I admit....I'm addicted to assisted

[blade4sell]

Title says it...I have a few A/O, a couple one hand thumb opening...why am I only looking for assisted opening knives now? I see its not, NEXT...is assisted openning spoiling just me here? Or other members feel the same.

 

[mkjellgren]

I loved assisted openers when I first got into knives, but have since went the other way and generally avoid them like the plague. I find that a properly designed manual action folder can often be opened just as fast as well as (and here's the kicker) closed faster than any AO knife. For me, the spring tension that must be overcome when closing an AO knife makes it far more cumbersome (and dangerous if your hands are slippery) to close with one hand. To me, the speed factor of a folder is measured by how quickly and easily I can draw the knife from my pocket, open it, use it, and put it back in my pocket, not how fast the blade flies open. Sure, I get it, they're sometimes fun to play with, and for many folks they're as close to an auto as they can legally carry, but from a practical stand point, a good manual folder is usually better. At this point, I feel like AO is a bit of a gimmick.

 

[SOC_MRN_Leon]

When I first got into knives, all I would look at were assisted knives (like I said before, the BM Barrage was in my sights). As mkjellgren said, I too steer clear from the assisted knives. My last assisted knife left a sour taste in my opinion. First it opened way to loud and non-knife people would be like woah! So since then pretty much decided to go full manual folders. Assisted knives are fun but many manuals are smooth enough to glide open like assisted knife just w/o the assist. Kershaw makes some good ones if you want to look at some more! They're simply designed with the torsion bar instead of a spring. Tastes change and one day maybe you go with all manuals

 

[Dorito Monk]

I've moved away from Assisted knives lately, but I've owned a fair few of them in the past. I tend to look at assisted mechanisms as just another moving part that can break / get gummed up / need adjustment, and to me, they're just not worth the hassle (especially when there are lots of other knives that can open just as fast or just as smoothly without the hassle of replacing torsion bars or whatnot).

Still, I won't turn away from a design if I like the knife, but it happens to have an assisted mechanism. I got a Knockout a little while ago that's really nice, even if it is assisted. I'm going to try to de-assist it at some point and see how it works.

 

[nopyo]

I remember when the spring assisted flipper design was my #1 choice. Back then, using the thumbstud/hole was an awkward motion, and I wanted the switchblade-like intimidation factor in case I needed to fight someone with it. Quite glad I grew out of that mindset.

Nowadays, I do not prefer assisted knives because the spring resists when I'm closing the blade (makes one handed closing awkward and borderline dangerous), and nearly everyone used to call my A/O knives switchblades.

 

[ryxlyx]

I removed the assist hardware from my BM 583-1-- quicker opening, AND closing.

 

[X_shooter]

Yep me too. My second is flippers. It is therapy for my OCD flicking and flipping.

 

[Scurvy092]

Count me in the 'fans of assisted at first and now steer clear of them' camp.

Once you get a properly executed manual flipper or figure out how to flick with thumbstuds/spyderholes, you will move away from them as well.

As stated, you give up ease of closing for what is probably little to no advantage in opening speed.

My ZT0560 flips out much faster than my 0350. My BM 530 flicks just as fast as my assisted mini-barrage did.

 

[Ken44]

Or other members feel the same.

Not me, never liked them, and never will.

 

[seelow123]

Part of my passion for knives is feeling the precision and smoothness when opening the knife. I don't get that with assisted knives.

 

[Thalestin]

Had one and quickly learned to hate it. I'm quite the opposite and move past any knife with any assist mechanism