Opening A Traditional

[Ironbut]

I've always carried my pocket knife in my right front pocket. I'm right handed, so no big deal, right?

So here's where it all gets messed up. I take my knife out of my pocket with my right hand, then transfer it to my left hand, open it with my right thumb nail, then transfer it back to my right hand to use. It would make more sense to open it with my left thumb nail. But since I'm right handed, I always just open it with my right thumb, and I'm pretty sure my Dad did it that way too.

I even thought about carrying my knife in my left pocket, so I wouldn't have to transfer it back & forth, but I've been doing it this way for almost 70 years. I can't understand how my OCD didn't catch that before now.

Am I the only one with that weird habit?

 

[buckthorn]

Almost the same experience I've had. Used to carry it in LF but decades ago, for some forgotten reason, switched to RF and can't get myself to go back to the more logical left side.

 

[Centermass]

When I’m not working, I always carry my traditional in my LF pocket because the RF is usually reserved for whatever modern one-hander clip-bearing knife I might have on me… and keys. Don’t like my keys and traditional knives to play together.

 

[BigKurtHaze]

Am I the only one with that weird habit?

Maybe the only one who admits the habit is weird. Last time I remember the topic coming up, I remember being in the minority holding the knife in my right hand and pulling the blade open with my left thumb. Gotta carry it on the right side, ‘cause that’s where the watch pocket is.

 

[Old Engineer]

I've always carried my pocket knife in my right front pocket. I'm right handed, so no big deal, right?

So here's where it all gets messed up. I take my knife out of my pocket with my right hand, then transfer it to my left hand, open it with my right thumb nail, then transfer it back to my right hand to use. It would make more sense to open it with my left thumb nail. But since I'm right handed, I always just open it with my right thumb, and I'm pretty sure my Dad did it that way too.

I even thought about carrying my knife in my left pocket, so I wouldn't have to transfer it back & forth, but I've been doing it this way for almost 70 years. I can't understand how my OCD didn't catch that before now.

Am I the only one with that weird habit?

I never thought of that before and I am laughing to myself now . I guess I am too old now to try to break the habit .

Harry

 

[kamagong]

I've always carried my pocket knife in my right front pocket. I'm right handed, so no big deal, right?

So here's where it all gets messed up. I take my knife out of my pocket with my right hand, then transfer it to my left hand, open it with my right thumb nail, then transfer it back to my right hand to use. It would make more sense to open it with my left thumb nail. But since I'm right handed, I always just open it with my right thumb, and I'm pretty sure my Dad did it that way too.

Sounds right to me.

Is it as efficient as holding the knife with your right and opening the blade with your left? No, but I am more dexterous with my right hand and prefer to hold the knife with the weaker left and manipulate the blade with the dominant right as it provides more control.

 

[Jody744]

I carry one in each front pocket.

 

[5K Qs]

I don't open a knife the way you do; "my way" is described in the first post of this very old and kind of interesting thread:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/how-many-ways-do-you-open-a-slipjoint.1245274/

- GT

 

[yablanowitz]

I carry a few in each pocket and open them with whichever thumb has an unbroken thumbnail.

 

[kamagong]

We're all doing it wrong. Here's Dan showing us how it's done.

 

[jmh33]

Right handed. Knife in rfp. Take out with right hand and open with left hand thumb. Knife doesn’t leave my right hand.
John

 

[BrotherJim]

Don't over think it. Pocket knives are hard enough as it is

 

[Sergeua]

If you orient the knife upside down to open it with your right hand, then it would transfer smoother into your right hand after fully opened. If you have a lanyard/fob on the knife for your left hand to pull on - even better
But then if you been doing things your way for so long...

 

[jc57]

I am right-handed. No matter which pocket I carry a slip-joint in, which is sometimes a shirt pocket, I always open it the same way. Handle in my right hand, nail nick facing me. Left thumbnail for the nail nick, left index finger behind to pinch the blade.

What differs is which end the blade is hinged on, relative to the nick. If the hinge is to the right when looking at the nick, then I generally open it with both hands rotating around the pivot. Kind of like the action of snapping a twig, in reverse. And when I am done, the knife is horizontal, blade facing down.

When the hinge is to the left (secondary has nail nick facing the pile side), the opening action is more the left hand just holding the blade and the right hand rotates the handle, and the end position is with the edge up and to the right, with the knife nearly vertical, and I have to rotate the handle 180 degrees in my right hand to get the blade pointing the right way.

I actually never think about it, I just open it. I stopped to watch just so I could describe it in this thread. Kind of like explaining the hand movements to write the letter "A". You just do it.

I have opened them this way for so long, it feels very strange to try to use my right thumbnail.

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

I generally only carry single bladed slip joints and am right handed. I hold the handle in my right and open with my left.

 

[afishhunter]

right handed, carry in rfp. (messed up left wrist since birth. nothing goes in a left pants pocket, unless a cargo pocket, and then rarely.)
Opening depends on the knife.
A primary blade I can usually open holding the knife in right hand, catching the nick with left thumbnail, then open the blade by moving the knife.
When the nick is on the other side, I have to hold the knife in left, opening the blade with right, then move the knife to right hand.

 

[sf fanatic]

We're all doing it wrong. Here's Dan showing us how it's done.

I’m telling you that this is an illusion. I challenge anyone here to do this and record and post your video.

 

[rishma]

I've always carried my pocket knife in my right front pocket. I'm right handed, so no big deal, right?

So here's where it all gets messed up. I take my knife out of my pocket with my right hand, then transfer it to my left hand, open it with my right thumb nail, then transfer it back to my right hand to use. It would make more sense to open it with my left thumb nail. But since I'm right handed, I always just open it with my right thumb, and I'm pretty sure my Dad did it that way too.

I even thought about carrying my knife in my left pocket, so I wouldn't have to transfer it back & forth, but I've been doing it this way for almost 70 years. I can't understand how my OCD didn't catch that before now.

Am I the only one with that weird habit?

I guess I do it the same way. Never thought about it. It’s inefficient and a bit fumbling but beautiful all the same.

 

[Will Power]

There's always your teeth.....

 

[Alex.Y.]

Maybe the only one who admits the habit is weird. Last time I remember the topic coming up, I remember being in the minority holding the knife in my right hand and pulling the blade open with my left thumb. Gotta carry it on the right side, ‘cause that’s where the watch pocket is.

Same here.

Recently I have realized that GEC's tube popper is a perfect tool to open a (stiff) blade. Can't say that their blade key is on the same comfort level, but it works too. So, in case of blade opener, I hold the knife in my left hand and an opener in my right.