What Is the Recoil Lock?
The Recoil Lock is CJRB and Artisan Cutlery's take on the crossbar-style locking family. If you've handled a Benchmade-style AXIS lock or a Vosteed crossbar lock, you already know the basic idea: a spring-loaded locking bar travels back and forth inside the handle, perpendicular to the blade. Pull the bar back, the blade swings free; let go, and the spring drives the bar forward into a notch on the blade tang. The name comes from that snap — the bar literally recoils back into the locked position.
Artisan Cutlery's own Recoil Lock collection page sums up the pitch: "Experience the power of superior security with Recoil Lock knives. Quick, safe, and secure — ideal for demanding tasks." The current generation, Recoil Lock V2, is what ships on the CJRB Bolt, the CJRB Doubletap, the Artisan Cutlery Doubletap, and the Simoon.
This is the same mechanical territory we've covered for other locks in the crossbar lock explainer and the Axis vs button vs crossbar comparison — but the Recoil Lock has its own personality, and it's worth a closer look on its own. If you want the wider context on how folding-knife locks evolved into this family, the pocketknife history on Wikipedia is a good starting point.
How the Recoil Lock Works
Inside the handle, the Recoil Lock's locking bar is housed in a channel with a spring behind it. Two thumb studs stick out through slots on both sides of the handle, which is what makes the lock fully ambidextrous — you can release it with either hand without changing your grip.
The closing sequence is the payoff: pinch the studs and pull toward the rear of the knife, the bar slides back and clears the tang notch, and the blade drops shut. Your fingers never enter the blade path, so there's no risk of closing the edge onto your hand the way a slip joint or lockback can. Because the bar engages the tang from both sides, lock-up feels solid and symmetric — there's no single-sided lockbar flex to think about.
A few details worth knowing:
- Spring tension does the work. The bar is always trying to spring forward into the tang notch. That's the "recoil."
- V2 is the current generation. CJRB and Artisan Cutlery list Recoil Lock V2 on the current Bolt, Doubletap, and Simoon models — the refined version of the earlier mechanism.
- Ceramic ball bearings on the pivot. Every Recoil Lock V2 knife in the current lineup pairs the lock with a ceramic ball-bearing pivot, which is what makes the blade drop so freely once released. See our pivot bearing guide for how that system works.
One thing that surprises people the first time they handle a Recoil Lock knife is how much the action depends on the spring channel staying clean. Because the bar is exposed through the handle slots, pocket lint and metal dust can work their way in and make the draw feel gritty. The fix is simple — flush the channel with a solvent, let it dry, and add a drop of light oil — but it's worth knowing before you buy, especially if your EDC sees dirty environments. The same advice applies to every crossbar-style lock, which is one reason the lock bar tension guide gets as much traffic as it does.
Recoil Lock vs Crossbar vs Button vs Liner
| Feature | Recoil Lock | Crossbar (AXIS-style) | Button Lock | Liner / Frame Lock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambidextrous | Yes | Yes | Yes (usually) | Mostly right-handed |
| One-hand close | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, with practice |
| Fingers in blade path | No | No | No | Possible |
| Spring component | Internal coil spring | Omega springs (AXIS) or internal | Plunger spring | Liner spring / frame flex |
| Fidget factor | High | High | High | Medium |
| Examples here | Bolt, Doubletap, Simoon | Vosteed Raccoon, Corgi | CIVIVI Cogent, Revel | Kizer Begleiter, Artisan Fragarach |
If you want the full scorecard on which lock is actually strongest, the lock strength test article is the deep dive — the short version is that modern crossbar-style locks like the Recoil Lock hold up well because the bar engages both sides of the tang.
Pros and Cons of the Recoil Lock
What it does well:
- Truly ambidextrous. Both thumb studs work identically, so lefties get the same experience.
- One-hand close without risk. Pulling the bar clears the blade path completely.
- Strong, symmetric lock-up. The bar captures the tang on both sides.
- Great fidget factor. The recoil snap is satisfying, and the lock wears in smoothly over time.
What to watch for:
- Grit is the enemy. The bar rides in an open channel, so pocket lint and grit can slow the action. A quick flush and re-lube keeps it crisp — the cleaning and lubrication guide covers the routine.
- Spring behavior changes with use. Like any spring-loaded lock, tension can change over time. Our lock bar tension article explains what you're feeling when a lock gets stiffer or looser.
- Less common than liner locks. Fewer brands use it, so aftermarket parts and familiarity are thinner — though the growing Bolt/Doubletap ecosystem helps.
The Recoil Lock V2 Lineup
The Recoil Lock family spans a huge price range, which makes it a great case study in how far the same mechanism can go:
CJRB Bolt J1960 — the entry point, and the model that put the Recoil Lock on the map. 3.25-inch drop point, flat grind, 7.46-inch overall, ceramic ball bearing pivot.
