Is One Handed Closing of a Folder Really Critical ?

DocJD

DocJD

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I do consider one-handed opening very important and I like it to be fast , if needed for some emergency . :cool::thumbsup::thumbsup:

But unless it's a fidget flipper or you actually routinely need the other hand free to do some other vital task whilst you fold your knife away ...then why? :confused:

Just asking ! ;)
 
DocJD said:
But unless...you actually routinely need the other hand free to do some other vital task whilst you fold your knife away ...then why? :confused:
Click to expand...
More like want than need, and vital is probably overstating it, but you hit the nail pretty square on the head here.

Are there awesome two hand closing knives that I’m missing out on? I guess I’m not really seeing why that is a desirable feature?
Just asking. ;)
 
Neither OHO nor OHC (One Handed Closing) is 'critical'*' per se. It's just convenient.
Consider the multitude of times a folding knife gets opened and closed for mundane tasks. Most times we don't need OHO/OHC but it sure is nice and easy to work with. Like many here, I have a bunch of OHO knives but I have no problem using my more traditional THO blades. As most here, I'm a firm believer in OHO/OHC knives. Great, that we have the Spyderco hole etc.

* cue stories of forum members hanging from power poles with one hand needing that dang knife/ or "that one time I had to cut a lady from her seat belt in a burning car on the freeway and I had to hold the door open with one hand."
 
Sometimes.
I don't carry a knife to play with (not a fidget flipper).
I often choose the knife for the moment by the circumstances - not only what I'm going to cut, but where I am & who's around... accordingly, I'm more likely to reach for the traditional or the fixed over the modern folder. I could be perfectly content without a modern folder; except I feel nekkid without one.
 
I guess most folders including slip joint and back lock knives can be closed one-handed.
One hand opening is a convenient feature for me.
 
One handed opening is always convenient and sometimes necessary. If two handed closing is design required, I just put the knife down until both hands are free. So for me, it’s far less important.
 
The way I see it, most knives have that feature and function. It's not the most important thing in the world, and I could live without it, but why would I choose to?
 
I see the two as linked.

The only time I NEED one hand opening is when I'm working in the shop or yard and have managed to wrangle something into cutting position before cutting it. Ladder work is another.

But if I NEED to one hand open, I generally need to one hand close too.

This is one reason why I like the Opinel for shop/yard work. It's very easy to one hand open (pinch, press, hook butt end on thigh) and very safe and easy to one hand close.

Most but not all lock backs can be one hand closed. My 110s can.
 
Most of my knives are used at work, HVAC, I don’t carry anything that needs 2 hands to open or close.
Too many instances where my other hand is occupied.
Most carried......PM2, 940 & serrated Salt.
 
I have no strong preference for one-hand opening/closing. So, not critical in terms of my use or choice of a new knife. In use, I seldom need to open one handed, but I often close my folding knives one handed on my pants leg. Being able to open one handed is a nice feature. I'm quickly moving away from flippers. I don't fidgit much with knives anymore.
 
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DocJD said:
I do consider one-handed opening very important and I like it to be fast , if needed for some emergency . :cool::thumbsup::thumbsup:

But unless it's a fidget flipper or you actually routinely need the other hand free to do some other vital task whilst you fold your knife away ...then why? :confused:

Just asking ! ;)
Click to expand...

No it is not essential but can be convenient in certain situations.
 
DocJD said:
I do consider one-handed opening very important and I like it to be fast , if needed for some emergency . :cool::thumbsup::thumbsup:

But unless it's a fidget flipper or you actually routinely need the other hand free to do some other vital task whilst you fold your knife away ...then why? :confused:

Just asking ! ;)
Click to expand...

You answered your own question !!!!
 
Yes. Don't want to reach for an open knife when lying under my car or kitchen sink.
 
Not at all critical - nice to have but not critical. Most of our fathers/grandfathers did more work with the simple slipjoint than many of us will. For some reason the last number of years I have been using almost exclusively slipjoints. With the assistance of my leg i shut most of my SJs one handed + a leg.
 
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