Most innovative Modern Knife Feature?

I must vote for ... in no necessary order of importance ... (1) ... the "one hand opening" innovations whatever the method may be (2) ... the 'locking method' innovations whatever the method may be (3) ... the "carry method" innovations whatever the method may be. (4) ... and the "improved steels and other component materials" whatever they may be. These four general areas of knife design and improvement give us the modern selection of high-tech, high-design knives we have today. I know this seems to avoid the original question but it really is the work and ideas of many makers and producers over many years of focusing their talents in these four areas at one point in time or another to "raise-the-bar" of functional design to achieve the "super knives" that are possible today.
 
I think Frank K nailed it with his several innovations listed above. After all, what is a "modern innovation?" What is "modern?" What I mean is, we are talking about an artifact that many insist on referring to as man's earliest tool. You might consider metal to be a modern innovation, and steel would certainly have to qualify. But man's earliest tool (and weapon) was actually the wooden club, and it wasn't long, in evolutionary terms at least, before it mutated into the stone hammer and then the stone axe. The copper axe carried by that Ice Man they found frozen in the Alps several years ago was quite an innovation in his time I suppose.
 
I vote for the assisted opening thingy on Kershaw knives. It was designed originally to get around the California prohibition on automatic mechanisms. I have one of the Scallions with this feature, and it is at least as fast as an auto.
 
I vote for the new stainless steels. Much of the mentioned innovations are pretty lost on me, e.g. I'm fine putting the knife at the bottom of my pocket and opening it with two hands.

I think the progression in regards to blade steels and how durable modern knives are being built are the most important two to me.

That and the SAK / Multitool. They've existed in various forms for over a century, but they've gotten awfully good in the last 30 years or so.
 
nozh2002 said:
This is kind of 2000 years old innovation!

http://www.vikingsword.com/serpent2.html#anchor514234

Laminated knives known for milleniums for Scandinavia to Japan!

Thanks, Vassili.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I kind of realized this, I was aware of the age of laminated blade technology, but I got caught up in trying to come up with an innovation based on its being a unique concept for blades and not an offshoot. Glad this isn't being graded!:D Anyway, probably the spyderhole/thumbstud the the most influencial in modern times.

Is the 110's locking mechanism a unique innovation? Just curious.
 
what about a fixed blade with a two blades?
Just like on the SOG Revolver.
I would say this is one of the more interesting and recent innovations in knives.

Eric
 
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