The Grand Unified Traditional Pull Scale

confucius37

confucius37

Joined
May 18, 2008
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Another member sent me a message remarking that he liked the pull scale I put on my sale thread. I thought I'd put it out there for everyone to see here and get some opinions/suggestions.

The values on the scale are just what made sense to me, so everyone's scale could be different, but maybe we can come up with something that most people can agree on? The one thing I did try to do was make sure 10 and 1 included the most extreme cases as most everyone can relate to a knife being impossible to open without tools and one that simply does not stay closed at all.

The Scale:

10 - unable to open by hand
9 - able to open but breaking a nail likely
8 - able to open but very stiff, tough for edc use
7 - firm pull, edc range
6 - ideal edc range
5 - nice for secondary blades, tad light for a main blade
4 - starting to get too light for use
3 - maybe acceptable on very old knives
2 - barely closes
1 - does not stay closed
 
I saw that on your sale thread and thought it sounded like a pretty good way to think of the scale.
 
I like the idea of a unified scale but no joking someone's 10 could easily be another's 5.
 
richstag said:
I like the idea of a unified scale but no joking someone's 10 could easily be another's 5.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I couldn't think of a really good way to capture the high extreme without being a little subjective. I guess the best scale would be in lbs, but I'm not sure how realistic it is for everyone to go around attaching a fish scale to their knives and even then the way in which you pull when using the scale is subjective and varies from knife to knife.
 
Thanks for posting this.

However, as is probably obvious, one's own experience with specific knives and "strength of pull" can be very different from another's, and can vary over time.

For example, a 6 or 7 (stiff but acceptable) to one person can be another's 8 -- "tough to use."

I had first-hand experience with that when at GEC (one of the few times I've been with other people who were opening the same knives), when I watched Chris Tucker, Bill Howard and others repeatedly, seemingly easily open knives I would struggle with. I was frustrated and kept asking, "How do you just do that?!"

Since then, I can tell that my finger/hand/nail strength has improved, as has my technique-- maybe not in that order?

So now, many knives that were 8s are now 6s (without extensive work on the knives themselves, to account for a softening of the spring), while some that I formerly considered 5s and 6s now feel like 4s to me, or at least decidedly smooshy.

Still, one has to start somewhere. Your scale is useful in evaluating my own knives, and will be helpful as a starting point when discussing Pull with others.

(ed.: I see that Rich was much more to the [same] point while I was composing this!)

~ P.
 
What I liked about this scale are the defining points for the extremes, rather well put in my estimation...
Interpretations may vary in the middle of the bell curve somewhat, but having well defined end points is a great idea:thumbup:
 
I want to repeat that I really like the idea, but with well defined points or not, one person's scale may not be the same as another person's.

When I first got more active in the traditional section here I would put pull estimates and describe the pull. Then I would hear tons of people getting the same knives and they could barely open them. Some even described using vice grips.

After that happened enough I just stopped ever mentioning pull in any reviews. I also began asking just about anyone to try to open a knife and tell me what they think. The results were very surprising. Not so much when I asked my girlfriend to open a nailbreaker 73 or any other similar scenario. What was really surprising to me was when I would hand knives to a number of people that work with there hands regularly. The results were wide spread. Some would struggle while others found it perfect and some even found it easy.

The scale can be so far off that it could be that is spans more than 5 points from what I found. What I found rather interesting was the number of old men, over 70, (sorry to the 70 plus crowd here, I don't mean it negatively) that had no problem opening some of these stronger knives. The old man strength.

Then what is very surprising is when my 90 year old grandmother can open knives that my 28 year old girlfriend could NOT.

Just some of my perspective for you :)
 
Thanx richstag, I get it now...it's a very interpretive thing that defies trying to define unilaterally...
Still, as a personal scale, it did get me thinking of how I will describe pulls in the future if asked...
 
sitflyer said:
Thanx richstag, I get it now...it's a very interpretive thing that defies trying to define unilaterally...
Still, as a personal scale, it did get me thinking of how I will describe pulls in the future if asked...
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly.
 
I like the scale but I also agree with Kevin and P. I usually start by defining 5 as the "pull" on a modern Victorinox alox Soldier... and then move in increments upward to "requires pliers to open" or downward to "lazy". That starts with an example that is likely to be familiar with lots of folks.
 
sitflyer said:
Thanx richstag, I get it now...it's a very interpretive thing that defies trying to define unilaterally...
Still, as a personal scale, it did get me thinking of how I will describe pulls in the future if asked...
Click to expand...

100 percent agreed! I think the scale itself is perfect. It is applying the scale across the board. :)
 
Hm... all very subjective point of views, and nothing to add more. The most things everything might think about are personal things - not everyone of us has the strength in his finger/hands like a blacksmith or a plumber - some of us are office guys and no farmers.

I, personally never found a knife, I couldn´t open.

But I really like that scale about the pull. It gives everyone a personal note, in his/her own condition. But in the end, Duane is 100 % right, about everyone´s prefernenes are the most important things :)
 
Our nails certainly get stronger. I came over to this sub forum after finding my old boyscout knife. I wanted a new slip joint to carry and when I found it I could barely open the small clip blade. Pulled my nail back once as well. I have aquired a few new slippies and been carrying them on a regular basis now for the better part of six, seven months. Kot only can I open that old bsa knife now but I really think the pull is perfect while the others are a little light. Pull is very subjective indeed.
 
This thread gave me the idea to drive a minute to see my grandma. I asked her to open my 85. She did it EASILY and lauged wondering what I was up to with my camera phone in my hand. I asked her 1-10 and to smile! She said 2, and smiled for the photo!

SU1HLTIwMTIwOTE1LTAwMDIxLmpwZw.jpg


She's 90 and said its VERY easy to open.

I have heard these 85's rated as a 5 +/- online.
 
Kevin... that´s an interessting point of view. How different things can/might turn ;)

Thank you for the pic of this Lady :) Great to see old people smiling!
 
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