Troubles Knife Review: The Roundhouse Lock That Breaks the Rules

Introduction

Right now we are living in a golden age of pocket knives. Value is incredible, the variety of locking mechanisms keeps growing, and it is a genuinely fun time to be in this hobby. The Troubles, a new knife that has just launched on Kickstarter, is a good example of why: it debuts the Roundhouse lock, a mechanism that is somehow both a liner lock and a button lock, yet nothing like either one.

How the Roundhouse Lock Works

Most knife fans know the two benchmarks. A liner lock uses a section of the frame that is flat where it engages the blade and bent to sit away from it, usually with a cutout to help it flex. A button lock works differently: a pin rotates around the blade, pressing on it for its detent and eventually engaging a slot cut into the blade.

The Roundhouse lock has a liner and it has a button, but the button does not do what you would expect. Pressing the button does not push the liner further in; it does the opposite. That counterintuitive pairing is what makes this mechanism genuinely new rather than a remix of familiar parts.

There is real logic behind it. Unlike a standard liner lock, the liner here is perfectly straight while engaging the blade in the open position. Any impact from behind the blade pushes directly along the line of the liner instead of creating angled pressure that lets a bent liner flex. That points toward better strength and security. Because the liner can in theory be made bigger and thicker than a standard one and buried in the frame, the cutouts do not have to show, which helps aesthetics too.

Button locks are rarely the most secure designs, and they can be fidgety. The Roundhouse still works like a button lock, but the large button requires a genuinely determined press rather than an accidental nudge, which adds a sense of security without hurting deployment. The knife still drops shut freely, and stopping the blade mid-close applies notable pressure, which suggests the lock is doing real work.

The Knife Beyond the Lock

Forget the mechanism for a moment and the Troubles still stands on its own. It uses an S35VN Tanto blade with a hollow grind, and the stock behind the edge is impressively thin. This knife is a laser beam. The compound grind gives you a strong piercing tip from the Tanto and a beautifully slicey hollow grind behind it.

The handles are milled titanium, with a milled titanium pocket clip, and the design appears set up for a wire clip as well. Some details have been tweaked since the Kickstarter launch, which is normal at this stage. It is also a front flipper in addition to a back flipper, and it can be reversibly selected, something the lock design may make possible.

One caveat: the thumb cutout sits very close to the frame, and many people will find it difficult to open one-handed. It does open easily two-handed. Because this is still a prototype, there is an obvious improvement worth suggesting: moving the back flipper further forward would keep the hand out of the way when using the front flipper and give more leverage, making the detent more forgiving.

Should You Back It?

If you are into something new and want to try something genuinely different, the Troubles is exactly that. The lock is more complicated than a button lock or a liner lock, and it is unlikely to appear in less expensive knives anytime soon. But it combines advantages of both approaches, and the straight engaging liner could prove to be more than just novelty.

S35VN is a smart steel choice here, since it should help keep the finished cost reasonable while bringing something genuinely interesting to market. As it stands, this is a great knife even without major changes, and the compound Tanto hollow grind alone earns it a spot on a shortlist. Whether the Roundhouse lock becomes a trend or stays a curiosity is an open question, but the knife itself makes a strong case.

Conclusion

The Troubles is one of the more original folder designs to hit Kickstarter recently: a slicey S35VN Tanto with milled titanium handles and a lock mechanism that blurs the line between two familiar designs. If the Roundhouse lock delivers on its promise of a stronger, straight liner with button-lock convenience, early backers are getting in on something special. If you have been looking for a reason to try something different, this is a good one.