More Ken Onion non AO and fixed blades

silenthunterstudios

silenthunterstudios

Slipjoint Addict
Joined
Feb 2, 2005
Messages
20,039
When I first started buying good productions, I had the Scallion, Chive, Blackout, Boa, Echo, mini Mojo, mini Cyclone. I might be forgetting a couple. Anyway, I loved AO (I know that the Echo is an FB). I've always liked Kens production designs, but have decided to keep only my wood handled Splinter. It is one of my favorite productions, and really stands out among my Benchmades, Sebenzas and Spydercos. Would anyone else want to see a similar knife from Ken Onion? Maybe a larger Splinter? Any steel, my mini Cyclone had great steel. Also, since AO has fallen out of favor with me at least, would you want to see more non AO collaborations from Ken Onion? Would you pay for them? I realize the Sandvik steel is the hot new steel from Kershaw, and that there are variations of models that have S30V and ZDP189.

Also, if I were to pick up a G10 Leek, or for that matter any other AO Kershaw, would I be able to remove the spring that allows it to be an AO?
 
Yeah, you can, it's super easy. You can also order replacement springs through Kershaw's site to replace them when one breaks. I have my Leek de-assisted now and I love it as much as ever. The spring just rides in a small pocket between the handle scale and the liner. Open the knife, take out the spring, re-assemble. It's that simple.
 
MaxFisher beat me to it, but I’ll post anyway incase it makes things a little clearer.

The Kershaw Speed Safe mechanism is simply a torsion bar held in a recess inside the handle scale. Being a liner lock, I assume the torsion bar on the G-10 leek would be on the non-lock side scale, all you have to do to remove it is take off the handle scale and the torsion bar will be free to pull out. NOTE: Do not remove the torsion bar with the knife closed, the torsion bar is under tension in that position and is likely to spring out.
With the torsion bar removed just put the handle back together and the knife will function like any other manual folder.
 
MaxFisher said:
Yeah, you can, it's super easy.
Click to expand...

I'm aware that you can often remove the torsion bar, but those I've asked have stated that this normally also eliminates the blade detent, which is obviously something I don't want to do. Perhaps on some models the blade has a separate detent, while others use the torsion bar to provide the detent? I do know that when I asked if it was possible to de-activate the SpeedSafe mechanism on the the upcoming Earth Brown Blur, Thomas himself stated that, "...of course you can remove the torsion bar, but there will be no detent to keep the blade closed."
 
jml90 said:
How come so many dislike AOs in theory isn't it easier to use?
Click to expand...

I suppose it's just a matter of personal preference. I don't find A/O knives to be any easier to use, and I would rather be in complete control of how the blade opens. Others like the feature, but it just doesn't appeal to me.
 
jml90 said:
How come so many dislike AOs in theory isn't it easier to use?
Click to expand...
jml, our AO's have been our best sellers since they made their debut in 1999. Their are hundreds of thousands of them on the market.:thumbup:
 
jml90 said:
How come so many dislike AOs in theory isn't it easier to use?
Click to expand...

They've just fallen out of favor with me. I am a firm proponent of buying what you like. My posts weren't meant in any way as a dig on Kershaw or AO's. I absolutely love the Ken Onion designs btw.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
They've just fallen out of favor with me. I am a firm proponent of buying what you like. My posts weren't meant in any way as a dig on Kershaw or AO's. I absolutely love the Ken Onion designs btw.
Click to expand...
I understand. After years of thumb-stud folders, it's taking me a while to get used to my new Leek.

My wife doesn't understand why I keep flipping it open, over and over... It's partially to break it in..and partially to get used to it.
 
jml90 said:
How come so many dislike AOs in theory isn't it easier to use?
Click to expand...

To some extent that could be true. Although, one of the disadvantages in my mind is the propensity of the mechanism to fail. Although it doesn't happen often it does add a complexity of moving parts that I can sometimes find unappealing. The fact that the knife works perfectly fine as a manual folder even in the event of failure does make up for it though.
 
On two of my Scallions, the safety broke, but the AO never failed on me. Never had a problem with any of the AO's made by Kershaw. Dropped by Benchmade 670, that needed to be sent in.
 
AOs are cool with the gadget factor..probably gonna get you arrested in NYC though. OTOH, the most common knife in NYC is the Leek, from what I have seen
 
Thomas, Cyclone has AO switchable, and when it switch off it steel keep blade closed because of that small ball on the liner and corresponding hole on the blade.

For some reason Leek does not have this little hole on the bleda even ball is there is it hard for you to start making this corresponding little holes on the blade which will keep Leek closed even if I remove torsion bar?

I did this once, but it keep opening time to time, which is dangerous.
But with this little modification it will be much more convinient - I guess it is not eve modification but not skipping one manufacturing step.

Sometimes AO is good, but sometimes I prefer to open knife slowly. Which is big advantage of Cyclone line.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
I like AO knives and I like non-AO knives but it seems these days Kershaw is going a little crazy with putting AO on all their blades.
 
I carry a Buck 110 and a Kershaw Avalanche. I seem to frequently go for the Avalanche, because of the ease and security the AO provides. Now I simply can't live without it.
 
dedguy said:
I like AO knives and I like non-AO knives but it seems these days Kershaw is going a little crazy with putting AO on all their blades.
Click to expand...

Junk Yard Dog, Junk Yard Dog II, Lahar, NRG, and NRG II are all newer models without AO. Not sure what they announced today, but I think there were a couple of other manual flippers coming.

I love the AO myself and haven't carried a manual opener since i got my first assisted opener. (I haven't gotten to try a manual flipper yet though.)
 
Well there is also the Groove, Tanto Groove, and the Hawk R.A.M. flipper. Not to mention the 1993-2 in VG-10.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top