Spyderhole - less efficient way to open a knife?

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2manyknives said:
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.
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I agree. I've been through a lot of knives and I find the spyderhole to be the easiest and most positive way to open a knife, usually the fastest too. From the first time I saw a thumbstud I have liked them and used them. I find that with various knives the thumb studs are hard to get your thumb on because the handle is in the way, the thumb studs are such that they don't give good traction for your thumb and your thumb can and will slip off. I have to carefully position my thumb on the thumb stud and concentrate on opening the blade, and sometimes the thumb still slips off. This all takes time and takes your focus off of the job at hand. Even an assisted knife with thumb studs can be slow to open for this reason. I find a similar problem with my ZT knife with flipper. I have to carefully position my finger in order to open the knife. My one exception was my Kershaw Blur- the thumb stud on that one was big and had sharp edges so it was easy to get the needed traction to open it. The thumb hole is easy to hit with my thumb and provides good traction so it is easy and quick to open a blade like this. But all thumb holes are not created equally, some Spyderco holes are larger and those are easier for me to use. I have some old Benchmades with holes but those knives have chamfers at the hole edges which affects traction and sometimes my thumb can slip out of the thumb hole.
 
Spiderholes are a lot less tedious on your thumb over long periods of time. I find that thumbstuds tend to dig into your finger after a lot of opening
 
SCWillson said:
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.
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This is also my experience. Reliability is more important than speed.
 
Not entirely off topic, over the couple decades I have used Spyderco knives I have discovered I really like the leaf-shaped blades the hole requires in most Spydercos. The only Spyderco I own without that basic blade shape is my Kiwi 4, which is much more elegant looking but the tiny amount of steel north of the Spydiehole on the slim non-humped wharncliffe blade gives me real concerns about the strength of the blade. IMHO this is one design they should have added a small hump to.
 
Put me in the like category. I find it a very efficient way of opening a knife. My thumb finds the hole easier than most thumb studs.
 
Lee48 said:
No.


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Exactly. As long as you have opposable thumbs, you are good to go. Simple and efficient way to open a knife.

I guess I'm not in the constant life and death struggle others here are in, where I need to shave milliseconds off my " deployment" time...nor is "looks" my primary concern in a cutting tool like other others here.

It's a brilliant idea, that is ergonomically efficient. Though you do have to actually move your thumb to use it. Apparently that exhausts people?

Anyway, often imitated, never improved.
 
marcinek said:
Exactly. As long as you have opposable thumbs, you are good to go. Simple and efficient way to open a knife.

I guess I'm not in the constant life and death struggle others here are in, where I need to shave milliseconds off my " deployment" time...nor is "looks" my primary concern in a cutting tool like other others here.

It's a brilliant idea, that is ergonomically efficient. Though you do have to actually move your thumb to use it. Apparently that exhausts people?

Anyway, often imitated, never improved.
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+1
well stated.
post #81 provides a comprehensive response.
nothing to add after these posts but my agreement.
IMO, best opening solution in existence.
 
marcinek said:
Exactly. As long as you have opposable thumbs, you are good to go. Simple and efficient way to open a knife.

I guess I'm not in the constant life and death struggle others here are in, where I need to shave milliseconds off my " deployment" time...nor is "looks" my primary concern in a cutting tool like other others here.

It's a brilliant idea, that is ergonomically efficient. Though you do have to actually move your thumb to use it. Apparently that exhausts people?

Anyway, often imitated, never improved.
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I agree. It is an efficient method to open a folding knife. I don't particularly like thumb studs as they rub holes in my pockets.

You seldom hear of people referencing a Spyderco knife as a "nail breaker" like you do with some traditional knives with very strong springs. I like traditional slip joint knives, but I don't really want one that requires me to use a pliers to open it. :rolleyes: Oh, that's what those multi-tools are for, right?

Assisted openers and flippers are just a novelty for me. Fun, but still a novelty. i have little need to deploy a knife that quickly and usually have two hands available to open a folding knife.
 
I've always found it easier to open something with thumbstuds. Opening hole doesn't drive me away, but it's by far my least favorite 1-handed opening method.
 
At the risk of sounding like I drank the Kool-Aide (I mighta had a sip during an MBC class last week), there's a reason that the Spydie hole is preferred by martial artists like Michael Janitch. Speed and reliability are paramount in that context.
 
The thread started out as "Spyderhole - less efficient way to open a knife?".... It is less efficient than an assisted opening, flipper, or automatic. But, efficiency is not everything. As nick21 said, I think the design was a stroke of genius. Kind of reminds me of the glasses holder thing from the movie "The Jerk" with Steve Martin.
 
I do like the Spyderco hole , as it is ambidextrous. I do prefer dual thumb studs, and prefer frame locks.
 
After trying thumb studs, discs, and flippers I've found the thumb hole to be my favorite by far. I'm not a blade flicker and love the secure thumb hole for a sweeping positive open.

It's back-pocket, tip down carry for me and the thumb hole allows me to have the knife positively open by the time the it's in front of me, with no fiddling.
 
I can't think of any personal negatives towards the spyderhole. It's ambidextrous, works with gloves, nothing to interfere while sharpening/cutting, easy idea, ect. The "bulge" people dislike is a mute point for me. Both tip up or top down carry, the blade bulge is tucked away in the pocket space between your corner pocket rivet and side seam.
 
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