Spyderhole - less efficient way to open a knife?

[RX-79G]

I've owned 3 Spydercos for many years, and found them all tedious to open. I've seen the videos of all the funny ways to open one, but two of mine have so much drag that they won't flick, so the stainless handled Endura was my default favorite because I drew it by the hole and shook the handle open.

On the other two, you just open the knife the old fashioned way - put your thumb on the hole and push it in a long arc. Thumbstuds, even when they have a fair amount of opening drag, just seem easier because your thumb ends up traveling . Tonight I measured a few knives, and it was dramatically obvious that your thumb must travel a larger arc and further distance from the blade pivot on most Spydercos than most thumbstuds. About 1/2" in arc diameter.


Spyderco is a fine company that makes excellent products, so this is not an anti-Spyderco thread. And several other companies use some variation on the thumbhole, which almost always requires a larger thumb arc to open. Yet, this never seems to be a topic of conversation.

Does anybody else find thumbholes long, slow and requiring more dexterity? Or do liner lock versions flick so well that most Spydie users never have to trace the full arc?

 

[tantrik77]

I despise the spyderhole. I can't bring myself to buy a Spyderco because of it. I find thumbstuds and flippers to be much faster and easier to deploy. On top of that, I hate how much extra blade width it adds. Almost every single Spyderco would carry much better (slimmer) and have a smaller footprint in a pocket without it. Aesthetically, I find it it be hideous as well. I wish Spyderco would offer some knives without it as they have great designs, materials, and fit/finish for the most part. I just can't get over that damn hole. Your mileage may vary...

 

[DeadboxHero]

Interesting, I've always thought the hole was universally less effort to open, even for non knife people.

It can be difficult to keep the thumb on the stud

 

[JeremiahWeaver09]

no i find it very simple and easy to use

 

[Texas Steel]

Try loosing your pivot a little bit. You should be able to flick them open.

 

[Armadew]

Are you comparing ease of opening between a lockback knife and a liner/frame/axis/etc. lock?

If so, of course its harder to flick open a lockback. However, I find lockbacks with spydie holes to be much easier to ppen than lockbacks with studs.

Spydie holes are my preferred opening method for all knives. Never could understand how anyone could find them difficult to utilize!

 

[jfk1110]

Can't stand spydies either, only own two the Kris (unflickablle)& a VALLOTIN modded to d/a by VALLOTIN himself. The new pattada(I think) looks interesting though, just like a Sardian knife. There is something about the mamba as well. Might be getting one of those.

 

[Sosa]

I had a stainless police and sold it because I couldn't flick it to my satisfaction. All the rest I've had are flick able but the back locks take a little wrist movement.

 

[2manyknives]

The spydie hole is the most positive one handed opening method of any folding knife. It works by feel - in the dark, in the water or wherever. In its early days it was embraced by the climbing fraternity for that very reason.

I own flippers and stud openers and most other variations and while they are interesting and fun they all require deliberate positioning of the grip and careful manipulation.

The spydie just works, under all sorts of conditions. The ability to flick it open is more a function of the locking mechanism than the spydie hole.

 

[ZuluKilo]

Ideology/thought process behind the hole from the founder himself...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLcTWwh1Cpc

Interesting, I've always thought the hole was universally less effort to open, even for non knife people.

+1 for me. I've always thought the hole provided more benefits than disadvantages and, for me, those far outweigh any extra motion my thumb may have to make during the opening process. I also like how it looks the majority of the time, though in rare cases it does admittedly make some designs a little ungainly in pocket for me. Everyone is free to like or dislike whatever they wish for any reason...that's why we have so much variety in the knife world!

 

[mjpgolf1]

I love the Spydie hole. I find it the most useful and easy way to open a folding knife. If ones knife doesn't fly open with ease using this method than something is either over tighten, under lubed, or the person is just not doing something right. I would guess the first 2 suggestions.

 

[CPP]

Although I agree with you in that your thumb travels further opening a Spyderco knife, I don't consider it a significant problem or even a problem at all. Just a difference. I have had a pair of Spydercos for years and still haven't figured out how to flick them, I always seen to hurt my thumb when I try. I don't mind the aesthetics of the Spyderhole so long as the spine is straight, as on the Sage, but not protruding, as on the Lionspy.

 

[Grateful]

I remember opening my first Spyderco, i had a definent this is just right feeling. The thumb hole really works well for me, i think the distance my thumb travels depends more on the lock than anything.

 

[Seneca18]

I typically wear gloves for my job and I have yet to find anything as easy and efficient to use as the Spyder hole. It's all preference though, what works for me may not work for you.

 

[SCWillson]

The fact your thumb has to travel further with a Spydiehole just illustrates a basic law of physics: The longer the lever, the less energy needed to accomplish the work.

No, a Spydiehole may not be as fast as a flipper (my own admittedly anecdotal experience with a flipper supports this) or thumbstud, but it IS easier and more reliable. My flicker opens about 95% of the time. The Spydiehole is 100% reliable. Likewise I have had my thumb slip off both thumbstuds and thumbdiscs, but that has never happened with one of my Spydercos, even wearing gloves.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

I flick mine in a similar manner to flipping a coin. Never met one that I couldn't flick without wrist action that way, though I haven't handled all of them. I find the hole much easier to index without looking than other opening methods and, when it comes to Spyderco, I also find the motion required to be incredibly consistent, which is helpful when circumstances require carrying a knife that significantly larger or smaller than I'm used to.

I think you raise a valid point, the Spyderhole does require a broader arc than some other opening mechanisms, but because I find Spydies immensely flickable I never travel that full arc unless I'm deliberately opening the knife slowly, and at that point the added control from the hole is useful and, since I'm opening it slowly, the inefficiency doesn't occur to me as a problem.

 

[115Italian]

i like the spyder hole. My thumb finds the hole easily, falls into it and I open the blade. Also good for when i have gloves on.

 

[palonej]

OP might be talking back locks. Little less flickable than compression, liner, frame or BB locks. My Enduras and Pac Salt were tough till I broke them in, but all the others fly open with very little effort.
When showing my knives to non knife knuts, they are always able to flick open Spydies, but have trouble with flippers and studs.
Joe

 

[Chris "Anagarika"]

i like the spyder hole. My thumb finds the hole easily, falls into it and I open the blade. Also good for when i have gloves on.

Exactly. Whichever the direction thumb wants to go, the hole keeps it in place until fully opened position achieved.
Less chance to slip off unlike stud or disk, if the thumb pushes to a different direction than an arc, it'll slip off.
Pure mechanics.

OP might be talking back locks. Little less flickable than compression, liner, frame or BB locks. My Enduras and Pac Salt were tough till I broke them in, but all the others fly open with very little effort.
When showing my knives to non knife knuts, they are always able to flick open Spydies, but have trouble with flippers and studs.
Joe

OP need to buy a Byrd Cara Cara 2 and practice flicking it. No oil or loosening. Then the rest of the lockback (Spydies) will be easy. Key word is practice. :thumbup:
I flick all my lockbacks without problem now except when they're new. It takes some breaking in.

From travel distance perspective it might be less efficient but it's most effective IMHO.

 

[Hackenslash]

Spyderholes are hit or miss from a flick-ability standpoint, but for consistent deployment they're very reliable. I tend to prefer Spydieholes on smaller knives, and that may be due to the arc of travel issue the OP raises. My biggest gripe with Spydieholes is what it usually does to blade height profile to blade length ratio; fat, short little blades.