4" assisted opening folder recommendations?

B

barfdog17

Joined
Jul 8, 2005
Messages
17
Hey there everyone, I'm on the hunt for a new folder because I had a little accident which involved spilling sulfuric acid on my kershaw whirlwind, so im looking for a new knife. I really want an assisted opener from about 3.8-5 inches. The Camillus 5.5 is too big for my taste and I'm looking for something along the styling of the SOG Trident TiNi. Thanks in advanced for the help.
 
I really like most of SOG's assited openers. I just ordered a twitch 2 and trident tigerstripe, and cant wait for them to come in. The twitch2 is a little smaller than what you re looking for, but they also make the twitch XL which clocks in around 3.5 i believe.

Benchmade's new appartition also looks to be a pretty solid looking knife. I ll probably pick one of them up sooner or later, and they can be had for ~$100.

Either way, happy hunting and I hope you find something you like.
 
Yeah, i was looking at the apparitions and they look pretty interesting, but I'm wanting something a little bit longer. While the 3 3/8" kershaw was nice, I have a Benchmade Model 43 Balisong, with a 4.25" which i think is just about the perfect size for a knife, the only problem is I can't carry that out here in california.
 
I really liked the SOG Trident. Benchmade Apparition was nice, though fancier. Either would be good.
 
The only assisted opener ive found thats close to the 4" mark is the SOG Trident, and some of Colt's older knives. I think you re going to have to go a little smaller than 4" in an assisted. Sorry for the bad news.
 
I would wait for the new studlock Bump as well. Or even better, the awsome looking Offet! Who knows when that will come out though....
 
its not so bad, i'm also rather interested in M.O.D's CQD and things such as that, in both manual and auto flavors. Just not sure if law enforcement would take kindly to an auto...even though it looks exactly that same as the manual.
 
barfdog17 said:
its not so bad, i'm also rather interested in M.O.D's CQD and things such as that, in both manual and auto flavors. Just not sure if law enforcement would take kindly to an auto...even though it looks exactly that same as the manual.
Click to expand...

The way it looks isn't what's important. The LEOs don't look at a knife if they stop and search you. They play around with it. "What's this button do?" THWACK. Then you have problems (if autos are illegal where you live).

That said, the CQD Mark 1 is a pretty spiffy lookin' knife and I'd like to have one myself (the video on the Blackhawk website is badass).

What about a Camillus Heat? ~3.65 inch blade, fastest AO I've ever seen and locks up solid with it's folded over liner lock engaging the tang at around 50%. AUS8 steel takes and holds a good edge under normal use. Mine will shave hair without touching the skin. It's a fairly heavy knife because the zytel is mounted on steel liners. Wonderful knife for under $60 most places (I got it for around $55 shipped). I have the black coated blade because I wanted something a little different (I never buy black blades) and the finish has held up well to some abuse. Very substantial blade.

Next to the Endura and Buck 110s it's the best 'inexpensive' knife I've ever owned.
 
In CA it is illegal to conceal a knife with a blade over 4inches. Other states have similar restrictions, I believe. That is why it will probably be difficult to find an assisted opener in that size. I say just go for the SOG trident.
 
What did the h2so4 do to your knife? I wouldn't have thought it would do much to steel, but then I'm no chemist. Did it hurt the finish or the actual knife?
 
I don't know of anything that's quite the right length for you, but if you can stand something just slightly smaller check out the Camillus Dominator (or the similar, but lower-end, Heat) and the Kershaw Bump.

--Bob Q
 
Knifeclerk said:
In CA it is illegal to conceal a knife with a blade over 4inches. Other states have similar restrictions, I believe. That is why it will probably be difficult to find an assisted opener in that size. I say just go for the SOG trident.
Click to expand...

Last time i read up on knife laws, california had no length limit on folding or fixed blades.
http://www.equalccw.com/knifelaw.html

And the sulfuric acid basically acted as a catalyst for oxidation. So instead of taking years to coat the blade and liners with rust, it happened in a matter of seconds.
 
