Assisted openers, what the point?

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kgriggs8

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I have tried about half a dozen AO (mostly Kershaw and BM) and I don't see the point of them.

After fumbling for the safety switch and then trying to find little nub that you need to press or push to get the blade open, I could have opened a Spyderco or BM axis lock and still had time left over.

Closing tends to be slower as well. So, what exactly is the real advantage to AO? Is it just for people that like the sound of a blade being flicked open but can't own a real switchblade? While I am at it, what is the point of switchblades anymore?

A Waved Emerson or Spyderco opens faster than any knife on the planet. A BM Axis lock not only opens fast but closes faster than any knife on the planet.

Autos and AOs, tend to be slower to open and close. They have more parts and tend to break more often. They cost more and in general, they are not made with as good of steel as non-autos and non-AOs.

My question is, what real world advantage do Autos and AOs provide in today's world? I am not bashing them or the people who own them, I get why they are fun and enjoyable. What I am after is why are they more practical? I don't believe they are but maybe I have overlooked something. I have a few autos and AOs and I like them. I just don't see where they are any faster.
 
Really, the only practical thing I can think of is really easy one hand opening, which could be important in certain situations (i.e. someone who is disabled and only has one arm, worker on a ladder, something along those lins).

The reason I bough one is mainly for the novelty. I like to collect unique knives, so I had to get an AO. They're just so fun :)

~Cody
 
I would have to agree with you. A good one hand knife clipped to your pocket quickly comes into play and goes back in the pocket no muss no fuss. No doubt that autos and AO's win as far as the cool factor goes but IMO aren't as practical as a good framelock like the Sebenza.:cool:
 
The advantage comes when your dexterity isn't all there. With an auto, you'll want one when your fingers are freezing and you're stuck in a tree by your parachute. All knives have their place IMHO.
 
kgriggs8 said:
I have tried about half a dozen AO (mostly Kershaw and BM) and I don't see the point of them.

After fumbling for the safety switch and then trying to find little nub that you need to press or push to get the blade open, I could have opened a Spyderco or BM axis lock and still had time left over.

Closing tends to be slower as well. So, what exactly is the real advantage to AO? Is it just for people that like the sound of a blade being flicked open but can't own a real switchblade? While I am at it, what is the point of switchblades anymore?

A Waved Emerson or Spyderco opens faster than any knife on the planet. A BM Axis lock not only opens fast but closes faster than any knife on the planet.

Autos and AOs, tend to be slower to open and close. They have more parts and tend to break more often. They cost more and in general, they are not made with as good of steel as non-autos and non-AOs.

My question is, what real world advantage do Autos and AOs provide in today's world? I am not bashing them or the people who own them, I get why they are fun and enjoyable. What I am after is why are they more practical? I don't believe they are but maybe I have overlooked something. I have a few autos and AOs and I like them. I just don't see where they are any faster.
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I don't know, my BM AFO and Mini Reflex both are simple mechanisims with a plunger lock and torsion spring opening system, pretty reliable, I've had both for 15 years and no problems.
 
I find my Kershaw AOs are quicker and more effortlessly deployed than comparable one hand openers. As for a safety switch... what's that? ;)
 
thats the thing that stops the knife coming open in your pocket and stabbing you in the 'gentlemans area'
 
I happen to like AOs. I find it handy when I carry my knife in my waistband, where a wave feature doesn't work well, or in my pocket, etc. I like being able to easily and fully open the blade with one hand while I hold on to something with the other. I find that I sometimes struggle with a thumb stud or hole...perhaps its my aging hands. I do like Axis locks on BMs which make one hand opening a breeze. :)
 
I collect and EDC auto knives. Yes, they are legal to EDC here in Oregon.
It is the gadget factor or fun factor that sparked my interest. My wife claims it is me going through my second childhood. :cool:

I agree that a quality folder is a better tool. Less parts = less possibility of malfunction. And with practice, you can open and close a quality folder just as fast as an auto knife. Except for a D/A OTF auto. Want to race your folder against my MT Troodon to ten openings and closings? But if speed and failure rate is all that mattered, we would all be carrying fixed blades. ;)

And we can thank the assisted openers for paving the way for the quality 'flipper' manual folders. Many custom ones are just as fast without any spring. If speed was all that mattered in a folder, we would dump traditional folders altogether and carry flippers.

I have some guns that are not much good for carry, home defense or hunting, but they are still fun to shoot.

Guess I just like having fun. :D
 
Hammer27 said:
The advantage comes when your dexterity isn't all there. With an auto, you'll want one when your fingers are freezing and you're stuck in a tree by your parachute. All knives have their place IMHO.
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Good point:thumbup:
 
In my experience, if I flick an AO open, it opens. If I do the same with a non-AO, it doesn't always engage. Maybe I'm just clumsy, but there's a difference for me.
 
trimcut123 said:
Why did you start this thread, i don't know.... But what i do know is that your HIGH LEVEL SHEEP, and should not be taken seriously...:)
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Was that REALLY necessary? You are VERY lucky that I'm in a good mood, and don't issue you an infraction.:grumpy:
 
Different strokes for different folks, but for me, the AO mechanism doesn't make opening any easier than a lot of non-AO knives. As for autos, some of them are indeed faster for opening and closing , even compared to the axis lock, but that doesn't matter to me.

In SD applications, yes I'd like to have my folder easy to open, but I've found that ability in manual, ao and auto folders. But even more important than opening a knife as fast as possible, is the ergos/security of grip, lock reliability and overall design in hand.
 
I like autos and AOs but I don't have many. I don't find them as reliable, especially in a tight situation. Who needs a powerful auto jumping out of their freezing fingers? :)

They are fun toys. My S30V Leek is a great knife in its own right, and the AO isn't so powerful that I would lose control. I use the flipper to open it, which is also fun. But a simple thumbstud or opening disk or hole, liner or frame or axis lock folder is a lot more convenient.
 
I don't have any autos but do own some SOG assisted openers and I have to say that I partly disagree with you. Not that the opening advantage is all that much greater for AO's but I can get them open quicker than non-assisted blades. Of course, I never have the safety on and find it pointless to have it on in the first place. I can open a nonassisted knife quite fast with just a flick but I find I can open an AO blade with just about any movement I want to in comparison including just bumping the thumb stud on my leg (note: I never really do this but just wanted to see if it would still open). Henceforth I think in 99.9% of situations having a AO is just a luxury, but it's still a useful mechanism. To add to that I also have known some older guys that really like them due to arthritis or joint pain.
 
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