Assisted vs Auto

C

Chitrod

Joined
Jun 4, 2012
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Searched and can't find an answer. For EDC what are pros and cons of assisted vs autos? I'm thinking SOG Trident assisted or Boker Kalashnikov or something in that price range. Thoughts? Please don't reply with buy a Benchmade. If I could afford one I would've listed a model as an option. Thanks.
 
Assisted: Overcome resistance from spring to open.
Auto: Push button and it flies open, effortless and somehow translates to be illegal for civilians.
 
Neither. Wave hook.
 
Depends on where you live. Here in Oregon, our knife laws allow me to carry autos (or pretty much anything as long as it's not concealed).

I feel like the assist knives are made to "loophole" antiquated knife laws that I despise. As such, I'd rather Riverdance naked on a hornet's nest, than carry an assisted knife.

Nothing handier than an OTF knife for EDC.
 
Kershaw Speedsafe set the standard as far as assisted mechanisms go. Basically if the interface you contact to deploy the blade is part of the blade itself, then it's assisted. Autos usually have a button/cam/switch, which is a separate moving part, that releases the blade. Why one is legal over the other... only lawmakers governing things they don't understand can answer that.
 
The legality depends on what state or country you live in. Most states that ban switchblades include language in the laws about a button, lever, or other mechanism that releases the blade (which may be spring loaded or open through gravity or inertia). Assisted knives however usually circumvent those descriptions because the blade itself is being moved.

What state do you live in?

Frankly, an auto for about $50 really isn't worth owning except as a novelty (and even that's arguable). And personally, I'd stay away from SOG. Their mechanisms are unnecessarily complicated and a serious PITA if you ever have to disassemble them for cleaning/lubing. Go with Kershaw. You can get a D2 composite Leek for $60, or any number of other ones like the Blur for the same or less.

Even though you said not to, I do have to mention Benchmade, because if you're interested in autos or assisteds, it's obvious you're interested in speed. And a non-assisted, non-auto Benchmade AXIS lock is the quickest, and easiest knife to both open and close. You can easily flick them open, either using the stud/hole, a strong flick of the wrist, or you can pull back on the lock and very easily wrist flick it open. More importantly, you can flick it closed just as quickly. You can't do that with an auto or an assisted. The only thing that comes close is a D/A OTF auto, and one worth buying will cost you $200+. Or a fixed blade. A Griptilian or 530, while more than the $55-60 a SOG Trident or Blur will cost, is still under $100, and IMO well worth the extra cash. Better lock, better steel.
 
Planterz said:
The legality depends on what state or country you live in. Most states that ban switchblades include language in the laws about a button, lever, or other mechanism that releases the blade (which may be spring loaded or open through gravity or inertia). Assisted knives however usually circumvent those descriptions because the blade itself is being moved.

What state do you live in?

Frankly, an auto for about $50 really isn't worth owning except as a novelty (and even that's arguable). And personally, I'd stay away from SOG. Their mechanisms are unnecessarily complicated and a serious PITA if you ever have to disassemble them for cleaning/lubing. Go with Kershaw. You can get a D2 composite Leek for $60, or any number of other ones like the Blur for the same or less.

Even though you said not to, I do have to mention Benchmade, because if you're interested in autos or assisteds, it's obvious you're interested in speed. And a non-assisted, non-auto Benchmade AXIS lock is the quickest, and easiest knife to both open and close. You can easily flick them open, either using the stud/hole, a strong flick of the wrist, or you can pull back on the lock and very easily wrist flick it open. More importantly, you can flick it closed just as quickly. You can't do that with an auto or an assisted. The only thing that comes close is a D/A OTF auto, and one worth buying will cost you $200+. Or a fixed blade. A Griptilian or 530, while more than the $55-60 a SOG Trident or Blur will cost, is still under $100, and IMO well worth the extra cash. Better lock, better steel.
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The hole post is great...but do stay away from SOG! I'm a fairly mechanically inclined person, and I have never been so frustrated as I was trying to put together their twitch 2. I will say they have some of the toughest anodizing ever haha, the vice grips only left one scratch (yes I used vice grips...and a couple C clamps)
 
Not really concerned with legality. More concerned with function. The SOG is not auto. It is assisted. I'll look at the Kershaws.
 
The standard Boker Kalashnikov is not an auto either. Per the Boker web site all automatic Bokers are third party conversions and as such have no Boker warranty.
 
