One hand opening, help me let go!

M

manowar669

Joined
Oct 1, 2002
Messages
1,821
There are so many cool knives, some traditional, some more modern. Many require two hands to open. Nail nicks are sleek, classy, traditional. Why do I feel I need a one hand opening blade? If you are relying on a knife for defense, someone (other than you), is getting a nice knife. On a ladder, maybe, ok, I see that, but mostly a nice slipjoint will do just fine. Why can't I let go? I love my Vic soldier, and my Opinels. I want to carry them more, but they get bumped by a BM 530 (great carry knife BTW). Help me let go!!!!
 
IMO a 1 handed knife Is Sooooo Much Easier to Open % Close. Why would

you Want to use 2 Hands:confused::confused:
 
Leave the one handers home for a week and see how unimportant the argument is. I used to think the same thing and now I can go for weeks with just a Vic SAK and a Stockman in my pockets. I still have my thumbstud and flipper knives and knives with holes in the blade. I just don't always need them. Believe me, you will survive it!!!;)







:)
 
Do what I do, and carry one of each!

I'm not kidding... :D

Seriously, there's nothing wrong with enjoying the best of both worlds. I usually have a Spyderco clipped to my right side pocket, and a more traditional slipjoint (stockman or sodbuster) tucked into the 'watch pocket' of my jeans. No reason why you have to give up one to have the other.
 
I also normally carry both a one-hander and a traditional.

The traditional gets used more.
 
Well, I'm carrying a BM 530, a Vic Soldier, and a Vic Rambler. At work, often it's just the Rambler. Small, but it gets the job done. Great tool selection in a small knife. The Soldier is classy, solid, and very functional, but heavy for its size, so it sometimes gets left behind. The BM530, very light, axis lock, CPM154, very thin. What's not to like? I'm not saying I dont like it, it is just that the knife doesn't have a personality. SAKs do, traditional slippies do. I really want the Soldier along, but it's bases are covered. If it had scissors, the Rambler might stay home.
 
I hear ya. At work and in certain jurisdictions, I only carry traditionals, but when I get home, I usually clip on a Tenacious or Native. These one-handed openers are just more handy to me. However, in a way I'm glad that I have such legal constraints because it allows me to explore a wider range of fantastic knives. I'm a sappy sentimental guy at heart, too, so I'm glad for the legal encouragement.

But, if there were no such laws, I'd be toting a Military or some other one-handed knife as a preference.

Oh, but wait, I'm supposed to be convincing you to get into traditionals. Spend $25 and get yourself a nice Case Sodbuster. You'll either "get" it...or you won't.

My bigger beef is that one-handed openers seem to get all the nifty super-steels.
 
Luckily, we don't need to choose one knife style over all others. Just carry them both or rotate them based on what you expect to do each day, or just based on your mood.

Sometimes I feel like carrying a nice slipjoint, with carbon steel blades and bone handle. I just love how those knives "age" nicely. And the blade stock is usually much thinner than most one hand openers, which makes them awesome slicers. I like having several blades to choose from, like on a whittler or stockman.

On some other days, I'd rather carry something more modern with a flashy super steel, fast deployment and some sort of ingenius locking mechanism. I've never had to open a knife quickly in an emergency, but I did find myself in many situations where being able to open and close my knife with one hand made my work easier.

Hell, I even have days when I decide that all folders are worthless and carry a fixed blade.
 
Although rare, there may be a time where you only have one hand to open a knife at a time when you really need that knife "now". Perhaps even for life or your "last" limb. The best argument is both if you want to help pertpetuate the wonderful noton of a good traditional knife. To take this a step further, carry both, one on each side of your body.
 
Chewy1 said:
However, in a way I'm glad that I have such legal constraints because it allows me to explore a wider range of fantastic knives. I'm a sappy sentimental guy at heart, too, so I'm glad for the legal encouragement.

But, if there were no such laws, I'd be toting a Military or some other one-handed knife as a preference.
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You are psyched to be unreasonably told what to do & are glad that you don't carry what you prefer?
 
For two weeks (which is a long time for a knife addicted "nut":D) I carried nothing but a Victorinox Rambler and a Case peanut in red "pocket worn" bone. It was a life changing two weeks:D -I was just fine.

Currently, I carry both a one hander and a slip-joint pretty often, and that is just because I like knives. What can I say? I could even survive comfortably in this modern day and age without an EDC knife:foot::foot::foot::D.
 
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The Government said:
For two weeks (which is a long time for a knife addicted "nut":D) I carried nothing but a Victorinox Rambler and a Case peanut in red "pocket worn" bone. It was a life changing two weeks:D -I was just fine.

Currently, I carry both a one hander and a slip-joint pretty often, and that is just because I like knives. What can I say? I could even survive comfortably in this modern day and age without an EDC knife:foot::foot::foot::D.
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There's the truth of the matter right there. In this day and age of modern suburbia, we can actually get by with no knife at all if we had to. Most cutting we have to do, can be done with a small pen knife. Most of our grandfathers who lived in a far less techno world than we do now very often carrried just that. Very few of us are going to be encountering wild injuns or a griz that needs skinning. Most of the modern knife market is a very artifially created market to sell fantacy, not reality.

