Deployment Holes, Do they work?

Phydeaux said:
Output,

I slightly rounded the edge of Spyder hole on my Sage I and Tenacious (using a round diamond file and sand paper). It still has enough bite for my thumb to catch it, but it doesn't fee like its cutting into my thumb.

Ric
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Same here. I wrap sandpaper around a pen and hit it for like 10 seconds, which is just enough to take the edge off without rounding it like some BMs have.
 
The Spydie hole is one of the greatest knife inovations of the 20th century. I used to think Spyderco knives were ugly but bought a little dragonfly back in 1995 just to see what the fuss was all about and the rest is history - at last count I had over 50 Spyderco knives. Hell, I wish my Sebenza had the hole. :D
 
Benchmade comes out with knives with holes.
You don't see Spyderco making any knives with studs.
There must be a reason.
 
coop1957 said:
Benchmade comes out with knives with holes.
You don't see Spyderco making any knives with studs.
There must be a reason.
Click to expand...
I'm sure there's a reason. Not necessarily a good one, but a reason nonetheless. :D

Seriously, I've heard all the argument against and in favor. For me it's just what I find convenient. To me, thumbstuds are a quicker, more secure, more convenient way of opening a knife. Also, the hole makes the blade weaker, even if only in theory (most of the time it will never matter I know).

Most brands don't use the hole, and only one brand uses it exclusively AFAIK. There must be a reason for that too... ;) Spyderco has managed to make it their trademark, and therefore all Spyderco fans will defend the hole with their virtual lives. The spyderhole was a fad for a while, and still is with some. I can't think of a rational reason why Benchmade would use it sometimes, other than it's just the way a designer made it. Cold Steel also used it for a time, then dropped it again.

In the end it comes down to personal choice, like it almost always does. Pointless trying to convince anyone of your own choice, and there's no need either: we can all choose what we like, there's plenty to choose from. :)
 
I find the best deployment method is the round hole with a full flat grind.
This makes it so that the "top" of the hole is wider than the "bottom", giving the benefits of the hole and a thumb disk combined.:thumbup:
Some knives are designed so that the studs are placed in such a way that deployment is quite reliable, but I haven't encountered any that work as well as the "tapered hole", to coin a phrase.
As for breakage, well, it seems that people generally break their knives at a point other than the hole. Usually it seems that the area near the tip is what decides to go its own way.:cool:
 
I have not found any practical disadvantage to a thumb hole and theories about potential blade weakness are just that - theories. One major advantage that I have found with the hole or a nail nick, is that the full edge of the knife can be used without fouling the thumb-stud. I have been thankful for such, many times. As well, the blade is often easier to sharpen without a stud.
 
I always thought I would have more trouble opening knives that use opening holes until I actually tried one. Now I can open them faster and more easily than studs.
 
A.P.F. said:
I have not found any practical disadvantage to a thumb hole and theories about potential blade weakness are just that - theories.
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It's a theory like the theory of evolution - with this difference that someone might actually try and strain to identical blades (at the proper point), one with a hole and the other without.
Are you actually saying it's impossible to tell which will brake first? Are you saying that removing 10mm or so from the width of a blade - at its thickest point too - will not have any effect on its structural integrity?
 
Phydeaux said:
Output,

I slightly rounded the edge of Spyder hole on my Sage I and Tenacious (using a round diamond file and sand paper). It still has enough bite for my thumb to catch it, but it doesn't fee like its cutting into my thumb.
Ric
Click to expand...

kreole said:
Same here. I wrap sandpaper around a pen and hit it for like 10 seconds, which is just enough to take the edge off without rounding it like some BMs have.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info guys. I have been thinking about touching them up with a dremel for a while now…I think I will do it tonight for sure.
 
Philwar makes the very good point that practice will get you all the comfort you need. (Well, to a point-the CS Pocket Bushman makes me curse and swear when I try to open OR close it) The thumb hole, thumb disk, wave all won't work if you've been carrying and quick-drawing the same knife with a thumbstud for a long time. Same goes if it's switched around.

I agree with the above poster's evaluation of FFG blades and round holes. It works pretty well. An opening innovation I'd like to see, even if it might not work, is a subtle-ized cobra hood. Maybe a hollow-ground knife where the blade stock where you'd open it is a little more hollow. Assuming the lock has no closing bias, that's probably all you need for a one-hand opener.

But this is all off-topic, so back we go :)
 
philwar said:
It's a theory like the theory of evolution - with this difference that someone might actually try and strain to identical blades (at the proper point), one with a hole and the other without.
Are you actually saying it's impossible to tell which will brake first? Are you saying that removing 10mm or so from the width of a blade - at its thickest point too - will not have any effect on its structural integrity?
Click to expand...

Yes, I'd like to see a test like this. I'd also love to see a quantified difference between the breaking point of a blade with a hole and one without with the same steel and the same geometry.
 
Output said:
Thanks for the info guys. I have been thinking about touching them up with a dremel for a while now…I think I will do it tonight for sure.
Click to expand...

I don't think I would use a dremel. It needs a couple passes with some high grit sandpaper not 8000 RPM of sanding fury. I think you will be pretty disappointed with the results if you use a powered tool as a lot of metal can disappear in the fraction of a second.
 
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