Spyderco newbie...Thumb Hole?

antonio_luiz said:
Flippers are faster. Some people find thumbholes easier to use than thumbstuds - I'm not one of them.
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Personally, I find thumb-holes just as fast as flippers if not more so (I generally have to shift my grip when opening a flipper, which slows me down). I am also one of those who find a thumb-hole much easier and faster than any thumb stud I have ever tried. YMMV. ;)
 
i prefer spyderhole to thumbstud when flicking the blade open with no wrist motion. much more comfortable and easier to get the appropriate thumb tension. i dont like flippers but i dont mind a flipper that opens up all the way every time with no wrist and no hurt index finger tips.
 
Love the hole, love the Tenacious (and its little brother), probably the best two knives in the world for the money. Flippers are good, but less politically correct. But until they make a Tenacious with a flipper, go with the Tenacious.
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
A lot of people try to push the hole or thumb stud outwards away from the handle but on just about every model you want to push upwards parallel to the handle.
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+1 :thumbup: Good advice, but I think you meant to say push upwards, perpendicular to the handle not parallel.
 
I have a older Spyderco Native that gets carried quite often, and the Spydie hole works for me but have found my 710 AXIS with stud deploys quicker, with that being said different strokes for different folks, IMO find something you like, train with and become confident with it...
 
unless you dont have a thumb tip it is fool proof. i cant get used to studs now and dont buy them anymore..
 
Get a Spyderco Endura Wave... You won't find a faster deploying folder...Except maybe an Emerson CQC-8...
 
cgmblade said:
+1 :thumbup: Good advice, but I think you meant to say push upwards, perpendicular to the handle not parallel.
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Nope, he means parallel. As in, "along the same line as." That's how to flick the blade open with speed, using a stud, disc, or hole. If you push perpendicular to the handle, the blade is not going to travel very far at all, unless you add a wrist movement.
 
Thumb holes are my favorite opening method. Thinner and lighter than studs. They don't catch on your pocket and are simpler than assisted openers.
 
It's the easiest and most secure way of opening a knife one handed. It doesn't take any time getting used to.

It's safer than a thumb stud or disk, because your thumb can't slide off it, it's more secure than a flipper, because you never have to use momentum to open it (flicking it open), you have control of the blade throughout the whole opening motion.

If you only use the knife for everyday things, it doesn't matter so much though.
 
puukkoman said:
Nope, he means parallel. As in, "along the same line as." That's how to flick the blade open with speed, using a stud, disc, or hole. If you push perpendicular to the handle, the blade is not going to travel very far at all, unless you add a wrist movement.
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Yes when I say parallel I mean in line with the knife handle. To me perpendicular would mean at a 90 degree angle to the handle and that would seem to be the way that is intuitive because that is the direction the blade is initially moving, but if you push the opening device straight up it will really fly open.
 
The Spyder Hole is by far the most natural and slip free method to deploy a blade for me. I don't flick my knives because I love them but once you do grasp the fluid wrist flip while operating the hole, the deployment is as fast or faster than anything I have operated. In fact, for me, the various locations, size and recess of the firing button of an auto makes them slower to deploy than any manual knife knife with a stud or hole because my thumb is searching for them. . Same for flippers with regard to their geometry, location, etc.

As far as my personal argument between studs and holes goes, I sum it up like this - in is better than out . . .
 
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Dr Heelhook said:
By the way, there's no real difference in quickness.
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Agreed.

I like the hole better because my thumb is on it from the time it touches until it locks. Sometimes with studs, my thumb pushes against it and builds force until the detent (bias toward closure) gives. Then the blade pops out and leaves my thumb. I don't like that.
 
ikiddp9 said:
Get a Spyderco Endura Wave... You won't find a faster deploying folder...Except maybe an Emerson CQC-8...
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Wise words:D

I love both spyderholes and thumb studs, i find spyderholes just a bit cooler...theres a bunch of different ways to deploy a spyderhole, i like variety:D

I can deploy a spyderhole just as fast as i can a flipper if i chose to...
 
Clarence Whirley said:
i'm about to buy my first Spyderco (helllllo Tenacious)...
does the Spyderco thumb hole take a little getting used to, in order to deploy the blade quickly?
I'm thinking it won't be as fast as the Kershaw flipper, at least not for me...

anyone have any problems with it?
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Clarence, welcome to BF! IMO flippers, like Kershaw's Tyrade or OD-1 or the ZT 0350, require less wrist and arm movement to deploy than knives with Spyderco holes, like the Native or Millie. Both systems take some practice to get used to. Which one is faster depends on how vigorous your wrist action is versus the skill of your flipper finger. :D

Personally I find myself reaching for a flipper regardless of which knife might be in my pocket.

BTW there is an entire sub-forum devoted to Spyderco here on BF where the real Spyderco experts hang out. Spyderco sub-forum
 
I can open thumbstud or Axis folders marginally faster, but the round Spyderhole is my favorite opening method. The speed of deployment is not a big factor for my purposes.
 
Obviously enough, depending on the hands and the person, different mechanisms work better. For me, the thumb hole rules all, it beats studs, disks, and flippers on both security and speed. And the more stress I'm under -- it becomes a whole new game if you're trying to open your knife while your buddy is mock-attacking you and throwing real strikes -- the more the hole distances itself as the fastest, most reliable, most secure opening method.
 
Is speed really THAT much of a thing for you guys??? I mean, I am probably marginally faster with the SpyderHole, just because Spydercos have been my main EDC for years now, but not enough to change anything in my day to day knife chores... Personally, being a few milliseconds quicker on deploying doesn't help me cut open boxes, cut food, open envelopes, trim rope, etc....

And if it comes to Self Defense, the adrenaline is going to negate that anyways, and you would want something that's very intuitive, not necessarily purely QUICK. Though a good waved knife would probably be good too :D
 
goodeyesniper said:
And if it comes to Self Defense, the adrenaline is going to negate that anyways, and you would want something that's very intuitive, not necessarily purely QUICK. Though a good waved knife would probably be good too :D
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Yes, but not just intuitive ... rock solid secure, and as major-muscle as possible (considering we're talking about fingers). Might not be much difference in low-stress situations, but in high stress situations jabbing a thumb into a big hole is, in my experience, easy compared to getting a fingertip onto the point of a flipper. With waved knives, they deploy reliably in a living room, often fail to deploy under stress. Obviously, training can address all of the preceding, but overall, for me personally, the hole beats everything.

Regarding speed -- speed is fun! :)
 
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