US Patent 7513044 Folding knife with spring wear pin

The handle of a folding knife has an integral spring biased portion that is biased toward the blade disposed in the center of the handle. The spring biased portion locks the blade in the open position by sliding under the rear of the blade when the knife blade is rotated to the fully open position. This same spring biased portion also locks the blade in the closed position by engaging in a recess in the side of the tang of the blade when the blade is rotated to the closed position. Preferably, the spring biased portion also employs a replaceable wear pin that makes all contact with the blade when rotating between the open and closed positions thereby eliminating the wear on the spring biased portion of the handle which is typically made from a soft, biasable material such as aluminum, zinc, or plastic.