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    • Lockback

    Case Lockback Knives

    Most Case traditionals are slip joints with no lock. This category gathers the patterns that lock: the compact Lockback, the dress-knife Executive Lockback, the featherweight Mini Blackhorn, the Caliber Small Lockback, and the Mini Copperlock, each holding its blade open until you deliberately release it.

    At Knifeworks, you're buying from an authorized Case dealer: every knife here carries Case's Limited Lifetime Manufacturer's Warranty, in Tru-Sharp Surgical Stainless Steel. Most of this lineup releases with a top-mounted tumbler rather than a traditional backlock lever, a design Case calls its "Small Lockback" family.

    Handles range from bone and G-10 to brushed stainless steel and lightweight Zytel, including military branch tributes, automotive collabs, and a hand-worked full metal handle piece for collectors. Every knife here is made in the USA.

    How is the Mini Copperlock's lock different from the others here?The Lockback, Executive Lockback, Mini Blackhorn, and Caliber release with a tumbler at the top of the handle. The Mini Copperlock uses a traditional backlock instead, released by pressing a lever along the spine — both hold the blade equally securely.

    Call 888-225-9775 — we carry the Case Lockback family daily and can help you pick the right size and handle.

    Six Locking Patterns In StockLockback, Executive Lockback, Mini Blackhorn, Caliber & Mini Copperlock.
    Military, Automotive & Collector EditionsNavy, Army, USMC, BSA, Chevrolet, Ford & hand-worked metal handles.
    Authorized Case DealerLimited Lifetime Manufacturer's Warranty on every knife.
    Same or Next Business Day ShippingShips from Columbia, Louisiana. Questions? Call 888-225-9775.
    Compare Selected

    The Case Lockback Buyer's Guide (2026)

    Six patterns, one shared idea: a blade that locks open. Here's how to tell them apart and pick the right one.

    The Case Lockback Family: Six Patterns, One Mechanism+

    Case built its name on slip joints — no lock, held open only by spring tension. The Lockback family is the exception: the compact Lockback, the dress-styled Executive Lockback, the featherweight Mini Blackhorn, and the Caliber Small Lockback all belong to what Case calls its Small Lockback family — 11 named patterns that trade the slip joint's spring tension for a mechanism that locks the blade fully open.

    The Mini Copperlock also appears in this category: it locks the blade too, but through a different mechanism built on the Copperlock platform rather than the Small Lockback family (see the Copperlock category page for the full Copperlock and Mini Copperlock lineup).

    Tumbler-Release vs. Backlock — Two Ways These Knives Lock+
    PatternRelease Mechanism
    Lockback, Executive Lockback, Mini Blackhorn, CaliberTumbler — a button at the top of the handle you push to release the lock
    Mini CopperlockBacklock — a lever along the spine you press down to release the lock

    Both mechanisms hold the blade open with no play until you deliberately release it; the difference is only where and how you press to close the knife. Every pattern here opens by hand via a nail nick or thumb notch, with no assisted opening.

    TipIf you're used to a traditional slip joint, the tumbler release takes a moment to learn — look for the raised button at the top of the handle, opposite the blade's pivot.
    Pattern Size Guide: Lockback, Executive Lockback, Mini Blackhorn & Mini Copperlock+
    PatternClosed LengthWeightBlade
    LockbackApproximately 3.00 inApproximately 1.9 oz2.25 in Drop Point
    Executive LockbackApproximately 3.00 inApproximately 1.4 ozLocking Drop Point
    Mini BlackhornApproximately 3.13 inApproximately 1.0 ozLocking Drop Point
    Mini CopperlockApproximately 3.625 inApproximately 2.0 oz2.75 in Clip Point

    The Caliber Small Lockback shares the Lockback's compact platform in a lightweight Zytel handle, and the one-off Special Features full metal handle piece lands close to the Mini Blackhorn's footprint at about 3 1/8" closed and 1.0 oz.

    Handle Materials — Bone, G-10, Brushed Steel & Zytel+

    The base Lockback runs smooth bone, synthetic, and G-10 handles with nickel silver bolsters, the same traditional look as Case's slip joints. Executive Lockback instead wears a Brushed Stainless Steel handle for a dressier, more formal look. Mini Blackhorn and Caliber both use lightweight Zytel for the smallest possible everyday-carry footprint, including a camo-pattern Caliber option. One Lockback SKU ships with a fully hand-worked (engraved) stainless steel handle rather than a smooth or synthetic one, aimed squarely at collectors.

