Opening maneuvers

P

pdmoderator

Joined
Mar 23, 2002
Messages
17
Hi, all,

What's the fastest way to take a closed Spyderco knife out of your pocket and open it?

This sounds dumb, and maybe it is, but it's not obvious to me how to do this smoothly or efficiently.

Thanks,
- pdmoderator
 
Tip-down: pinch by the hole and "spydie drop" as it clears your pocket.

Tip-up: an inertia open on the draw is the fastest but a regular ol' thumb opening aint too slow.

What do you need further description of?

I know this sounds cliche, but the key is practice.
 
1. Choose a knife for your EDC (every day care) that suits your objectives utility/defense/both.

2.Buy 2 exact copies of the same knife - one to carry and one as a practice drone. Spyderco makes several drone models - or you can dull your own.

3. Always have the knife with you.

4. Always keep the knife in the same place - right pocket, left pocket, inside pocket - you decide.

5. Practice getting the knife from your pocket to your hand - keep practicing - at least 25 times a day until the move is instinctive - then practice some more.

6. Then, and only then, are you ready to consider your opening move - steps 1-5 are more important than step 6. The Spyderco hole allows for almost instantaneous opening - practice. Can you open a micro-second faster with an inertia opening - maybe? It depends on the knife - Massad Ayoob is hard to open by inertia - the Tim Wegner is heavier and easy to open with inertia - the opening really doesn't matter it you have followed steps 1-5 correctly. And Step 7.

7. Having the correct mindset to know when to: defend/attack/apologize/run - this takes maturity and years of practice.

PS - if you watch the Michael Janich(?) tapes he teaches a variety of opening techniques - and, of course, he says "practice, practice, practice."
 
Legend has it that Sal has one of the fastest draws. I'm not sure which knife he uses but it may be the Military (which inspite of its light G-10 handle can be used in a Spydie drop opening maneuver).
 
Thanks for the replies!

I looked up the "Spydie drop" here and tried it, but maybe I'm getting it wrong. Does it involve a couple of shifts of hand position? I haven't been able to make the handle fall in my hand as advertised without shifting position.

Cheers,
- pdmoderator
 
Carry the knife in the same place every day and practice, practice, practice. I can open up my Military increadibly quick. I simply grasp the knife normally near the pivot, and pull the knife from my pocket. Then I get my grip on the knife and do a combination thumb/inertia opening.
 
Take a Military, draw it while slipping your thumb in the nice big oversized hole, flick your thumb like you're shooting a marble. Snaps open like it's an auto, but without having to search for the button.

Take a Military, draw it by pinching the hole with your thumb and forefinger, snap the handle down as it clears the pocket. Impresses the girls but, like you, requires a grip shift for me after it's open.

Take a Gunting, grab the big piece of the handle sticking up above your pocket, strike your target for a kinetic opening.

Now if only I could get that nice big Military hole in my Gunting. Hmmmm.
 
Don't even know if Sal's millie clears his pocket before it's open...

if you want a nice fast opening, locate the hole before your start drawing. I put my hand on my spydie, and thumb the hole before I do anything else.

Delica on Left/front, rigged for left
Calypso jr lt on Right/front

2 knives in 2 seconds, out and back in 5.
 
VampyreWolf, how do you onehand close those lockbacks so quickly? That's one trick I gotta learn. Thanks.
 
When I grip, my thumb is right behind the hole. I grip with my fingers along the whole underside of the handle.

To close, I simply drag my thumb back from it's spot, depress the lever, and flick my wrist. The blade hits 90degrees or so when my fingers hit the tang. Then rotate the knife in your hand as you would for a normal close, and close.

From the wrist flick starting, the knife is heading back for the pocket. It closes about 2-3inches from the pocket. It's also open at about that range.

I practice my drill bringing the knife up to about mid-chest.
 
loosing fingers? you think my sig on Spyderco.com/forum is a joke?

it's a fun drill to do, almost as fun as spinning a spydie from forward to reverse grip, without any index pivots. try it with a clipless delica.
 
The spydie hole drop opening necessitates a grip change or regripping..its not possible not to..
yes..its cleared Poppa Spyders pocket, then its open..if not he'd have no pocket and no opening...ROFL..
and Poppa Spyder goes to a pinch grip tip thrust..
I've seen hium zap paper help out in front of him to show he's got enough control to thrust into something & cut..
It helps that a SPYDIE edged tool is incredibly sharp...
Now his grip change is so slight..cause the momentum of the motion brings the handle towards his hand..
Is he fast? you bet...very very fast..BAM its open...

Fast Openings are very personal..it depends on the type of knife we choose to carry..
obviously one doesn't need a lightening response to EDC needs..
tip down..I pull straight up out of my pocket..hole comes right to my thumb and in that upward motion I Spydie open it..and continue my cutting motion
Gunting? hell I go straight for the target and its open upon contact..BAM...or see previous response...LOL...
tip down? I don't carry tip down...unlike Mike,( Janich that is) I don't index or look for it..and he's really really fast on tip up models..he prefers them..
Nor do I do inertia openings...( yes they work..)

location, depth of pocket, ride postion, clothing ...weather..
stress, adrenalin dump, tunnel vision, person to person contact..balance or lack of it..reaction or action..all of this can effect your opening...

I unexpectedly start banging into the students chest..( read that punching) and as they fall or double up I keep coming at them to see who actually engages their tool under duress..
its an elightening drill..and very humbling...

be safe..

Bram
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top