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A folding knife includes a handle having a locking surface, a blade coupled to the handle and configured to rotate, relative to the handle, between a closed position and an open position, and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism includes a locking post coupled to the blade and configured to mo

A folding knife includes a handle having a locking surface, a blade coupled to the handle and configured to rotate, relative to the handle, between a closed position and an open position, and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism includes a locking post coupled to the blade and configured to move along a slot between a locking and a releasing position, with a biasing member configured to bias the post in the direction of the locking position. The post includes studs positioned above and below the plane of the blade. The studs may be rotatable around the axis, and the slot is positioned such that, when the blade is in the open position, the post may be moved toward the locking position until a face of the stud engages a locking surface of the handle, thereby locking the blade in the open position.

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The invention claimed is: 1. A folding knife, comprising: a handle having a locking surface on an end face thereof; a blade having a tang end rotatably coupled to the handle to pivot about a first axis between a closed position and an open position; and a locking post slideably coupled to the blade

The invention claimed is: 1. A folding knife, comprising: a handle having a locking surface on an end face thereof; a blade having a tang end rotatably coupled to the handle to pivot about a first axis between a closed position and an open position; and a locking post slideably coupled to the blade and at least a portion being rotatable about a second axis that is parallel to the first axis, the post having at least one face that is substantially flat, and whose contour conforms to a contour of the locking surface and engages the locking surface when the blade is in the open position, to lock the blade in the open position, the handle further including a sloping shoulder on the end face, and a corner between the shoulder and the locking surface, the shoulder and corner positioned such that, as the blade is rotated toward the open position, the post makes contact with the sloping shoulder and, as the blade continues to rotate toward the open position, is compelled by the sloping shoulder to move generally toward the point end of the blade until it passes the corner, whereupon the post is able to move toward the tang end of the blade. 2. The folding knife of claim 1 wherein, when the post makes contact with the sloping shoulder, the flat face makes contact with the sloping shoulder and slides along the sloping shoulder as the blade rotates toward the open position, the post rotating such that the face stays in contact with the corner as the post passes the corner, the flat face of the post sliding into contact with the locking surface as the blade rotates to the open position. 3. A folding knife, comprising: a handle; a blade having a tang end coupled to the handle, the blade configured to rotate, relative to the handle, around a first axis, between a closed position and an open position; and a locking mechanism coupled to the blade and configured to engage a locking surface of the handle when the blade is in the open position, and including a locking post configured to move between a locking and a releasing position, a portion of the locking post being rotatable relative to the blade, the locking post including a stud having a polygonal shape, the stud being configured to engage a feature of the handle with any one of the polygonal facets to lock the blade in the open position. 4. The folding knife of claim 3 wherein the polygonal stud is hexagonal. 5. A folding knife, comprising: a handle having a locking surface on an end face thereof; a blade having a tang end rotatably coupled to the handle to pivot about a first axis between a closed position and an open position; and a locking post slideably coupled to the blade and at least a portion being rotatable about a second axis that is parallel to the first axis, the post including a stud that is hexagonal in shape, is positioned above a plane defined by the blade, and has at least one face whose contour conforms to a contour of the locking surface and engages the locking surface when the blade is in the open position, to lock the blade in the open position, the at least one face being one of six faces of the stud. 6. The folding knife of claim 5 wherein, when the blade is in the open position, the post is configured to slide along a line that converges with a plane defined by the locking surface. 7. The folding knife of claim 6 wherein the plane and the line converge at an angle of less than ten degrees. 8. The folding knife of claim 5 wherein the post is configured to slide along a slot formed in the blade. 9. The folding knife of claim 8, further comprising a biasing member configured to bias the post generally toward the tang of the blade. 10. The folding knife of claim 9 wherein the biasing member is positioned in the slot between the post and a point end of the blade. 11. The folding knife of claim 9 wherein the biasing member is positioned in the slot between the post and the tang end of the blade. 12. The folding knife of claim 5 wherein the handle includes an additional locking surface positioned adjacent to the locking surface such that, when the blade is rotated to the open position, the post is received between the locking surface and the additional locking surface and the blade is prevented from rotating beyond the locking position from the closed position. 13. The folding knife of claim 5 wherein the locking post includes an additional stud positioned below the plane defined by the blade. 14. The folding knife of claim 5 wherein the locking post includes a pin that is not rotatable with respect to the blade, and a stud that is rotatably fixed to the pin. 15. The folding knife of claim 14 wherein the stud is fixed to the pin off-center. 16. The folding knife of claim 5 wherein the stud varies in diameter along the second axis. 17. The folding knife of claim 16 wherein the stud has a first diameter at a portion of the stud closest to the blade and a second diameter, different from the first diameter, at a portion of the stud further from the blade. 18. The folding knife of claim 17 wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter. 19. The folding knife of claim 17 wherein the second diameter is greater than the first diameter. 20. The folding knife of claim 19 wherein the stud has a conical taper from the first diameter to the second diameter.