Do you like assisted opening knives

B

ben317

Joined
May 10, 2011
Messages
111
I don't really like them. I just got my first knife with thumb stud on it a few months ago and I'd sit in front of the TV for a few days with the knife trying to master that thumb flick so that it felt smooth and natural. May seem cheesy but I might have felt a little proud of mastering this little move. When someone shows me an assisted or automatic knife in a knife shop and all I gotta do is press a button and the knife flips out... it just seems really unsatisfying.
 
sure do, likely wouldn't own many or any kershaws if it weren't for that. that said, wouldn't likely own any or many a/o's if auto's were easier to get and service, etc.

like any tool (a/o's and auto's) they serve their place. not needed by all, but not unneeded either. too bad lawmakers don't understand this very simple and true concept.
 
Depends.

On some blades the arc of the thumb stud to do an opening motion is so large that getting the assist to finish the motion makes sense. Others not so much, and manual is fine.

But the assisted SOG multitool...I hate that thing... :P
 
I do in some cases. I like my 581 that is assisted. I also have the 580 but I disabled the assisted in that one. I have a kershaw leek that I like a/o on.
 
No, not my preference. It's certainly not a need for my usual uses, and I don't like the lack of control. A big blade AO (like the Tremor) feels like it's going to jump out of my hand. I own several, but I don't think I'll invest in any more unless I decide it's worth trying to remove the spring.

And I'm not sure about the legality of AO knives in my state. I THINK they should be OK, but the statute is open to interpretation and does not include the express exemption that the federal law does.
 
the misses prefers assisted flipper knives more than manuals with thumbstuds or holes... guess having nails is a factor in opening them lol.
 
i have a few that i like. ZT 0350CB, kershaw scallion, shallot.

i wouldnt want all my knives to be AO, but i i like the ones i have and plan to get more. i think everyone should have a few.
 
Generally speaking...
I like Assisted Opening for knives under 3 inches.
If its over 3.5 inches then I like manuals.
If the knife is between 3 inches and 3.5 inches, then it is in the gray area. Sometimes i like it, sometimes i don't.
 
I like them because they make a loud click when I open them. With my manual knives I have to make the sound myself, and I can never get it quite right.
 
I like auto knives, but assisted openers just seem cheap. I have yet to use one that isn't junk. I understand like a ZT being an AO, but that's because the blade is usually pretty big, and so it wouldn't come out fast if it was a manual. I'd like my groove to be an assisted opener, though.
 
I do not like them, I do not feel that they are as reliable as manual knives.
 
AO is not a feature I look for, nor one I enjoy too much, but it doesn't keep me from buying a knife if I like it.

I would prefer my ZT 0300 and 0350 to be manual, but I don't mind the AO on them.
 
I have one, used to like it, won't buy another again.

To me a folder is a knife for tasks, not a weapon. Deploying an auto/assisted opener requires it to be held with a compromised grip, so the "speed" or "ease" which an assisted opener offers when you're standing around cutting boxes in a well lit room doesn't do anything for me.

I am just as happy with a Benchmade or Spyderco manual opening folder for simple tasks. They're smooth, lock up well, and are easy/comfortable to open. The assist is just something to push harder against when you close it. YMMV.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top