Can you flick open a Spyderco Sage?

[2edgesword]

I have a Spyderco Native and can "flick" or opening it using an inertial opening. Actually the Native is easier then the Delica.

A frequent error people make in trying to do an inertial opening is "waved it ... trying to flick it open". That can work with knives that have blades with significant mass (Spyderco Endura) but with smaller knives like the Spyderco Delica or Native that type of motion will only server to give you a sore arm.

Here is the key in doing an inertial opening.

Hold the knife in your right hand. With the knife oriented so that the blade comes out of the handle away from your hand, holding the knife with your thumb on one side of the handle and four fingers on the other side gripping the knife just over the pocket clip. Hold the pivot pin between the thumb and index finger of the left hand and rotate the knife slowly around the pivot pin, raising the elbow up 90% or so and then back down again towards your side. That is the motion you need to apply to do an inertial opening versus flicking your arm out in a wave motion.

When you do the above motion quickly the blade is put in motion around the axis of the pivot pin. When you suddenly stop the handle the momentum of the blade is the force that overcomes the tension on the blade (pivot pin and in some cases the locking mechanism) and opens the knife. This is more difficult to do if the blade has less mass requiring a quicker rotation and stopage of the handle to overcome the tension on the blade.

With practice the raising of the elbow doesn't need to be so pronounced and you can do it with more wrist action then elbow.

 

[lava_lamp]

Is your Native the "4" carbon-fiber version? I could flick my "3" but not the "4," which is what I think the OP was asking about.

I have a Spyderco Native and can "flick" or opening it using an inertial opening. Actually the Native is easier then the Delica.

A frequent error people make in trying to do an inertial opening is "waved it ... trying to flick it open". That can work with knives that have blades with significant mass (Spyderco Endura) but with smaller knives like the Spyderco Delica or Native that type of motion will only server to give you a sore arm.

Here is the key in doing an inertial opening.

Hold the knife in your right hand. With the knife oriented so that the blade comes out of the handle away from your hand, holding the knife with your thumb on one side of the handle and four fingers on the other side gripping the knife just over the pocket clip. Hold the pivot pin between the thumb and index finger of the left hand and rotate the knife slowly around the pivot pin, raising the elbow up 90% or so and then back down again towards your side. That is the motion you need to apply to do an inertial opening versus flicking your arm out in a wave motion.

When you do the above motion quickly the blade is put in motion around the axis of the pivot pin. When you suddenly stop the handle the momentum of the blade is the force that overcomes the tension on the blade (pivot pin and in some cases the locking mechanism) and opens the knife. This is more difficult to do if the blade has less mass requiring a quicker rotation and stopage of the handle to overcome the tension on the blade.

With practice the raising of the elbow doesn't need to be so pronounced and you can do it with more wrist action then elbow.

 

[2edgesword]

Is your Native the "4" carbon-fiber version? I could flick my "3" but not the "4," which is what I think the OP was asking about.

Lava, I'm not arguing your personal experience (it is what it is) but the critical issue isn't the handle material, unless for some reason you can't grip the handle. Have you tried an inertial opening with a Delica?

Everything else being equal (pivot screw tension and locking mechanism) the other critical issue is the mass/length of the blade. The blades of the Native 3and 4 are both VG-10 with same thickness (1/8"), while the 4 uses a slightly smaller blade length (3 1/16" vs. 3 1/8"). As far as the dynamics of inertial openings are concerned the near identical mass/length of the blades, and given the same locking mechanism and "assuming" the same pivot screw tension, the mechanics and force required to open them should be very close.

If you contrast the above with the Delica, VG-10 with shorter 2 7/8" blade length and thinner blade width (3/32"), the lower blade mass/shorter length means the mechanics and energy to do an inertial opening with the Delica has to be more precise and forceful.

I apologize if I've taken this thread of track.

 

[lava_lamp]

With respect, it isn't the handle material. The Native 4 has a different blade than the 3.

Here is the Spyderco site for the 4: http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=369

Here is the Spyderco site for the 3:http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=20

While the listed blade dimensions look similar, you can see a difference in blade shape. The Native 3 blade is thicker and heavier than the flat ground 4, producing a different ratio of blade weight to handle weight. I couldn't quite flick my native 3 open when I had it, but it flicked with the slightest thumb movement on the spyderhole. I couldn't flick my Native 4 at all - even with the thumb on the spyderhole.

As you said, your mileage may vary. Maybe you have quicker wrists than me. probably makes you better at golf.

Lava, I'm not arguing your personal experience (it is what it is) but the critical issue isn't the handle material, unless for some reason you can't grip the handle. Have you tried an inertial opening with a Delica?

Everything else being equal (pivot screw tension and locking mechanism) the other critical issue is the mass/length of the blade. The blades of the Native 3and 4 are both VG-10 with same thickness (1/8"), while the 4 uses a slightly smaller blade length (3 1/16" vs. 3 1/8"). As far as the dynamics of inertial openings are concerned the near identical mass/length of the blades, and given the same locking mechanism and "assuming" the same pivot screw tension, the mechanics and force required to open them should be very close.

If you contrast the above with the Delica, VG-10 with shorter 2 7/8" blade length and thinner blade width (3/32"), the lower blade mass/shorter length means the mechanics and energy to do an inertial opening with the Delica has to be more precise and forceful.

I apologize if I've taken this thread of track.

 

[2edgesword]

lava

I stink at golf .

However I did notice that Spyderco makes the 4 using more then one blade material (VG-10 and S30V) so maybe there is enough of a difference in the weight of the blade to make it more difficult to open the 4 versus the 3 (in addition to the shape as you've mentioned).

What's your experience with inertial openings with the Delica?

 

[Jimbo75]

I have had problems with OZ customs before, they seized a William Henry liner lock because they could flick it open and classified it as a "Flick Knife". I have also had a liner lock knife kit seized by them because they could not work out if it was a flick knife. I am now very weary and don't want to loose another import.

Wow, I have had over 20 knives imported from the states, mostly Spyderco and Benchmades, and have never had a problem. I will have to be much more careful from now on.

What happens after the knives get seized?

 

[Kaizen1]

I haven't held a liner lock that I couldn't flick open except for the blade on my Leatherman Wave

 

[Marc9910]

Wow, I have had over 20 knives imported from the states, mostly Spyderco and Benchmades, and have never had a problem. I will have to be much more careful from now on.

What happens after the knives get seized?

I had to contact the seller and get customs to send it back to them at my expense. The seller gave me store credit minus a re-stocking fee. It ended up being costly for me and I lot of hassel.

As far as the knife kit that also got stopped I actually went out to see them and and showed them a completed one I had already made. They still did the flick test on it right in front of me but I had already tightened the pivot, they would have needed a pair of pliars to open it. They then let the knife kit through.