Best manual open knife action?

I don't know about "smooth" that would probably be a Chris Reeves (I don't have).
Of the ones I do have :
  • Gayle Bradley One just comes open like it was on ice.
  • The Cold Steel Ti Lite IV (custom full flat ground); takes some thumb force; not too much but then fires like a bullet. THCLACK ! ! ! Draws some attention though.
  • Benchmade 710 M390 just opens so nice and quite and mater of factly. Just no big todo or attention attracting clack . . . just opens fast and quiet and plenty easily enough.

The latter two may be longer blades than you like ~4".
I actually have two Ti Lite IVs and I cut one down to be more legal / sheeple friendly and it's a more precise knife in use than the longer one in the bargain. Really LOVE 'em both !
 
Any Axis lock, hands down. That said, I love my Sebbie (Rollls Royce action), Tri-Ads (once broken in), Emerson and my various Buck 110/112s (OK, two hands, but no problem in real life).
 
For me I would say that Benchmade and my old PM2 were very solid choices but.. Going to have to go with my ZT 0630. It felt like it was on glass. I could disengage the lock and it was a race to get my thumb out of the way so it wouldn't get me. Needless to say I wasn't always the fastest.
 
My gb2 is the most comfortable. My sebenzas would be next but the thumb studs truly suck on them they are to pointy. The only reason I say second is how smooth they are. Third my BM grip just fast and stout.
 
I haven't tried most of the models mentioned, but I plan to some day. I can only vouch for the Spyderco PM2. It's smooth, quiet, fast and easy. I really like it.

Spyderco02c_zpsba113904.jpg


The first one hand opening knife I ever saw (and bought immediately) was the Buck 175 Lightning Series HTA II. Still one of my favorites. Along with that a more recent Buck, the 722 Spitfire. These are both pleasant one hand opening knives.

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It's on bearings but opens with thumb stud only. the ckf sukhoi 2.0
None of the knives mentioned are as good. But as I said it's on mrbs.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWtssDngTpT/

When someone says manual open, via thumb stud, are washers a given? Or does it matter?
 
My Southern Grind Spider Monkey with the copper handle feels a lot like a Sebenza only it takes far less thumb pressure to open. A simple thumb flick with no wrist and it flies open with a hydraulic feel.
 
Oddly enough, for me it's always been my old gerber air ranger. The detent is so perfect that when I push on the thumb stud it snaps open like its assisted.
 
My Southard Tolk is quite fast and smooth on bearings.
But I enjoy slow opening Umnumzaan and MacWasil custom and the feeling of their fluidic smoothness a lot better.
 
Why isn't a flipper considered to be manual? Is it due to the bearings in which case a washer based flipper would be ok? Or does the detent make it non manual?
 
In my collection:

Smoothest = Spyderco Resilience. The heavy blade flies out like butter once the extent is broken. Smooth slow opening if you so desire as well.

Hardest firing = Cold Steel To Lite 4. The detent is so strong but once you build enough pressure to overcome it, the blade slams open even if you try not to.
 
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Pomsbz said:
Why isn't a flipper considered to be manual? Is it due to the bearings in which case a washer based flipper would be ok? Or does the detent make it non manual?
Click to expand...
i assume a flipper isnt manual because you can only flip them out? where as a manual you can use the thumb stud to slowly or quickly release the blade.?
 
Mo2 said:
i assume a flipper isnt manual because you can only flip them out? where as a manual you can use the thumb stud to slowly or quickly release the blade.?
Click to expand...
Just tried flipping out a blade slowly. You have a point! :)
 
Pomsbz said:
Why isn't a flipper considered to be manual? Is it due to the bearings in which case a washer based flipper would be ok? Or does the detent make it non manual?
Click to expand...

My take - just the parameters of the OP's ?. He just didn't want flippers included in the answers.
 
Wowbagger said:
I don't know about "smooth" that would probably be a Chris Reeves (I don't have).
Of the ones I do have :
  • Gayle Bradley One just comes open like it was on ice.
  • The Cold Steel Ti Lite IV (custom full flat ground); takes some thumb force; not too much but then fires like a bullet. THCLACK ! ! ! Draws some attention though.
  • Benchmade 710 M390 just opens so nice and quite and mater of factly. Just no big todo or attention attracting clack . . . just opens fast and quiet and plenty easily enough.

The latter two may be longer blades than you like ~4".
I actually have two Ti Lite IVs and I cut one down to be more legal / sheeple friendly and it's a more precise knife in use than the longer one in the bargain. Really LOVE 'em both !
Click to expand...


my Ti-Lite VI is the smoothest one, more than my more expensive folders.
It must be the blade's shape, length and weight but it feels as a vaseline coated glass on an ice rink

Yxskb3P.jpg
 
I honestly havent had the same experience most on here have had with sebenzas. I found them OK but nothing great. A fast flick opening was decent about on par with a techno. I think my dragonfly salt knives are smoother than any sebenza I have owned.
 
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