How would you go about designing a folding sword?

[Sidehill Gouger]

There used to be some antique auto folding swords floating around collector circles. They worked something like the old Marbles folding hunters with the blade covered by an edge guard when closed. Push the button and they opened to maybe a 14-inch cutlass style blade. Not sure where they were made but I think France or Italy would be a good guess.

 

[horseclover]

There used to be some antique auto folding swords floating around collector circles. They worked something like the old Marbles folding hunters with the blade covered by an edge guard when closed. Push the button and they opened to maybe a 14-inch cutlass style blade. Not sure where they were made but I think France or Italy would be a good guess.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/537525-Switchblade-Folding-Cutlass

 

[hank_rearden]

^
now that's neat! made as recently as 1900. can come with a single-shot barrel too.