- AR-RPM9 blade with G10 handles, $49.99 (blue, black, or green)
- S90V blade with green micarta handles, $90.23
- S90V blade with titanium handles, $199.99
The Bolt in blue G10 is the purest budget expression, and it's one of the best sub-$50 crossbar-style knives you can buy. AR-RPM9 is a powder-metallurgy steel that lands in the same value conversation as 9Cr18MoV — our 9Cr18MoV vs 8Cr13MoV comparison and the AR-RPM9 buying guide give it context. CJRB's Bolt product page carries the full official spec sheet if you want to compare handle options before ordering.
CJRB Doubletap J1970 — the bigger, bolder take: 3.86-inch D2 blade, 9.1-inch overall, and a 0.19-inch blade stock that gives it real workhorse presence.
- D2 blade with G10 handles, $69.99 (blue, black, or desert)
- D2 blade with 7075-T6 aluminum handles, $80 (gray or green)
- D2 blade with carbon fiber handles, $74.99
- CPM-S35VN blade with crystal titanium handles, $300 — the flagship of the family
The Doubletap in gray aluminum shows how far the design scales, and the crystal titanium S35VN version is a legitimate premium statement piece for $300.
Artisan Cutlery Doubletap 1888P — Artisan's own version of the Doubletap with a D2 blade and G10 handles at $93.33. Same mechanism, same geometry, Artisan branding.
Artisan Cutlery Simoon 1882 — the wildcard. The Simoon pairs the Recoil Lock V2 with a Bowie-style AR-RPM9 blade (3.47 inches, 7.99-inch overall) at $49.99 in blue, green, or black G10. If you want the recoil action with a blade shape that stands out from every drop point in the lineup, this is the one. Check the Simoon listing for the full spec.
| Model | Blade | Handle | Lock | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CJRB Bolt J1960 | AR-RPM9 3.25" | G10 | Recoil Lock V2 | $49.99 |
| CJRB Bolt J1960 | S90V 3.25" | Micarta | Recoil Lock V2 | $90.23 |
| CJRB Bolt J1960 | S90V 3.25" | Titanium | Recoil Lock V2 | $199.99 |
| CJRB Doubletap J1970 | D2 3.86" | G10 | Recoil Lock V2 | $69.99 |
| CJRB Doubletap J1970 | D2 3.86" | 7075-T6 Aluminum | Recoil Lock V2 | $80 |
| CJRB Doubletap J1970 | S35VN 3.86" | Crystal Titanium | Recoil Lock V2 | $300 |
| ArtisanCutlery Doubletap 1888P | D2 3.86" | G10 | Recoil Lock V2 | $93.33 |
| ArtisanCutlery Simoon 1882 | AR-RPM9 3.47" Bowie | G10 | Recoil Lock V2 | $49.99 |
Who Should Carry a Recoil Lock Knife
Anyone who wants crossbar-lock convenience without paying Benchmade prices. The Bolt at $49.99 is the easiest recommendation in the category — it's a real, ambidextrous, one-hand-close lock on a knife that costs less than most liner-lock folders. If you're a lefty, the Recoil Lock family is one of the cheapest ways into a genuinely ambidextrous mechanism, alongside the button lock options from Kizer and CIVIVI.
It's also worth noting where the Recoil Lock sits relative to its sibling: Artisan Cutlery Group runs both CJRB and Artisan Cutlery, and the same mechanism shows up in both catalogs with different branding and blade stocks. That's unusual — most brands keep one lock per tier. It means you can compare the CJRB Bolt's AR-RPM9 blade against the Artisan Simoon's Bowie profile at the same $49.99 price, and decide based on blade shape rather than lock quality, because the lock is the same V2 unit in both. For reference on how single-sided locks behave, the liner lock entry on Wikipedia explains the older mechanism these designs improve on.
If you like the mechanism but want more blade presence, step up to the Doubletap. And if a Bowie-shaped blade with a fidget-friendly lock sounds like your kind of carry, the Simoon is a no-brainer at $49.99.
FAQ
What is the Recoil Lock? The Recoil Lock is CJRB and Artisan Cutlery's spring-loaded crossbar-style lock: a locking bar inside the handle that snaps forward into the blade tang, released by pulling two thumb studs back from either side.
Is the Recoil Lock the same as a crossbar lock? It's in the same family — a spring-loaded bar traveling perpendicular to the blade — but it's CJRB/Artisan's own design, currently in its V2 generation on the Bolt, Doubletap, and Simoon.
Is the Recoil Lock ambidextrous? Yes. Thumb studs on both sides of the handle release the lock identically from either hand, and closing never puts your fingers in the blade path.
Which knives use the Recoil Lock V2? The CJRB Bolt J1960, CJRB Doubletap J1970, Artisan Cutlery Doubletap 1888P, and Artisan Cutlery Simoon 1882, priced from $49.99 to $300.
How do you maintain a Recoil Lock? Keep the bar channel free of grit by flushing it during cleaning and re-lubricating with a light oil. Spring tension changes over time are normal; see our lock bar tension guide for what to expect.