Quietest folding knife?

R

recruit17

Joined
Jun 29, 2013
Messages
51
I know this really isn't a major consideration when choosing a knife, but the other day I was sitting on my computer opening and closing my Hissatsu 2, when my roommate knocks on my door and asks what I was doing because he could hear the snapping sound of my knife in the other room, and it just got me thinking. All I have are liner-locks, and naturally they all make a rather noticeable clicking sound when they open. Was just curious if anybody knew of any really silent liner-lock or lock-back folders that don't click or make any sort of noise when you open or close them.
 
Any folding knife can be absolutely silent as long as you hold the lock open when opening and closing the knife.
 
My Brad Southard flipper is amazingly quiet for a frame lock.
I'm sure some others will jump in and tell me if mine is an aberration or if it's the norm.
 
Check out Benchmade. With their AXIS lock you can let the blade swing open and quietly slide the lock in place. With practice it can be done very fast and still be quiet.
 
Vulcan, if you let gravity work the blade, whils't you hold the lock bar back, then let it slip forward to lock. With just minor pressure on the flipper alone, it's quiet enough that most any ambient noise can mask it. ;)
 
Freman Bloodglaive said:
Spyderco Manix 2 XL with the ball lock should be as quiet as an axis lock.
Click to expand...

Should be but I just checked mine and it's not quiet. The Axis lock on my old SOG PE1 is really quiet though.

On the other hand I just picked up a Zermeno friction folder. If you're looking for no noise at all a friction folder might work for you.
 
If you want something that you can open quietly without being slow and methodical, I have a cheapo Gerber Evo something or other that is extremely quiet even when I flip it open quickly. Not quite as quiet as the axis lock, but it's more fun to flip the knife open than to control the lock. It makes about as much sound as me pressing the spacebar when I don't have a cover on my keyboard.

Unfortunately, I can't recommend the knife for any other purpose since it has the worst lock rock I've ever seen, awful steel, and the blade actually touches the liner when closed.
 
evanPGH said:
As odd as it sounds, this guy has it right.

It makes a very faint click on lockup due to the ceramic ball. If you open it slowly it's almost dead silent.
Click to expand...

I agree on this one for a couple of reasons.

One, the ceramic ball. Instead of clunking into place, the lock bar kind of rolls into place. No real 'click'

Two, the thumbrest/bladestops have Orings around them that cushion the impact. They compress all the way so that there is metal on metal contact, but, especially when new they muffle the sound.

The older models before the over travel stop are quieter because you can tweak the lock bar tension so it's not as strong (sacrilege, I know).
 
Do NOT buy an integral Titanium folder from makers like Rassenti, Michael Raymond, or Scott Cook. These integrals make a loud Thrack when they open, waking up the whole neighborhood. That is what you pay for, that Thracking sound :)
 
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