Assisted Openers

K

Knicked Digits

Joined
Dec 24, 2016
Messages
256
I have noticed a slight stigmatism here and there in my delve into threads about assisted openers. Why? Being inexperienced in anything but washers and torsion bars I've heard about bearings (which would be awesome to try) but unless the locking system is a ball or bar and the action on both are, at least from my research, "buttery smooth" or "wicked fast" in comparison to each other what is the difference between the two? In guessing preference but I'd like to know from experienced people not just my google-chi and YouTube-fu.

Thanks-a-bunchamus
 
My issues with Assisted Open:
1. It usually leaves no option to quietly and discretely deploy the blade with one hand. Not a good situation in a crowded office to have a blade fly open and go "THWACK!!!"
2. With many models a broken torsion bar will mean the blade can no longer be retained in the handle making the knife unusable until repaired.
3. Assisted Open is often used to hide poor tolerances, bad fit and finish and cheap components. A big enough spring will make a brick fly across the room.
4. Unless pocketed in a particular way, AO knives are the most prone to bite you or deploy without intention.

That's all for starters...;)
 
My dislike for AO knives comes from my experience of closing them one-handed. The resistance of the spring makes it feel somewhat unsafe. Given that they are unnecessary, I therefore avoid them.
 
I haven't owned an assisted open knife in a good long while until a maybe a month ago when I received my first ZT 0566cf. I was kind of concerned with whether I'd like it or not because I've been spoiled with my Spydies and Benchmade's where they just fly open with the use of my thumb.

After carrying this 0566 for a few weeks, I have to say I still love a smooth manual more. I feel I have total control over how I open and close the knife. I can open my Ritter Mini Griptilian just as fast as I can open this ZT. Same with my Sage 5. So I don't really see the benefit of the torsion bar. It just complicates things. Makes opening the knife a little tougher, and I almost always close this with 2 hands. I still love the knife, but I really think I'd love it more without the assist. That may be happening sooner, rather than later.

I'd rather have a fullly automatic knife than a spring assisted one.
 
SpySmasher said:
My dislike for AO knives comes from my experience of closing them one-handed. The resistance of the spring makes it feel somewhat unsafe. Given that they are unnecessary, I therefore avoid them.
Click to expand...

This is my only reason for not using them anymore. I will admit, I want to get another one again, just to have, but it wouldn't replace anything as I enjoy the ease of one-handed use of my current EDC's.

Another claim I often hear is that it's another piece to break. I don't know how many actually break but there is the added parts.

The only AO I've had were kershaws since I think they do a good job to do AO for a tight budget. Nicer knives, IME, get smoother pivots and the assisted kind of becomes less useful in that regard, IMO, because they already open so nice from being smooth. I guess this kind of picks up Hackenslash's comment about them being good at hiding poor tolerances, which is when I actually appreciate them on the budget kershaws. It kind of gives the cheaper knife a feel of being more valuable. I actually really liked my scallion which was the last AO and kershaw I owned. At some point, I'm going to end up with a leek.
 
The torsion bar will break at some point.
They fly open and make a loud sound.
They have a bias against closure so it's harder to close the blade one handed.
Often there is no detent.
AO is typically found on low end knives.

Plenty of reasons to avoid it. The only benefit is the knife will open fast. I don't need a knife to open faster than I can do it with thumb studs or a Spyderhole.
 
I don't like flippers or triggers sticking out the back of my knife, lockbacks are my preferred locking mechanism, and I don't like my knives opening with a flick or to even open quickly at all for that matter.
I own quite a few assisted openers , but they're just flea market specials that I collect as novelties.
Sometimes I like to sit around and just flick them open for fun, but I'd never want a real knife that was assisted opening.
As for other people there's probably the fact that they only open one way, but they may also gave been put of by the whole concept from the millions of flea market assisted's out there.
 
I am more an more in standard manual+washer knives.m but it was an assisted ZT0350 that started everything about knives for me ;)
I still keep my 0350, it is a good user and I never had any issues over the last 7 years with it
 
I don't go out of my way looking for AO, but if I see a knife that I fall in love with, it won't stop me.
BM Emissary and BM 581 are 2 knives that I love the looks of. Great materials on both and I also really like Benchmade. Wish they were manuals.....but they're not.
I bought both and love them!!
Joe
 
My only assisted knife is the Protech TR-5. Protech springs fire nicely since they're known for their autos. Great knife overall though.
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SpySmasher said:
My dislike for AO knives comes from my experience of closing them one-handed. The resistance of the spring makes it feel somewhat unsafe. Given that they are unnecessary, I therefore avoid them.
Click to expand...
I have some but like you would rather not have the resistance when closing the blade. That said I do have a Kershaw Natrix on pre order with KershawGuy.
 
I too have a tr5 and think it is in its own class as an AO.Protech is known for high quality and I have never heard of anyone having an issue with a protech knife.
 
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