Opening Umnumzaan with your off side hand?

[ebidis]

I have had my Umnumzaan for four days now, and I love the knife. The only problem I have, is I find it next to impossible to open the Zaan with my left hand (which is my off side hand). It Is a right-handed knife. I can open it using the thumb stud right-handed with no problem. When I tried to use my left hand, I push forward on the thumb stud, with enormous pressure, and all I achieve his pain. I just cannot get behind the thumb stud enough, because it is slightly excluded by the lock bar.The only way I can do it, is to use my thumb on the glass breaker as kind of a flipper to break the detent, and then finish opening it with the thumb stud.

Does anybody have any suggestions on a way to grip the knife, so that I can open it left-handed using the thumb stud?

 

[1AbominAble1]

I've carried one for years and although I can open it left handed with the stud it's a pain in the thumb to do so.
I normally sweep the glass breaker with my thumb like you described, done it so much that it usually pops open completely when I do.

 

[bhyde]

Just a thought as I was curious with my 25 if I could do this with my left hand. Yes, I can if I am careful not to inadvertantly put pressure on the lockbar.

I would have to put my Umnumzaan back together to see for sure,..but that is going to take a few days.

 

[Ajack60]

I couldn't do it with my first one, had to get a LH Umnumzaan before I fell in love with the knife. It's the only CRK I have that I carry that has to be LH. The RH ones I can open with my left hand. That's why I try to buy CRK's with double lugs.

 

[ebidis]

I couldn't do it with my first one, had to get a LH Umnumzaan before I fell in love with the knife. It's the only CRK I have that I carry that has to be LH. The RH ones I can open with my left hand. That's why I try to buy CRK's with double lugs.

I am right handed, so I'm not going to go so far as to get a left handed knife, I just think it would be cool if was more ambi friendly.

 

[RevDevil]

I am right handed, so I'm not going to go so far as to get a left handed knife, I just think it would be cool if was more ambi friendly.

RIL knives are pretty much designed to be hand specific. I have no problems opening a knife with either hand though (I am right handed), but the Umnumzaan is another story. I don't carry it in my left pocket, the clip is wrong for that, and opening it with the left hand is cumbersome and feels awkward.

 

[Ajack60]

I am right handed, so I'm not going to go so far as to get a left handed knife, I just think it would be cool if was more ambi friendly.

Forgive my attention span, I am left handed. With any other CRK I have that is RH, I don't have a issue opening with my left hand

 

[Haze]

I can open the Umnumzaan with both hands pretty easily with just the thumb stud, the left side isn't quite as easy to manipulate but then the knife is a right hand knife.

One method I do use for the left hand is to pinch the blade at the thumb studs with the thumb and middle finger (index finger works too) to help lift the blade off the detent and then open as usual with the thumb. That can be done in one motion just like a standard opening, I also find that method smoother and easier than using the glass breaker to get the blade past the detent. :thumbup:

 

[ebidis]

I can open the Umnumzaan with both hands pretty easily with just the thumb stud, the left side isn't quite as easy to manipulate but then the knife is a right hand knife.

One method I do use for the left hand is to pinch the blade at the thumb studs with the thumb and middle finger (index finger works too) to help lift the blade off the detent and then open as usual with the thumb. That can be done in one motion just like a standard opening, I also find that method smoother and easier than using the glass breaker to get the blade past the detent. :thumbup:

Just tried your method and could not make it work. Maybe because I have a touch of arthritis in my hands, or because the detent on my Zaan is pretty stout. Even using the glass breaker is not easy, but at least I can make it work that way.

 

[Vaporstang]

I have had my Umnumzaan for four days now, and I love the knife. The only problem I have, is I find it next to impossible to open the Zaan with my left hand (which is my off side hand). It Is a right-handed knife. I can open it using the thumb stud right-handed with no problem. When I tried to use my left hand, I push forward on the thumb stud, with enormous pressure, and all I achieve his pain. I just cannot get behind the thumb stud enough, because it is slightly excluded by the lock bar.The only way I can do it, is to use my thumb on the glass breaker as kind of a flipper to break the detent, and then finish opening it with the thumb stud.

Does anybody have any suggestions on a way to grip the knife, so that I can open it left-handed using the thumb stud?

Thanks for the method - I was wondering how to do this. I need a little more parctice.

I can open the Umnumzaan with both hands pretty easily with just the thumb stud, the left side isn't quite as easy to manipulate but then the knife is a right hand knife.

One method I do use for the left hand is to pinch the blade at the thumb studs with the thumb and middle finger (index finger works too) to help lift the blade off the detent and then open as usual with the thumb. That can be done in one motion just like a standard opening, I also find that method smoother and easier than using the glass breaker to get the blade past the detent. :thumbup:

I am able to do it this way but need a lot more practice. I can see some blood involved in getting proficient at this method - but I am game!