Sell me on OTFs

D

DangerZone98

Joined
Dec 7, 2019
Messages
3,561
I love my fixed blades and folding knives, but I just never got around to OTFs. I don’t dislike the design, just that I never got to see them in local stores growing up as a young man and I thought that I couldn’t subject them to the same degree of hard use as my folding knives. Other things that may be of note:

Prejudices
- I might accidentally press the sliding button while the knife is still in the pocket
- The mechanism may wear out faster than a folding knife
- The knife may be more susceptible to bladeplay with long-term use

Questions
- Why do you carry OTFs?
- Assuming someone had the budget and knife laws in the area permit OTFs, how would you convince this knife bro to carry one.

Got an open mind on this topic. Thanks folks.
 
There aren’t as many moving parts inside as you’d think, they are pretty simple once you understand them. I don’t think they are any more susceptible to blade play over the long term than folders. That said, 99% of OTFs will have some blade play due to the design, it’s just the way it is. You can still stab into a log or something if you really feel like you need to.

I’ve never had one go off in my pocket. The trigger is under spring pressure and not easy to just make it “go off”. Besides, the blade will not stay seated on its track if it did go off in your pocket, so it’s not like the blade is going to just skewer your thigh randomly.

Why do I carry one? Well, they are pretty cool, and that’s about all. Not everything has to have an entirely practical purpose. For most cutting chores, an OTF will be fine.

If you are drawn to them, check them out. Plenty of good options. I’m a Microtech and Guardian Tactical fan for OTFs, plenty of other good stuff out there too.
 
I played with cheap imported OTF's several decades ago, and never graduated to nice ones because I did NOT like the design. It seems they're all similar. You're using spring tension and momentum to snap the blade into place. But if the blade is obstructed in any way, it's just flopping there in the breeze, neither retracted nor extended. Then it takes two hands to reset it. It's certainly not suitable for tactical use, and it was sometimes frustrating for just everyday use.

If your goal is to flick knives and look cool (which I'll admit is very important), then maybe an OTF is for you. If you're looking to use it for doing real work and don't mind the occasional inconvenience, than maybe an OTF would work. If one of the purposes of the knife is for defensive purposes, then forget about an OTF.
 
The switches on Microtech's are really hard to operate for some people on purpose, so you'd have a really hard time pushing it on accident. If you get to try one out that fear will immediately go away. Also, try one out. Find a knife store that has one in stock and if you're like many of us, all of your knife endorphins will fire simultaneously the first time you fire and retract it.

Mechanisms wear out, yeah the blade wiggles a little, but it's a freaking knife that shoots out the front of the handle, and there are a couple companies out there putting them together with great materials and blade grinds. The best quality they have is making you happy while you cut stuff.
 
I spend a lot of time with my nephews who are under age 8 and knowing they aren't strong enough to open the otf, and that if dropped the won't open it dropped give me piece of mind.

I have a Hogue Exploit and Brian Tighe and friends Twist Tighe OTF. All I carry, especially when triple trouble are around.
 
I've been on a Microtech binge lately and just love them. No chance of an accidental firing in your pocket due to the amount of force required to get it to launch in the first place.

The fidget factor is through the roof and the lockup is solid. Look at some of the torture tests on YouTube to see how well the Microtech OTFs can hold up to a beating.
 
I got my ultratech last year after watching a review/test from bladehq where the guy basically abused the hell out of it. I had always figured they were fragile and had a weak locking mechanism. I'm very happy with and and partially view it as having a greater mix in my collection. I also like how slim and light is it- lot of blade for the size and weight.
 
They are a lot tougher than you would think with a proven action.

I bought an Ultratech several months ago. I find it to be well built and does what I ask of it. I did find out that I am not really an automatic kind of guy as it didnt really advance beyond what my typically daily cutting chores require of a knife besides being kind of obnoxious to open at work.

What it does do well is ride in a boot well. It's so light and compact compared to other boot knives that you nearly (or in my case, completely) forget it is there. I dunno if anyone NEEDS a $300 back up, but I guess it beats leaving it in a drawer.
 
Only otf I personally would consider is the Hawk Deadlock - it has zero blade play which is important to me.
 
