Michael Leon Walker is an American custom knifemaker and sculptor based in

Taos, New Mexico Taos is a town in Taos County in the north-central region of New Mexico in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Initially founded in 1615, it was intermittently occupied until its formal establishment in 1795 by Nuevo México Governor Fernando C ...

. Walker is the inventor of more than 20 different knife mechanisms including the

Walker Linerlock The Linerlock is a locking mechanism for folding pocket knives. A Linerlock is a folding knife with a side-spring lock that can be opened and closed with one hand without repositioning the knife in the hand. The lock is self-adjusting for wear. ...

for which he secured a trademark in 1980.Walker, Greg (1993). Battle Blades: A Professional's Guide to Combat/Fighting Knives (Hardcover), pages 37–38

Early life

Walker began his career as a jeweler, until 1975 when his wife, Patricia Walker, gave him a Gerber knife and a copy of '' American Blade'' magazine. Walker noted similarities between his jewelry and custom art knives and decided he would try his hand at knifemaking.

Knife making

Walker began making knives full-time in 1980 with fixed-blade art knives. When a customer asked him to make sheaths for these knives, Walker found the task more labor-intensive and less enjoyable than making the knives. As a result, he decided from then on to make folding knives which would not require a sheath, which led to his development of the

. In 1981, Walker began a limited partnership with knifemaker Ron Lake. The two makers have collaborated on numerous designs including the

LAWKS The Lake and Walker Knife Safety system (LAWKS) is a patentedU.S. Patent No 5,596,808 Additional Patents Pending. addition to folding knives using the Walker Linerlock The Linerlock is a locking mechanism for folding pocket knives. A Linerlock i ...

. In 1985, Walker became a voting member of the Knifemakers' Guild. In 2004, Walker was inducted into the ''

Blade A blade is the portion of a tool, weapon, or machine with an edge that is designed to puncture, chop, slice or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they are to be used on. Historica ...

'' magazine's Cutlery Hall of Fame.

Inventions

Walker has patented or trademarked more than 20 different mechanisms related to locks and composite cutting blades on pocketknives. Most notably, Walker is known for the invention of the

in 1981, which has since become the industry standard in folding knife mechanisms. What sets Walker's design apart is a long split in one of the liners which acts as a leaf-spring in the liner of the knife accompanied. This feature cuts down on mechanical stress. An additional feature of the

Linerlock The Linerlock is a locking mechanism for folding pocket knives. A Linerlock is a folding knife with a side-spring lock that can be opened and closed with one hand without repositioning the knife in the hand. The lock is self-adjusting for wear. ...

is the addition of a ball detent. This additional feature eliminates rubbing and scratch-marks when the knife is opened and closed. Other inventions include the "Lake and Walker Safety System" or

, BLADELock, Linerlock, Ball bearing lock, and Tough Lock. Some of the production companies he has partnered with include

Spyderco Spyderco is an American cutlery company based in Golden, Colorado, producing knife, knives and knife sharpeners. Spyderco pioneered many features that are now common in folding knives, including the pocket clip, serrations, and the opening hole. ...

, Columbia River Knife and Tool, Schrade,

Böker Böker was one of the first companies to offer ceramic knives as a featured product line. History Böker traces its origin to the 17th century as a tool maker in Germany graduating to swords and blades by the 1800s. The company claims it was ...

, and Klotzli. Walker's knives and designs have inspired many other custom knifemakers, notably Bob Terzuola and

Ernest Emerson Ernest R. Emerson (born March 7, 1955) is an American custom knifemaker, martial artist, and edged-weapons expert. Originally an engineer and machinist in the aerospace industry, Emerson became a knifemaker by producing knives for a martial a ...

. Terzuola credits Walker with teaching him how to make a linerlock folder and Emerson has said that seeing a Walker knife at a gun show gave him the inspiration to become a custom knifemaker. Walker's knives can be found at Artifex Gallery in Taos, and in galleries and shows around the world.

References

External links

Walker's knives at ''Artifex Gallery'' in Taos, NM
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Michael 1949 births Living people 20th-century American inventors Artists from Taos, New Mexico Inventors from New Mexico Knife makers Sculptors from New Mexico

Early life

Knife making

Inventions

References

Further reading

External links