Brother wants me to find him a "switch blade"

frenchmade said:
My question is, how do you have more than 2000 posts on a knife forum and not know what a switchblade is...
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I never said I do not now what a switch blade is. I asked what qualifies a knife to be called a switch blade. I have come across a few different people who define them differently. Comprende?
 
BBQ BOY said:
I never said I do not now what a switch blade is. I asked what qualifies a knife to be called a switch blade. I have come across a few different people who define them differently. Comprende?
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A switchblade is one where you press a button or similar device and the blade automatically springs open. It's not an "assisted-opening" knife because those usually kick in after you open the blade a certain amount first.

The two main types of switchblades are:

Side openers, like these:

italian.jpg

1738-1739-protech-knives-004.jpg

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And out-the-front knives, like these:

standard.jpg
 
It doesn't really fit the OTF criteria, but I'd buy a Protech any day before I'd look at a Microtech.
 
BBQ BOY said:
My brother, who is 51, comes from the era of when having a switch blade was illegal and cool to have and cross bows were cool to show off, having a Dirty Harry .44 and Magnum P.I.was a role model. Please understand, I am not criticizing, but trying to stress who he is and how he views them and what he wants. So, with all of that being said, he wants me to find him ne at BLADE but I know NOTHING about them. What qualifies a knife to be a "switch blade"? When I think of a switch lade I only know of Microtech. Even then, I've never even held one.
Can any of you educate me on these knives and what to pick up for him at BLADE.
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This must be where I got confused...
 
I'd be looking at Benchmades and pro-techs.

I've handled them before, and the benchmade non-otf knives were nice. Always lusted after one, but never could find one that I could buy. Then I just gave up on spending $$ on something I won't use (personal preference to not own something I can't carry).

If that were to change, I'd be looking there first.
 
TedOfNod said:
What about Milano swtchblades? Are they any good?
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The ones that cost like 25 bucks on Bladeplay? They are decent if you just want a cheap, Chinese (maybe Taiwanese?) made junker to play with... The jump in quality between the 20 dollar stilettos and the 100 dollar+ Beltrame knives is MASSIVE though. I have two of those Milano stilettos, and while they are fun to play with, the action varies greatly from one opening to the next, sometimes they fail to lock up entirely, the bolsters come loose, the materials are cheap... basically they look cool, but at the end of the day are probably just a waste of money. Spend 100$ on a great knife, rather than 20 on a total piece of trash...
 
Heckler and Koch (owned by Benchmade) recently (in the last year) released their 14850 Epidemic OTF knife. It's got extremely smooth double action. D2 tool steel. Looks pretty promising..
 
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I could easily fix you up with a couple but it is illegal for me to sell one.

I think you should find an Italian Stilleto at a gun show and give it to him to get out of his system. They are basically crap, but fun to flick open. Then he can focus on an assisted opening knife that I find to be much your usuable and generally of higher quality.
 
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