... And I got bit.

Orv said:
This thread is making me rethink adding an edc folder. Might just have to stick with the blade on the leatherman
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There are plenty of folders that aren't going to come open in your pocket. Almost any modern backlock is going to have a strong bias toward staying closed until you make it open. Spyderco's new Native 5 is a prime example of a well thought out and produced backlock. If you do like liner locks, Emersons have strong detents and the ones I've had require some force to open them. ZT's frame lock 550s are known for being a real beast to get past the detent. Then they're easy to manipulate, but the detent takes some effort to overcome. I believe that Hogue's button lock folders, and some A/O Benchmades, lock closed and won't open until you unlock them. IIRC, A G Russell makes a folder that locks closed as well.
 
I had an old BM Mini-Reflex that I put a Spyderco clip on, (back then they had no clip or safety) and it was tip up carry, for some reason I always was afraid it would open in my pocket, well one day I put my hand into my pocket looking go my lighter when I felt a wet, warm feeling on my finger, I knew right then I was in trouble.

I sliced my pointer finger from the tip to half way past the second knuckle...

I swapped the clip to the other side keeping the opening side of the blade against the pocket seam solving that problem.
 
Had a GEC Barlow that had a little too metal on the kick. As a result the very point of the blade was higher when closed than it should have been. Sure enough, I put my hand in my pocket and it was pointed "tip up" and put a long shallow cut on my finger.
 
That's crazy! I never carried that Millie or had a folding knife deploy in my pocket but I have a funny story with my scrapivore I edc'd for a long time. Was at a new lady friends house "hanging out" we were on the couch and I guess I put my hand in my pocket at some time and never thought about it until I had my arm around her and I felt something wet on my hand turns out my knife slipped out a bit and sliced my finger and was bleeding all over her lol. Didn't get mad and didnt even kill the mood lol.
 
krisok said:
i've gotten bitten so many times over the years that i rarely even take note anymore unless it's close to 'stitch' country. i've got one spydie, a bob terzuola slipit that demands a blood sacrifice almost every time i open it. probably the worst was when i had a tip up kershaw with a really weak detent. I was carrying in my left pocket for some reason that day, but the clip was setup for right hand carry. I stuck my hand into my pocket for something and caught almost 3 inches of blade in that webbed area between the thumb and index finger. That one took like 15 stitches, and taught me to never make that mistake again!
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lol :D
 
I've seen more and more of this lately since "flipping" knives open has become so popular and as a result now companies are putting weaker and weaker blade detents on their knives to make these customers happy. The larger/heavier the blade is, the more important the detent strength is.

As previously mentioned the Contego is a bad one, it opens WAY too easy in the first part of it's opening cycle, I sent mine back and requested they firm it up after it opened in my pocket and it came back unimproved, I'd never carry it in the field for fear of it opening too easy in my pocket again. It's not just the blade size/weight either, it's how BM has changed the part of the blade that the axis lock slides over as the blade is opened. On my old Rift there's a noticeable "notch" the axis lock sits into when it's closed, it has to overcome this "hump" when it opens, on the Contego it's flat, and it does not hold the blade as securely. I'm sure the Contego flips open easier but I've never felt the need to try and imitate a switch blade to look cool on youtube videos.

The BM 760 was similar, the lock bar detent was not engaging the blade hole fully and retention was almost non-existent, sent it in with the Contego and it was returned also unimproved. Many of the flipper knives seem to have poor detents, my 0561 was very weak but to ZT's credit at least they returned it with a very solid detent when I sent it in.

One plus the axis locks have in this respect is they have some spring tension on them that helps keep the blade closed. If you open an axis lock blade 1/2" and let it go it goes back into the closed position, I think most of the time that helps keep the blade from opening enough for users to notice.

I give Spyderco praise for not giving in to the knife flippers, both my PMII and Manix 2 have very solid blade retention when closed. Same can be said for my Reeve, and Hogue knives. BM is usually good but hopefully other axis offerings don't have the same issue the Contego does. ZT while I like their knives almost everyone I play with has a very weak detent engagement.
 
My understanding is that having the blade snug against the side of the pocket would prevent most of these accidents from occuring? I'm left handed and have experienced the self-imposed idiocy of wearing a righty blade in the left hand pocket, allowing it open, but wouldn't it stay closed when properly clipped?
 
SteelStickler said:
My understanding is that having the blade snug against the side of the pocket would prevent most of these accidents from occuring? I'm left handed and have experienced the self-imposed idiocy of wearing a righty blade in the left hand pocket, allowing it open, but wouldn't it stay closed when properly clipped?
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In my experience yes. If it does open, it can't open far. I've had a few cut tiny holes in my pants with the tip, but that only happens when the tip barely goes inside the handle, like a UKPK, AND something in your pocket goes through the spydie hole, like a pen or some keys.

It can't open far, and can only cut with the very tip.

I have never had this happen at all with a PM2 or small Sebenza after well over a year of carrying each virtually 24/7
 
I feel a lot safer tip up than tip down. I would even move a tip down to the opposite side so it was still in the edge of my pocket. But keep lots of stuff in my pockets.
 
This is not a pocket bite but I sliced my ring finger across the back with a brand new Endura once. Deep but I pinched it closed before it bled. Went to the ER as I thought it needed a stitch. It was such a clean cut they just bandaged it and it healed fast. A week later the edge would not have been as slick and the result would have been different.

I did have a Gerber AO open in my pocket. No bite thankfully. It was tip up.
 
ToddM said:
One plus the axis locks have in this respect is they have some spring tension on them that helps keep the blade closed. If you open an axis lock blade 1/2" and let it go it goes back into the closed position, I think most of the time that helps keep the blade from opening enough for users to notice.
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That is a nice feature. I just got the protractor out and measured the four I have and the oldest, most wore in mini-grip wouldn't self-close (A.K.A. have any retention) past 15*, a BNIB grip I have will do it a little further, up to ~18*.

The manix 2 I have here is even less, ~13-14* before its totally past the "detent" but still I'll take ~15* of "forgiveness" over a tiny detent any day.
 
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Cereal_killer said:
What axis knives do you have that self-close their blades from 1/2 way?!
I just got the protractor out and measured the four I have and the oldest, most wore in mini-grip wouldn't self-close (A.K.A. have any retention) past 15*, a BNIB grip I have will do it a little further, up to ~18*.

The manix 2 I have here is even less, ~13-14* before its totally past the "detent".
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He said 1/2", not 1/2 way ;)
 
I switched to tip up in right pocket (usually way back against the edge of the pocket) from tip down in same location, after I noticed the thumb stud on a tip down CRKT would sometimes catch my pocket edge and open just enough to make me nervous.
I tend to remove one from my pocket by pushing up from the bottom on the pocket knife then grasping the top after it's cleared the pocket edge top.
 
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