One-handed folding knife opening trick (oldie but worthwhile rehashing)

k_estela

k_estela

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Happy New Years BF. I'm still busy with a lot of writing, coaching and teaching but I'm around and wanted to throw this quick video up here. It is in response to questions I've received about the use of a SAK one handed. Some people believe knives without thumbstuds cannot be used with a single hand so to clarify the issue, I present this.

[video=youtube;U0TN7-Be9Vw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0TN7-Be9Vw[/video]

Hope this helps!
 
That is beautifully simple!!

I've not seen this before either so thank you for the rehash.

All the best for this new year.

scruff
 
too bad the blades don't lock on these.

I've been nicked too many times to ever use my sak blade again. I do like my swiss tool though.
 
I used to be able to open my old Al Mar sere folder by holding the blade between thumb and forefinger, then flicking it forward. Not very applicable to the SAK, but it's yet another way to open a folder if you need to one-handed.
And a belated happy new year to all.
G
 
Great idea. Simple and effective. I generally just open mine like it's a one hand knife using the nail nick like a thumb stud. Uncomfortable but it works.
 
I can see this being handy if you only have one hand free for some reason. Since this does leave you holding the knife by the blade, you'd likely just use both hands 90% of the time. It could come in handy while climbing. Once open the blade you could drop it down and pick it back up by the handle to be used.
 
Try it again when it's cold out and you've had your gloves off for a while.

It's a neat trick, but SAK's and other slip joints are at a serious disadvantage to most modern knives- including sub-$30 Kershaws (tremor, etc).
 
k_estela said:
Happy New Years BF. I'm still busy with a lot of writing, coaching and teaching but I'm around and wanted to throw this quick video up here. It is in response to questions I've received about the use of a SAK one handed. Some people believe knives without thumbstuds cannot be used with a single hand so to clarify the issue, I present this.


Hope this helps!
Click to expand...

Cool post Kev, I had forgotten about that little trick. When I was little I knew a couple of old timers who carried their slipjoints that way out of habit of carrying them that way while fishing I think. It was mainly so they didn't lose their knives in the water, but they would also opened them like that some times. They had lanyards affixed to a factory D ring in the handle and explained that's why the knife came with the ring. The same reason the SAKs that once came with the same D ring I believe now come with a split ring. They were also both combat veterans from WWII and that could have been a factor as the military is found of lanyards on tools. Personally I've always laughed whenever I've heard someone arbitrarily say that slip joints couldn't be opened one handed. I've never tried with an SAK but in my commercial trapping and fishing days I used to open my Case Sod Buster and Buck lockbacks one handed all the time when I had the other hand full. As ever necessity is the mother of invention, and of creativity :)


jmsodpc said:
too bad the blades don't lock on these.

I've been nicked too many times to ever use my sak blade again. I do like my swiss tool though.
Click to expand...

The Vic Soldier, OHT, and Wenger Ranger all have locks...they also are all easy to open one handed.


crktm1612m said:
Try it again when it's cold out and you've had your gloves off for a while.

It's a neat trick, but SAK's and other slip joints are at a serious disadvantage to most modern knives- including sub-$30 Kershaws (tremor, etc).
Click to expand...

Eh, folding knives in general are at a disadvantage in the durability category, and ease of opening areas versus a fixed blade when it comes to cold hands. The level of disadvantage the SAK would be at versus either would depend on whether a good small saw was needed, how badly it was needed, and all you have is one knife. I carry a frame lock, that opens very easily one-handed, everywhere I go, but when I head to the woods I also stick aan SAK in my pocket because I really like the saw.
 
Cool video, thanks. I use a similar one-handed technique on bra clasps. The hard part is getting it on a lanyard.
 
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