pivot, that should strengthen the friction.

[Humayd A R Mahomedy]

from what i recall,when Michael Walker developed the Linerlock [TM or C] as we now call it,he mentioned that his lock was based on the locking mechanism of a Roman knife.
so it actually is pretty old