Thought your dimension sounded familiar for the Camillus Heat assisted opener and here's what their site says:

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Blade Length:: 3.65" Clip
Overall Length:: 8"
Closed Length:: 4"
Blade Steel:: Cryo treated AUS 8
Handle Material:: Checkered Glass filled Zytel ®
Reversible stainless steel pocket clip
Sheath Description:: Ballistic Nylon
Warranty:: Limited lifetime warranty against defects in material and workmanship
Read about the designer
Darrel Ralph



Camillus HEAT™ :: # C2334B
MSRP $79.99

Check around and I'll bet you can beat that price.

Good luck,

LANNY :cool:
 
barfdog17 said:
Last time i read up on knife laws, california had no length limit on folding or fixed blades.
http://www.equalccw.com/knifelaw.html
Click to expand...

California's knife laws are sort of schizo(like everything else in Cali). It has some mentions of size. I have asked a few officers while I was in Cali out of curiosity. I got answers from 4" to 3.5" to "0 - they are not legal at all". Officers tend to arrest first and ask questions later. So be careful.

"626.10. Any person, except [listed officials] who brings
or possesses any dirk, dagger, knife having a blade longer
than 3-1/2 inches, folding knife with a blade that locks
into place, a razor with an unguarded blade... upon the
grounds of, or within any public school... is guilty of a
misdemeanor. "

The Ca code states 2.5" for state universities and 4" for "...any state or local public building or at any meeting required to be open to the public..."

CA code with regards to "switchblades"

California Penal code Section 653K
"Every person who possesses in the passenger's or driver's area of any motor vehicle in any public place or place open to the public, carries upon his or her person, and every person who sells, offers for sale, exposes for sale, loans, transfers, or gives to any other person a switchblade knife having a BLADE TWO (2) OR MORE INCHES IN LENGTH is guilty of a misdemeanor. For the purposes of this section, "switchblade knife" means a knife having the appearance of a pocketknife and includes a spring-blade knife, snap-blade knife, gravity knife or any other similiar type knife, the blade or blades of which are TWO (2) OR MORE INCHES LONG and can be released automatically by a flick of a button, pressure on the handle, flip of the wrist or other mechanical device, or is released by the weight of the blade or by any type of mechanism whatsoever."

I have heard that they just recently struggled to make folders with thumbstuds legal, let alone assisted openers. Good luck to y'all in Cali.

In Texas, the blade can be no longer than 5.5" fixed or folding to be concealed. However, if you have a concealed carry permit this is usually overlooked by the locals in my area - though still illegal technically. There is a gray area here as well - you can use any size knife for hunting and camping or travelling by horse or otherwise. However, in my experience with LEO's, having known many and worked with them, they are more concerned about your behavior and conduct and whether you are armed with a gun and have a permit or not.

WYK
 
Yeah, I mean in california the cops don't really seem to worry a whole lot about my "type", the guy that looks like an average easygoing college student who doesnt give off any appearance of making trouble. And my neighbor (cop) has told me, if you didn't get into any trouble with the law to begin with, you shouldn't really worry about the kind of knife you are carrying, or its size, as long as you don't draw attention to yourself.
 
The biggest, baddest, high quality assisted opener under 4" would be the Camillus Dominator (Darrel Ralph design) or the Kershaw Bump (Ken Onion design). Both are titanium handled frame locks with S30V blades at about 3.5" in length. $150-180 is the average price for either. Pick the one you like better.

The Camillus Heat is a very similar, but much more wallet friendly version of teh Dominator (replace S30V with AUS8, and titanium with Zytel).

If you want to go all out, Darrel Ralph makes his MAXX and Aftermath (AXD) knives in 4" versions. Not cheap, but top custom quality. You can range from a plain jane version to all-out carved handles and inlays and damascus blades.
 
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