I can honestly say that in my entire 69 years of life, including 10 years in the army, backpacking all over, hunting in my younger day, and fishing now with my grandchildren, that I have never been in a quick draw situation with my knife, or have suffered for not having a one hand opening knife. And I have tried the one hand jobs. I found them too limited by only having one blade, usually ground too think to be a great cutter, not to mention homely as heck in looks. It's passing strange, that back in the days where a knife was actually used day to day, there was one hand opening knives, but they were never popular. They actually had automatics back in the late 1800's, but they were never popular with men who used a knife on the job, be it farmer, cowboy, frieght wagon driver, tradesman, or even soldier. Heck, they had lockblade folding daggers, but they weren't too popular either. On the other hand, the humble Barlow knife was the most popular knife shipped west from the Russell Green River Works. But this IS a knife forum, so the people here are more obsessed with unlikely senerios where the one hand fast draw knife is needed. If it's what turns you on, then thats okay, but if manowar, the OP, is carrying one because of some percieved need, then he's going on a false idea.

Manowar, try putting your one handers in a drawer for one week, and carrying just a slippy with your rambler. Maybe a nice slim Texas jack or small trapper, or whatever traditional grabs your fancy. Theres many traditional patterns to choose from that are great looking, and have tons of charater. Something lacking in modern knives.

You may surprise yourself.

Carl.
 
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Hi manowar669 -

With much respect for Carl and the others, and being a guy who EDC's two SAK's and one other assorted one-hand opener, I will say that the absolute NECESSITY for OHO (one hand opening) is rare.

However, the CONVENIENCE of OHO is undeniable. There have been several times I can remember of late where OHO was handy. Not NECESSITY, but handy.

So, in terms of talking you out of OHO, you can easily survive day-to-day life without a OHO blade.

For me, I just love them.

best regards

mqqn
 
I've found a way to open every one handed knife i own. If you like it, carry it, you'll adapt to it, both opening and closing. You may not be able to open or close one handed the first day you own it, but as you get a feel for it and play with it, you'll learn how hard it is to open, where it springs shut and so on.
 
I carried a Swiss Army Knife of one kind or another for the longest time, and I never felt that it was inadequate for my daily tasks. However, today I enjoy one hand openers because I can quickly flip it out and fold it in. It has nothing to do with self defense, it's about minimizing the chance of people spotting me with a knife in my hand. Less trouble from panicky ladies.
 
mqqn said:
I will say that the absolute NECESSITY for OHO (one hand opening) is rare.

However, the CONVENIENCE of OHO is undeniable. There have been several times I can remember of late where OHO was handy. Not NECESSITY, but handy.

mqqn
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^ This is true. Heck, most people somehow manage to make it through life without EVER owning ANY kind of edc knife.

That being said, I usually find a use for my pocket knife many times throughout the day, and probably %80 of those uses require one handed opening and closing. Because I'm usually holding what needs to be cut, or something else, in my other hand.

As for the abiltiy to quickdraw a locking blade for SD use.... Sure most of us will never truely need to use a knife on another person in self defense .....but then you never know. I guess I'm one of those who would rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.

I agree with the guys who suggest carrying both, if you can't make up your mind. :thumbup:
 
try putting your one handers in a drawer for one week, and carrying just a slippy with your rambler. Maybe a nice slim Texas jack or small trapper, or whatever traditional grabs your fancy. Theres many traditional patterns to choose from that are great looking, and have tons of charater. Something lacking in modern knives. You may surprise yourself.
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That would be a nice experiment Carl, but sadly, I don't even own one except a SAK with so many tools that it would be like a brick and probably pull my pants down when I started walking. I love axis locks, flippers with or w/o AO, with or w/o a framelock. :)

I was flicking my BM 710 last night and thought "what sexy b****", if a woman was a knife blade, I'd want mine to look like like this." :o
 
manowar669 said:
There are so many cool knives, some traditional, some more modern. Many require two hands to open. Nail nicks are sleek, classy, traditional. Why do I feel I need a one hand opening blade? If you are relying on a knife for defense, someone (other than you), is getting a nice knife. On a ladder, maybe, ok, I see that, but mostly a nice slipjoint will do just fine. Why can't I let go? I love my Vic soldier, and my Opinels. I want to carry them more, but they get bumped by a BM 530 (great carry knife BTW). Help me let go!!!!
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Don't let go, Carry two knives. (or three or four:D)

I grew up with carrying and using Traditional Knives most of my life. Then the one hand openers became popular and I found they were also useful like working on a ladder, wagon, truck, house, tree, where you are hanging on with one hand and need the use of a knife with the other being able to open and close with one hand came in real handy.

I carry both and use both daily.
 
My first ONO knife was the AGRussell when it first came out .It was so convenient that I never went back !! AGRussell, Sebenza, TOPS, Terzuola have been my EDCs. One of man's greater inventions !
Now not legal in NYC but I don't go there any more.
 
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