How did one-hand open help you today?

[Uncle Bill]

How did having an Endura or Calypso Jr. (or whatever) instead of a 110 or trapper make today easier for you?

 

[stjames]

I was assembling a propane brazier for Nabucco and was wrapping the pipe fittings with tape before assembly. When I had to attach the hose to the assembly, flat on my stomach with my head in a pedestal at the base of a 7’ high prop, I had to clean and wrap the hose fitting with tape. I wrapped the fitting, held the hose and roll of tape with my left hand while my right hand removed my Sebenza from its sheath, opened it, cut the tape, closed the knife and returned it to my side.

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James Segura
San Francisco, CA

 

[Corduroy]

Hmmm, lessee...

Opening my mail, I picked it up with one hand and with the other flick-zip-click shut, mail's open and teh knife's back in my pocket.

Then there was that bag of Halloween candy I had to "test" before the kids get here... just picked it up, zipped it open as above, and had the knife away before I could decide which piece to choose. If I'd had to put the bag down or fish around in my pocket, my girlfriend surely would've stopped me before I could dig in

Then there were the packages of stuff for making dinner. Again, why put them down to get out a knife when I have one that's ready one-handed?

It was a slow day, I admit. But "fast draw" aside, clips and one-handed opening are a huge boon to making all the day to day cutting chores quicker and easier. Face it, most things you want to cut are already in your hand when you decide to cut them. Why waste time digging around when a knife can be clipped right at the top of your pocket. Why put something down just to open the knife? And then put it down again to close the knife? With something like a Delica, depoying, using, and replacing the knife become nearly instinctual. You start to forget how easy it is!

Hurray for one-handers

-Drew

 

[Gollnick]

While installing a video projector on a ceiling I was precariously perched atop a ladder that was really just a foot to short for the purpose. I was already on the "not a step" step, standing on my tip-toes, and reaching above my head all the way to try and reach the cable bundle which was caught in one of the hanger wires just an inch beyond reach. If only I was an inch taller. All I needed was one inch. So, I held on to one of the hanger wires just to keep my balance with one hand and, with the other, drew my Leatherman PST which I am, fortunately, able to open balisong style, one handed. With a quick double-flip out opening, I had a pair of pliers that extended my reach two inches. with that, I was able to free the bundle. Next, 15 RG6 coax cables (R, G, B, HS, VS, Y, U, V, L, C, CVBS, Lin, Rin, Lout, and Rout) had to be stripped and terminated all while standing on this shakey ladder. Being able to open and close my AFCK with one hand contributed to doing this safely and quickly.



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Chuck
Balisongs -- because it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!
http://www.4cs.net/~gollnick

 

[Gollnick]

My favorite one-handed opening story did not happen today but about a year and a half ago when I and several others were scrambling to get off of a a 1500-foot radio tower to beat an approaching thunderstorm (a 1500-foot tower is not a good place to be in a thunderstorm). At about 900 feet, some piece of hardware on the tower snagged my pant leg and would not let go. I tugged and tugged, but it was hopelessly intwined.

When doing tower work, I like to take my BM9700 along. It's easy to open with one hand, even when it's pouring rain around you, even when you have gloves on, even when your hands are cold and numb, and, while it's an auto, it's a very gentle auto that won't jump out of your hand.

I opened it quickly and easily, cut my pant leg free, and warned the folks above me to watch out for that snag as they came down.

We all got off the tower just in time.



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Chuck
Balisongs -- because it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!
http://www.4cs.net/~gollnick

 

[tallwingedgoat]

I used my El Vaquero today to open the package Mike Turber sent me containing Outdoors Edge Wedge II.

Thanks Mr. Turber!

 

[Steve B.]

When cutting up boxes or whetever at work, I generally hold what I`m cutting in my left while opening, cutting and closing with my right. One hand openers make this possible. One hand openers make me more efficient.

 

[MNH]

Yesterday, I dont think I used a good knife for anything except to play with. The knife I used was a $4.95 utility knife. It's an OTF with a slide button on the top! Actually it sits in my tool belt roght in front of my nail pouch. When the blade gets dull, turn it over, or throw it away and get another blade. When it gets full of crap or stops working for some reason I toss the whole thing in the dumbster and start over. Yesterday I was cutting out some old copper flashing that I couldn't get to with a pair of snips Driving the knife along with a hammer.

My new Wegner was in my pocket. It would have done the job, but it would have killed me to use it like that.

The Wegner stayed in my pocket until it was time to sit in the sun for a few minutes and finish my coffee. Then it was time to play with the Wegner.


Mike

[This message has been edited by MNH (edited 28 October 1999).]