    Collector & Tribute Editions — Military, Automotive & More+

    Executive Lockback carries officially licensed U.S. Navy, Army, and Marine Corps editions, plus a Case x WOODCHUCK collaboration. Mini Blackhorn has been released in Boy Scouts of America, Navy, Harley-Davidson, Chevrolet, and Ford branding, and the base Lockback includes a Boy Scouts of America edition of its own. These are handle and bolster artwork variations on the same locking platforms described above, not a different blade or mechanism.

    Blade Steel — Tru-Sharp Surgical Stainless Steel Throughout+

    Every knife in this category runs Case's Tru-Sharp Surgical Stainless Steel, mirror-polished (or, on the Special Features piece, left as-ground) on a Drop Point or Clip Point blade. It's a low-maintenance, easy-to-sharpen steel with strong corrosion resistance, the same steel used across most of Case's traditional lineup.

    Lockback Quick Reference — Find Your Knife in 30 Seconds+
    I need a knife for…Best ChoiceBudgetKey Feature
    Everyday carry with a classic bone handleLockback, smooth or jigged bone$78–$84Tumbler release, 3.00" closed
    A dressier knife for a shirt pocket or deskExecutive Lockback, Brushed Stainless Steel$40–$50Metal handle, 1.4 oz
    The lightest possible locking folderMini Blackhorn, lightweight Zytel$20–$31About 1.0 oz, 3.13" closed
    A budget-friendly locking EDCCaliber Small Lockback$27Lightweight Zytel, camo option available
    A larger locking blade with a Clip PointMini Copperlock$72–$90Backlock, 2.75" blade, 3.625" closed
    A military or service tribute keepsakeExecutive Lockback or Mini Blackhorn tribute edition$30–$43Officially licensed branch artwork
    A one-of-a-kind collector's pieceSpecial Features, Full Worked Metal Handle$56Hand-engraved stainless steel handle

    Case Lockback: Frequently Asked Questions

    Answers from Knifeworks' team on the Case Lockback family.

    What is the best Case Lockback for everyday carry?+

    The base Lockback in smooth or jigged bone covers the widest range of everyday tasks at a comfortable 3.00" closed length. If weight matters most, the Mini Blackhorn in lightweight Zytel is the lightest locking option here at about 1.0 oz.

    What's the difference between the Lockback, Executive Lockback, and Mini Blackhorn?+

    All three use the same tumbler-release locking mechanism and a Drop Point blade in Tru-Sharp stainless steel. The Lockback wears a traditional bone or synthetic handle, the Executive Lockback wears a dressier Brushed Stainless Steel handle, and the Mini Blackhorn uses a lightweight Zytel handle for the smallest, lightest package of the three.

    How do I open and close a Case Lockback?+

    Open it by hand via the nail nick, same as any traditional Case folder. To close it, push the tumbler at the top of the handle to release the lock, then fold the blade back in.

    Is the Mini Copperlock the same mechanism as the other Lockbacks here?+

    No. The Mini Copperlock uses a traditional backlock released by pressing a lever along the spine, while the Lockback, Executive Lockback, Mini Blackhorn, and Caliber release with a tumbler at the top of the handle. Both lock the blade equally securely; they just release differently.

    Is the Case Lockback legal to carry?+

    Every knife in this category is a manually opened folding knife with no assisted opening, which is permitted in most jurisdictions where ordinary folding knives are legal to carry. Knife laws vary by state and city, so confirm your local regulations before carrying.

    What steel do these knives use?+

    Every knife in this category uses Case's Tru-Sharp Surgical Stainless Steel, a low-maintenance steel with strong corrosion resistance and easy touch-up sharpening.

    What's the "Special Features Full Worked Metal Handle" knife?+

    It's a one-off Lockback variant with a fully hand-engraved stainless steel handle and an as-ground (rather than mirror-polished) Drop Point blade, built as a collector's piece rather than a standard catalog colorway.

    What warranty comes with the Case Lockback?+

    Every knife in this category carries Case's Limited Lifetime Manufacturer's Warranty.

    Authorized Case Dealer · Six Locking Patterns In Stock

    Find Your Case Lockback

    Ships same or next business day from Columbia, Louisiana, backed by Case's Limited Lifetime Manufacturer's Warranty. Call 888-225-9775 with any questions.

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