Chitrod said:
Not really concerned with legality. More concerned with function. The SOG is not auto. It is assisted. I'll look at the Kershaws.
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Kershaw's are not autos either. And personally, I have three display cases full of autos. And live in a state where they are so-so legally. You can buy them in corner gas stations (yes El Cheapo autos). But when I walk out the door, two Spyderco Military's go in my front pockets. I would not trade them for any auto for EDC, ever.

I've lived in Oklahoma since 2002, been stopped by the Po-Po eight or more times. Never had an officer ask to see my plainly visible knife. I hand them my concealed weapon permit with my drivers license, and have yet to even get a ticket. So an auto would not be a problem here.
 
Planterz said:
The legality depends on what state or country you live in. Most states that ban switchblades include language in the laws about a button, lever, or other mechanism that releases the blade (which may be spring loaded or open through gravity or inertia). Assisted knives however usually circumvent those descriptions because the blade itself is being moved.

What state do you live in?

Frankly, an auto for about $50 really isn't worth owning except as a novelty (and even that's arguable). And personally, I'd stay away from SOG. Their mechanisms are unnecessarily complicated and a serious PITA if you ever have to disassemble them for cleaning/lubing. Go with Kershaw. You can get a D2 composite Leek for $60, or any number of other ones like the Blur for the same or less.

Even though you said not to, I do have to mention Benchmade, because if you're interested in autos or assisteds, it's obvious you're interested in speed. And a non-assisted, non-auto Benchmade AXIS lock is the quickest, and easiest knife to both open and close. You can easily flick them open, either using the stud/hole, a strong flick of the wrist, or you can pull back on the lock and very easily wrist flick it open. More importantly, you can flick it closed just as quickly. You can't do that with an auto or an assisted. The only thing that comes close is a D/A OTF auto, and one worth buying will cost you $200+. Or a fixed blade. A Griptilian or 530, while more than the $55-60 a SOG Trident or Blur will cost, is still under $100, and IMO well worth the extra cash. Better lock, better steel.
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This!
 
Legality aside, consider your grip on the knife. A thumb stud or hole gives you a better grip on the handlthan an assisted or auto.
 
Peak_Oil said:
Legality aside, consider your grip on the knife. A thumb stud or hole gives you a better grip on the handlthan an assisted or auto.
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That isn't true. With so many choices out there, it's impossible to make such a definitive, mater-of-fact statement like that.
 
tatfiend said:
The standard Boker Kalashnikov is not an auto either. Per the Boker web site all automatic Bokers are third party conversions and as such have no Boker warranty.
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Edit: You're right about the warranty on auto knives. Just read it on Bokers website. Oh well, for $30 if it breaks no big deal

Just got this from Blade HQ for $30. I have Gerber and Benchmade autos to compare to and this Boker Auto, made in Taiwan, is pretty nice.
2013-06-21143121.jpg
 
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i dont really care for assisted knives, personally. I have no experience with autos besides a very cheap boker that i didnt like at all.

though, i will have to start looking into something better for an auto because soon they will be legal in texas :cool:
 
Peak_Oil said:
Legality aside, consider your grip on the knife. A thumb stud or hole gives you a better grip on the handlthan an assisted or auto.
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Uh... I have an assisted with a thumb stud, and I believe Benchmade does at least one thumb hole assisted. The design of the knife is how you get your grip, not the lock or opening method. A Manix and Delica are both thumb hole openers but one has a choil so you can choke up on it and the other doesn't (unless you mod it).
 
Chitrod said:
Any opinions on Kerahaw Skyline, Scallion, and Blur?
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I have two Scallions and two Blurs. IMO the Blurs have heavier duty wide blades while the Scallions blades are slightly longer. The Blur is lighter due to aluminum scales and provides a better grip with the rubber inserts in the scales. The Scallions are heavier but very thin knives at about 9mm thick and are all steel including the handles. Both have very effective assisted opening mechanisms. The Blur uses thumb stud opening while the Scallion is flipper actuated opening. I have installed accessory clamp-on thumb studs on my Scallions as I prefer them. Personal taste only though. Both the Blur and the Scallion are USA made knives and good buys in their basic standard configurations.
 
The big advantage with assisted openers is legality in a much wider array of jurisdictions.

Frankly, I think assisted openers are the same thing as autos, save for a legal detail that created a loophole allowing for an auto without being defined as such. Had autos never been so heavily regulated, assisted openers would never have been developed.

Which kind of leads to another advantage with assisted openers: Good quality ones can be had for fairly low cost, thanks to the larger market and competitive market. They were never a premium commanding niche the way autos were.
 
If you like autos, I have to suggest a Benchmade, absoletely solid knife. I can't legally carry mine outside of my house, that sucks! :mad: :mad: :mad:
 
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