Deployment Holes, Do they work?

S

snipes1027

Joined
Dec 1, 2009
Messages
87
Hey guys, recently I've been looking around at some spydercos, byrds etc, and I just can't get over my fear of deployment holes. For some reason subconsciously I look at them and think they just wouldn't be reliable and have always opted for the thumb stud, excluding these knives. I found the spyderco stainless stretch, c90p, and really like everything except the damn hole, and it is keeping me from taking the plunge. Who can tell me I'm crazy?
 
the opening hole is my favorite method of deployment. i find that it is a very easy to manipulate.
 
i love them. i probably like them 2.3 times as much as a thumbstud. spyderco is one of my favorite manufacturers because of the whole. its a lot more comfortable to use and just as easy as a stud
 
there is a greater margin of error, so i would say they are more reliable that other openers.

i prefer disks, since the blades with holes tend to be much wider. strider is the exception with their oval openers.
 
You're crazy! The hole is a cinch to use! :p

Plunge onward and enjoy your new C90 Stretch. :thumbup:
 
snipes1027 said:
Hey guys, recently I've been looking around at some spydercos, byrds etc, and I just can't get over my fear of deployment holes. For some reason subconsciously I look at them and think they just wouldn't be reliable and have always opted for the thumb stud, excluding these knives. I found the spyderco stainless stretch, c90p, and really like everything except the damn hole, and it is keeping me from taking the plunge. Who can tell me I'm crazy?
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Certifiable.

Some prefer holes. Some prefer studs. Both work fine for me.
 
They are certainly more convenient when it comes to sharpening. No chance of them gouging your stones or anything of the sort. I find it's not as easy to 'flick' a blade out with a thumbhole, but why would you want to do that anyway? :D I like them at least as much as thumbstuds, and way more than I like flippers or nail-nicks.
 
I've found the hole to be much more reliable than studs or disks, especially with gloves, cold/wet/slippery hands, or an adrenalin rush. I will say that when choosing a knife with a hole opener you should avoid knives in which the handle scales cover a significant portion the hole, as this can make it slower or less reliable to open in an emergency. I've also found that spyderco's round holes work much more smoothly than the oval, comet, or other shaped holes i've tried because the perfect circle allows the blade to rotate around your thumb as it opens.
 
I used to like thumbstuds more than holes, but I semi-recently got a Spyderco, and now I prefer the thumb hole over the thumbstuds. I think its easier to thumb flick the blade out with the hole as well.
 
i actually find that a hole usually has a faster, smoother, generally more reliable open than most knives with a stud. the only opener that I find easier to operate is a well made flipper
 
I can tell you!

You are crazy.

There was a time not to long ago that I too was afraid of their outlandish appearances and intimidating holes. But I took the leap and now have self realized that I too was once crazy.

Conclusion: Spyderco's innovative Spydie Hole works great!
 
I really like the thumbhole on the Buck Vantage knives. It is easy to use and doesn't get in the way during sharpening. I usually don't even use the flipper because it is so easy to deploy the blade with the thumbhole.
 
Spyderco is not a knife you fall in love with at first sight. You fall in love with Spyderco products when you realize that the feel, the quality, and the design overwhelmingly outweighs aesthetics. Once you have the hook in your mouth with that tidbit, you fall in love with the aesthetics too, because you realize all of the features, including the aperture (aka spydie hole in bladeforumanian language) are there for a reason. You would be crazy not to buy one and see for yourself. The worst that can happen is that you sell it off, for most likely no loss at all, sans shipping if you do.
 
Opening holes are quite comfortable and easy to use with bare hands.
Although if you need a bomb proof workhorse folder, the last thing you'd want to do to it is drill a big hole in the area of the blade that must withstand the most stress.
Most spydercos have a great big hump which get in your way if you try to use saber or filipino grips.
 
cj65 said:
Spyderco is not a knife you fall in love with at first sight. You fall in love with Spyderco products when you realize that the feel, the quality, and the design overwhelmingly outweighs aesthetics. Once you have the hook in your mouth with that tidbit, you fall in love with the aesthetics too, because you realize all of the features, including the aperture (aka spydie hole in bladeforumanian language) are there for a reason. You would be crazy not to buy one and see for yourself. The worst that can happen is that you sell it off, for most likely no loss at all, sans shipping if you do.
Click to expand...

This is so true...I hated Spyderco for years. I thought they were sooo ugly.
That is until I got one in my hand. After that everything changed. The ergo's on their knives are outstanding.
Now 90% of my collection is Spyderco.

Just buy one, then you'll see what every ones talking about.
 
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snipes1027 said:
Hey guys, recently I've been looking around at some spydercos, byrds etc, and I just can't get over my fear of deployment holes. For some reason subconsciously I look at them and think they just wouldn't be reliable and have always opted for the thumb stud, excluding these knives. I found the spyderco stainless stretch, c90p, and really like everything except the damn hole, and it is keeping me from taking the plunge. Who can tell me I'm crazy?
Click to expand...

have you actually tried one though? they are reliable. try one out, you will see. the hole catches the pad of your thumb, you dont actually put your thumb into the hole. its also better if your hands are slippery or wet, the hole will still catch your thumb where a thumbstud could cause you to slip.

here is a random video were a bunch of different spydercos are opened, you can see how easy it is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmIgwByElog&feature=related
 
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