Easiest Folder to Use With Gloves

Do all of the knives suggest lend themselves to easy one-handed opening and closing?

I recognize that while some of them might be easy to open with a gloved had, some others, especially those with liner locks, might be more difficult to close.

Backlocks would be fairly easy, I would think, but it would depend on the thickness of the gloves.

Andy
 
Jake Bauer said:
Anything with a Spyderhole
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I have a Spyderco Gayle Bradley, and while I very much like the knife, it's next to impossible for me to close the knife wearing gloves. The lock is too stiff, and difficult to access while wearing gloves.

So, while many Spydercos are pretty easy to open wearing gloves, some aren't that easy to close while wearing gloves.

Andy
 
The ZT0500 by a huge margin.

The Military might be easy to open, but it's nearly impossible to close with heavy gloves on.

The Kershaw ET also handles pretty well in the cold. I would have thought the mechanism might get iced up, but it doesn't.
 
The Spyderco mid locks are easy to close while wearing gloves. They are the only models (My choice is Endura, Delica, Pac Salt) that I would consider carrying in my fire jacket.

I had a Military but sold it, partly because it was fiddly to close while in gloves. I wouldn't carry a liner lock if I could expect to be wearing firefighting gloves when using it.
 
Andrew Colglazier said:
I would like to know what folders you find easiest to use while wearing gloves.
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Old school, I know, but my old (early 90's) Kershaw Blackhorse I. Finger-grooved, rubberized grip over a standard lockback frame. Easy to open, even one handed with gloves on, and doesn't move in your hand when in use. AUS 6 blade that is easy enough to sharpen on a regular stone, and a little thicker than the blades on the standard 110's or U.S. Schrade LB types.

thx - cpr
 
Steven Andrews said:
The Spyderco mid locks are easy to close while wearing gloves. They are the only models (My choice is Endura, Delica, Pac Salt) that I would consider carrying in my fire jacket.

I had a Military but sold it, partly because it was fiddly to close while in gloves. I wouldn't carry a liner lock if I could expect to be wearing firefighting gloves when using it.
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I just tried out my Delica with my ice-climbing gloves. It's pretty good. Opening was a little tricky because of the small size of the knife, but closing was surprisingly easy. This would be a good alternative to the MUDD when weight and size are an issue.
 
I like using a large Axis lock for glove use. Using wrist action, you can flip it open AND closed while wearing gloves.

My current favorite is the full size Benchmade Presidio 520.
 
OK... some more photos to try and show why I think the MUDD is one of the best folders for those who wear gloves.
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First, it has a lanyard hole. I find the lanyard hole very useful for extracting the knife when wearing gloves. When wearing gloves it can be difficult to feel the knife, but it's easy to grab the lanyard and pull the knife out of the pocket.
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The thumb disk is big and has nice serrations, easy to find and push with a gloved thumb.
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Once the blade is out, the handle is generous and grippy.
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There is jimping both on the thumb disk and on the frame just behind it. Very secure.
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The lock release stud is serrated and easy to find, well located to be manipulated by the thumb. It's also easy to operate for a lefty. The thumb disk is also easily reached and manipulated from both sides. The release is pushed forward, towards the blade to release the lock. I've never had it release accidentally.
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I've used this knife extensively wearing gloves. It really is a good folder to have if you wear gloves for work.

Andy
 
Andrew, one-handed. Too often on the farm your other hand is holding onto something you really shouldn't let go of (your pics suggest you might know that already). I pinch the part of the blade that rises beyond the handle and rotate my wrist down and inwards, and it opens and locks the knife. When I'm done cutting, I slide the knife forward in my hand til my thumb is on the lock, let the blade pivot down, shift my fingers to beside the handle slabs, and close it against my jeans or jacket.

That pinching method seems to work best on a knife with heavy handles. Also, I don't know if I could do it as well with fuzzy gloves like yours. My leather ones seem to grip okay even when wet.

Parker

eta: Your MUDD looks to have a little wider blade than I favor, but I envy the lanyard loop. No place for it on the 110.
 
Jpalmer1988 said:
A waved Endura would work well.
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I've come to the conclusion that the Waved Endura 4 would be ideal. :thumbup:

Going from this thread, and the post quoted, I tried my Emerson CQC-10 (waved, of course); it opened perfectly, but closing it with the liner lock didn't work every time unless I made a concerted effort to do it. I don't do heavy work like I used to, but fumbling around with a knife while I'm focusing on something more urgent isn't appealing.

I tried my Endura 4 (not waved) and opening with the hole & heavy gloves wasn't the best, but closing it by pushing down the lock lever and letting the blade drop partially, then pushing it closed against me leg worked great; easier than my old Kershaw Blackhorse. I think I'll retire my old Blackhorse and get a waved E4 next.

thx - cpr
 
impossible for me to close the Gayle Bradley wearing gloves. just impossible. :(
 
After reading all of this, any knife is fairly easy to open with gloves on. What sets certain knives apart from the others is the ease of closing them with gloves on.
 
My ZT0350 snaps open pretty easy with gloves. Was snowmobiling and stopped to do some trail trimming and deployed my 0350 with big "Coldwave Mittens" rather easily!!!:D
 
I have found any AUTO blade or blade with AXIS lock is easy to open with gloves on the AXIS allows you to open the blade one handed by manipulating the locking system and flicking the blade open with wrist action..
 
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