Knife design and spyderdrops

[ShayM]

What factors make an opening hole knife easier, harder, or impossible to do a spyderdrop? Not counting adjusting the pivot screw.

 

[kaotick]

Oil, dirt, lint, etc

 

[ShayM]

Sorry, I should have said design factors, not maintenance issues, though I suppose how well the thing stays clean is affected by design too.

 

[spoonrobot]

Handle weight; heavier handles make this a lot easier.

Spyderhole location and size; a larger hole positioned further from the handles allows a more secure grip and a better flip due to the greater leverage.

Lock type; liner locks and ball locks are noticeably easier to spyderdrop than mid-locks.

Some of the best flippers/droppers I've handled are the Manix 2, Military and FRN Stretch (once broken in.)

I'd say the E4/D4 are slightly below average, a good spyderdrop design would be better than those two models.

 

[misterjuiceman]

I'd say lockbacks are the hardest to spyder-drop. probably the easiest would be an IKBS knife, something like a Mayo IKBS Hawk-bill folder. I don't know that the detent would matter so much---my Lahar has a very strong detent and it even comes out easily when dropped in this manner. the blade doesn't really protrude out from the handle enough in the closed position, though. I think it has to stick out quite a bit.

more important than the detent is the amount of resistance to opening. the drop will immediately overcome the detent but it might get stuck part way through if the pivot is too tight.

 

[J_Curd]

Affecting factors:

Weight
Length
Geometry
Fitting
Lock tension
Pivot tension
Bushings/bearings
Lubrication
Practice
Physical aptitude
Sobriety

Did I miss anything?

 

[spoonrobot]

Washers. Nylon and Teflon can have significantly more drag than bronze types.

 

[misterjuiceman]

Washers. Nylon and Teflon can have significantly more drag than bronze types.

usually that's been the case, but I think lube can play a bigger factor in this, since the coefficient of friction of an appropriately-lubricated washer (of either type) is orders of magnitude less than that of phosphor bronze or teflon.

 

[ShayM]

Are knives that are harder or impossible to spyder drop generally harder to open normally than ones that are easier?

 

[misterjuiceman]

Are knives that are harder or impossible to spyder drop generally harder to open normally than ones that are easier?

not necessarily, the Galyean Pro-series Lahar is the easiest to open out of any knife I've handled, and it's kind of awkward to spyder drop because the blade doesn't stick out very far in the closed position. the Endura 4 spyder drops much easier (it has a spyderhole after all), but it's much harder to open.