I just picked up a Ken Onion designed Kershaw Blackout at my BX. Anyone have experience with this folder? I've owned Kershaws before and they've never let me down. This one's a spring loaded folder...it scared me a little the first time I opened it. I didn't know how fast it would pop open. It's just about as close to an auto as you can get without actually being an auto.
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Ken Onion Kershaw
- Thread starter tater72
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- Joined
- May 6, 2001
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- 369
I have owned several of the Onion Kershaws including the Blackout. The knife was OK but I was really unhappy with the grips, they felt mushy if that is a good description. I sold it off and purchased an Avalanche and a MiniTask which have both been great. I now have a Boa on the way to add to the collection.
question, how exactly does this speed safe mechanism work? there is a spring that helps open the knife when you manually open it slightly? any chance of it accidently opening? i'm asking cause i am interested in purchasing a boa, also on the boa there is a second way of opening the knife? by pushing on the lever on the top of the blade?
with the boa there is no chance of accidental opening because it has a lock which you can slide over when it is closed that prevents opening al together.
all the kershaw onions with the flipper have this. the blackout and whirlwind do not, but since they don't have the flipper they are inlukely to open by themselves.
basically you open the knife a little ways and then the torsion bar kicks in flicking it out the rest of the way for you.
all the kershaw onions with the flipper have this. the blackout and whirlwind do not, but since they don't have the flipper they are inlukely to open by themselves.
basically you open the knife a little ways and then the torsion bar kicks in flicking it out the rest of the way for you.
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2002
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I've been carrying a Boa for a year now and am extremely pleased with it. I actually don't even use the safety and to my knowledge I have never had an accidental opening (I'm pretty sure I'd remember that). I've also carried a Ricochet the year previous to purchasing the Boa and no accidental opening with that one either.
Regarding the blackout...I wasn't too fond of the grips either. I'd highly recommend the Boa. The flipper decreases the chance for accidents. When they first came out, I would hear stories of (experienced) people opening the blade and slicing their fingers open on it in the stores. That's why they came out with those dulled demo models.
As for the speed safe mechanism...the way I understand it is that there is a torsion assist mechanism that takes over after pushing the blade a quarter of the way open. It gets around the whole auto thing because you are pushing on the blade to open it.
Regarding the blackout...I wasn't too fond of the grips either. I'd highly recommend the Boa. The flipper decreases the chance for accidents. When they first came out, I would hear stories of (experienced) people opening the blade and slicing their fingers open on it in the stores. That's why they came out with those dulled demo models.
As for the speed safe mechanism...the way I understand it is that there is a torsion assist mechanism that takes over after pushing the blade a quarter of the way open. It gets around the whole auto thing because you are pushing on the blade to open it.
What in the world is a torsion bar anyway? I have the Whirlwind and I've tried to look at the thing from all angles to see this mechanism and haven't been able to spot it. I've been tempted to take the knife apart to see how it works but I don't know that it can be without ruining it.
As for the accidental opening, it's actually hard for some people to open them using the thumb stud. A friend of mine can't open hers consistently at all. She's given up because it hurts her thumb to keep trying. She opens the knife with two hands now. When I first got the Whirlwind, it took me a couple of days to learn to touch the thumb stud right for it to open. Now I can do it with the slightest touch.
As for the accidental opening, it's actually hard for some people to open them using the thumb stud. A friend of mine can't open hers consistently at all. She's given up because it hurts her thumb to keep trying. She opens the knife with two hands now. When I first got the Whirlwind, it took me a couple of days to learn to touch the thumb stud right for it to open. Now I can do it with the slightest touch.
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2001
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- 2,726
I think the Boa has one of the best grips around. It feels great in my hand and the lower guard gives me confidence that I won't slip forward even under the worst conditions.
I seem to be one of the few who prefers to open it with the thumbstud, but I think that's just a matter of draw techniques. Having the "index trigger" is a nice option too. I tend to use the stud on pocket draws and the trigger on sheath draws.
For a common example of a torsion bar take a look at the back of a Victorinox SAK. Those long straight pieces of steel lined up with each layer are torsion bars that provide the tension to hold the various implements in place when they are fully folded or fully extended.
--Bob Q
I seem to be one of the few who prefers to open it with the thumbstud, but I think that's just a matter of draw techniques. Having the "index trigger" is a nice option too. I tend to use the stud on pocket draws and the trigger on sheath draws.
For a common example of a torsion bar take a look at the back of a Victorinox SAK. Those long straight pieces of steel lined up with each layer are torsion bars that provide the tension to hold the various implements in place when they are fully folded or fully extended.
--Bob Q
- Joined
- May 10, 1999
- Messages
- 2,769
Here are some pictures of mine (not really professional) of the torsion bar mechanism.
I hope you will be able to see how it works...
One end of the torsion bar (left side here) is attached in a blade (there is a small hole in it - #3) the other side is fixed into the spine of the handle. The crescent cutout (#5) is just in the liner. The torsion spring is between the liner and the scale - the scale is milled out. In closed position the torsion bar pushes the "A" direction thus keeps the knife closed.
Just slight (or not so slight) push to the thumb stud and once you reach the point B the spring takes over and finishes the move. Very simple but efficient!!
Knife open
David
[edited] to add some comments...
I hope you will be able to see how it works...
One end of the torsion bar (left side here) is attached in a blade (there is a small hole in it - #3) the other side is fixed into the spine of the handle. The crescent cutout (#5) is just in the liner. The torsion spring is between the liner and the scale - the scale is milled out. In closed position the torsion bar pushes the "A" direction thus keeps the knife closed.
Just slight (or not so slight) push to the thumb stud and once you reach the point B the spring takes over and finishes the move. Very simple but efficient!!
Knife open
David
[edited] to add some comments...
I remember some time ago on Knifeforums that this question came up and Ken Onion himself said (if I remember correctly) that storing them open would probably be a good habit to get into, but that storing them closed probably would not harm them. I keep my Blackout open when not carrying it, but have kept my Scallion and Chive closed mostly.
Jim
Jim