For those who use their knives one handed...

singularity35

singularity35

Joined
Mar 1, 2010
Messages
10,844
are they one handed from opening to closing to putting it back in the pocket?


Opening a knife one handed was pretty much a nice feature for me in the farm and during the time when I part timed in an auto repair shop. These days, I'm dabbling a bit in amateur radio and often find myself on a rooftop, needing to cut something and needing to hold on to the media with my other hand. One hander operation(knife use) is pretty much a given unless I want to hold stuff in my teeth, which I don't prefer, especially for dirty stuff that has been outdoors for months or even years.
 
Do you mean for the total time the knife is in use, from drawing-opening-cutting-closing-back in the pocket, it is one handed?

I prefer it, but most of the time I don't need to have it completely one handed. Although one handed opening is a must.
 
With very few exceptions, I open and close my modern folders with one hand.

Some autos might require two hands to make sure the blade locks back into place (although I usually just use my leg), and some very large lockbacks (think Cold Steel XL knives) are safer for me to close with both hands.
 
kniferbro said:
Do you mean for the total time the knife is in use, from drawing-opening-cutting-closing-back in the pocket, it is one handed?

I prefer it, but most of the time I don't need to have it completely one handed. Although one handed opening is a must.
Click to expand...

Yes, it seems preferable to me now. Especially in situations where if I put down something that's not tied down, it slides away from me. I never really thought much about this before but found it happening to me a few times. I was a bit confounded at first when I couldn't clip my knife back into my pocket and decided to just drop it in.

On second thought, I remember now that I used a lanyard that attached to my belt loop back when used my knife in deep brush at the farm.
 
Yes, for sure. For the same reasons you mentioned.

I use almost my knives one handed other than things with backsprings (traditionals, SAKs, etc), or opinels. So this includes all modern folders, my svörds, and even my fixes blades.
 
Interesting question. It really brings up the issue of what is really one handed opening and closing. Is using your leg to help close the knife really one handed??? I have found that most liner locks or frame locks require some help to get the blade closed, I usually use the thigh on the side that I carry the knife to help close it. The only knife that I feel is truly 1 handed closing is the Benchmade axis lock.
 
onojoe said:
Interesting question. It really brings up the issue of what is really one handed opening and closing. Is using your leg to help close the knife really one handed??? I have found that most liner locks or frame locks require some help to get the blade closed, I usually use the thigh on the side that I carry the knife to help close it. The only knife that I feel is truly 1 handed closing is the Benchmade axis lock.
Click to expand...

If that's your case, then I respectfully say it's your dexterity, not the knife.

[video=youtube;ffIbcgkoOss]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffIbcgkoOss&list=UUemCv9Cb0ihg8flgeP8IZFA[/video]

[video=youtube;U7WhNgnR_mk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7WhNgnR_mk&list=UUemCv9Cb0ihg8flgeP8IZFA[/video]

[video=youtube;AZ8FwA7fsww]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ8FwA7fsww&list=UUemCv9Cb0ihg8flgeP8IZFA[/video]
 
Last edited:
I have had quite a number of times where I am holding onto a box while needing to cut it open. It has changed the way I have carried and used knives. But like you said, if I am doing a lot of cutting, it is easier to drop the knife into the pocket than to keep recliping the knife to my pocket. It is best if there is a lanyard that I can hang out of my pocket.
 
My one hander is one handed on opening and closing but benefits from the use of a leg on the closing front. I usually two hand knives because I like slipjoints though so one handed is not a biggy for me.
 
onojoe said:
Interesting question. It really brings up the issue of what is really one handed opening and closing. Is using your leg to help close the knife really one handed??? I have found that most liner locks or frame locks require some help to get the blade closed, I usually use the thigh on the side that I carry the knife to help close it. The only knife that I feel is truly 1 handed closing is the Benchmade axis lock.
Click to expand...

This one takes just my thumb to open and close :D

2014-07-03%2B15.57.48.jpg
 
All my ZT's and BM's are one-handed operation from pocket removal to returning clipped back into pocket. That means it's possible with all of them, but the ZT 0620 is really tight closed. I've learned how to work around that and move on. It's the only one that almost requires a helping hand.
 
99.99999% of my daily use is one-handed - most of my knife use is fixed blades and my daily folders are one-handed lock-back Bucks. I didn't put 100% because I use my leg or hip to close the knife after releasing the locks.
 
I have a cheap auto that I never carry but its actually a good knife. The brand is Lightning and they are $30 at several online shops. There are some reviews on youtube showing their performance. By no means does it have the lock up of a Microtech but I'd give it a whirl. At the very least it is fun to play with.

I open and close all of my knives one handed. Most are easy but I recently got really good with a lock-back. I position my pointer finger on the upper part of the handle, just below the blade (where I know I won't get cut when it folds), push the lockback and give a forward/downward motion. This starts the closing of the blade and the ricasso area rests on your finger, Then you maneuver in hand and close it.

Here's a pic of the Lightning.

 
singularity35 said:
.......... often find myself on a rooftop, needing to cut something and needing to hold on to the media with my other hand. One hander operation(knife use) is pretty much a given unless I want to hold stuff in my teeth, which I don't prefer, especially for dirty stuff that has been outdoors for months or even years.
Click to expand...

I'm an electrician and often find myself in a position where I have only one free hand to work my knife. This is what I've carried for years, not fancy but it gets the job done: https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/cable-splicers-knives/cable-splicers-knife
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top