L6 Tool Steel (carbon steel): L6 is an oil-hardening tool steel that is characterized by very good toughness. It contains approximately 1.25-2.0% Nickel, 0.65-0.75 % Carbon,   0.6 - 1.2% Chromium and  0.25 - 0.8% Manganese.  It has a maximum of 0.5%  Molybdenum. L6 is often used along with 1095 Carbon steel for the production of Damascus steel

LB 5: A lock back folding knife that is approximately five inches long in the closed position. Specifically a 5 inch folding lock back knife with 4 inch clip blade. Also call a Five inch Lockback, or 5 inch folding hunter. It is some times incorrectly called a Buck Knife due to the Buck 110 popularity.

Other similar lock-back knives of a similar style but different length are also available, for instance the LB 4 is the same pattern knife but 4 inches closed.

Laminates: Laminates normally refers to handle material made from layers of wood veneer. The layers of wood veneer are glued and pressed together under extreme heat and pressure.  This forms a wooden handle of more strength and durability than a solid block of wood.  Often the layers are either different types of veneer or are dyed different colors so that when sanded different shade or colors will appear creating patterns in the wood handles.  See also frost wood and pakkawood.

Laguiole:  A knife style originating in Laguiole, France. (pronouced lai-jyoll) Essentially, it is stylish toothpick style knife with a robust locking blade. The handle often incorporates a corkscrew at the base of the spine. They are sometimes refered to as "picinic knives"

Laser Etching: Normally applied to blades, it is a way in which a pattern is lightly scribed into the steel making a somewhat design.  Compare to scrimshaw and screen printing.

Limited edition:  An often ill-defined and therefore meaningless term used to sell knives; especially online.

Lincoln Congress: When Abraham Lincoln was assassinated he was carrying a six blade Congress knive. The blades of the knife included a large sheepfoot, and two pen blades on one side and large spear, a coping, and file/manicure blade on the other. The knife had mother of pearl handles. Today, many people refer to any six blade congress knife as a Lincoln Congress.

Liner: Thin layers a metal that line the inside channels on pocket knives.  The metal is usually softer than the blades and normally rust resistant. Favored metals are brass, nickel-silver and aluminum alloys (alox) Lower grades of stainless steel are also popular. 

Linerlock: A locking blade knife where one of the liners is slightly bent so that when the blade is in the open position it will pop out from the side and block the channel, preventing the blade from closing. THe liner then needs to be manually pushed back to the side of the channel in order to allow the blade to close. The liner lock is often consider more saft than a lock-back or bolster lock design but in reality it depends on the strength of the locking mechanism.

Linseman:  A military version of the Electrician's Knife, also commonly called a TL-29. It has a spear master blade and secondary blade that acts a screwdriver, wire stripper/bender.  The screwdriver locks in place with the aid of a liner lock.

Lockback: A locking blade knife in shich the back spring acts as a lock to hold the blade in the open position. The most popular lockback knife is probably the Buck 110. A cut away space in normally cut in the knife's spine to allow the user to depress and release the lock spring in order to allow the blade ot close.

Lockblade:  Any blade that that has a locking mechanism to keep the blade in place when opened. In order to close the locking blade some type of release mechanism must be pressed.

Lock Ring: Lock ring is a bezel at the tang end of folding knives that slides around to lock a blade open and closed. The lock ring is a patented device found chiefly on Opinel folding knives. Also called locking ring and ring lock.

Long Pull: A blade with a long groove cut in one side of the blade.  Today, the long pull is the more desired style for the collector.

Long Spear Point:  A spear point or pen blade that is unusually long, typically found in a Doctor’s knife as the primary blade.

Loom Fixer: A tradtional folding knife in the horticulture and cotton fampler family that consist of half hawk (a type of sheepfoot blade) and secondary spear or pen blade. The pattern normally lacks a lanyard hole or bale. It is also known as a "Half Hawk" See aslo Cotton Samler and Horticulture Knife.