I carry one when working in the shop. It’s nice to take it out, open it, cut whatever I’m holding with my other hand or teeth, close it and put it back in pocket with one hand, not having to move it around to work a lock, etc. They sure ain’t ideal for tactical or defense etc, but i find them almost as convenient as a fixed blade working. That assumes you don’t need to nearly abuse a knife in your work.
 
One advantage is having a secure grip on the knife the entire time while deploying the blade.

With folding knives, when opening the blade, you still have to keep your fingers clear so you can never get a good grip until the blade is completely deployed.
 
Blues Bender said:
Why do I carry one? Well, they are pretty cool, and that’s about all. Not everything has to have an entirely practical purpose. For most cutting chores, an OTF will be fine.

If you are drawn to them, check them out.
Click to expand...

I vote Blues Bender for OTF club president. This is the stuff, no need to put too fine a point on it.

They are cool. I like the Benchmade Infidel and Mini Infidel.

Go play with some quality OTFs and we won't have to sell you on them. They'll sell themselves.
 
I don't care about them. Not because I don't think they are interesting (which they are) but because any autos are illegal in my country. So far we are still allowed to use and carry assited openers, but probably just because none has taken the time to ban them... Let's hope they don't focus much on them the next time the law is updated.

Mikel
 
DangerZone98 said:
Prejudices
- I might accidentally press the sliding button while the knife is still in the pocket
- The mechanism may wear out faster than a folding knife
- The knife may be more susceptible to bladeplay with long-term use

Questions
- Why do you carry OTFs?
- Assuming someone had the budget and knife laws in the area permit OTFs, how would you convince this knife bro to carry one.
Click to expand...

Addressing these points in order:
  • You're not going to press the sliding button of a double action OTF while it's in your pocket. I guarantee it. Some people cant do it intentionally with one or two thumbs on the button, as some models have very stiff springs.
  • The mechanism could possibly wear out faster than a folding knife, or it could last forever if you take care of it. They're very simple mechanical systems with one long coil spring. At worst, this spring can snap and you might need to send it in for servicing. That's probably not any more likely than a lock not working right, washers getting ripped or pinched, or whatever other issues cause people to generally send knives in for warranty work. I've sent tons of normal folders in for warranty repair for all sorts of reasons, so I'm not going to worry about that particular issue.
  • OTFs have small amounts of blade play as a general rule. This blade play doesn't affect function in any way, cannot result in a knife unlocking or being unsafe, and probably won't get noticeably worse over long periods of use. I have a UTX 70 CA and have never noticed blade play while cutting anything, nor has it affected my ability to cut anything with it.
  • I don't generally carry them because I live in CA so I'm legally restricted to my UTX 70 CA model with a <2" blade, but I would carry a significantly larger one if I could. I find OTFs excel in EDC use, being the easiest thing I've ever tried to take out of the pocket, cut something, then put back in my pocket. They're just mindlessly easy to use to the point of being boring. I know I will never accidentally cut myself opening/closing one, nor do I have to consciously think about how to manipulate them safely. OTFs are also one of the few non-fixed blade options I'd actually consider being a valid SD choice, as you can deploy them without changing your hand position and the blade cannot fold on you under any circumstances, though for reliability's sake I'd think a single action OTF like a Microtech HALO would be better (this is all theoretical as I don't carry a knife for defensive use).
  • If you don't like them, then don't buy one. However, it appears to me that most of your issues with them stem from not really understanding them all that well. Get one in hand and try it out. You might find that you appreciate the inherent qualities of an OTF enough to want one for certain tasks or use cases.
 
Very interesting thread. When I first came to Idaho from CA 25 years ago, I almost immediately bought a cheap side opening automatic just because I could. However, I never carried it. I've looked at the higher end OTF knives because I love the idea of them but have had the same concerns the OP expressed. My other issue is price and functionality. I see them as, primarily defensive/fighting knives so I'm glad to read they may be more practical for daily/edc use than I thought. My daily carry for many years now has been a Mini-Grip which works exceedingly well but I remain tempted by the OTF design. When the current madness is over, I may go look at them again. The Infidel has appealed to me for years but the price is dear. The truth is, the knife I use the most is my tiny SAK Ambassador even though my Mini-Grip is always clipped to my opposite pocket.
 
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