Thumb-Holes....

Z

Zordas

Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
41
Maybe a stupid question - but, thumb-holes, do you really use your thumb alone to open these blades, or do you use finger-and-thumb? Just using a thumb seems to exert more downward-pressure on the blade than I would generally like... and is not exactly comfortable.

Frank.
 
uhm, not sure if i get what you mean.

but you just use your thumb.

what i do is stick my thumb in the hole, and via my thumb nail, i push it out, and it opens fast n smooth.

imo, its a lot more comfy than thumb studs
 
...That's what I can't understand - how can it be more comfortable??? You are pushing against a circular or triangular edge... Maybe you have real small thumbs or something? On the whole (no pun intended) I find finger plus thumb better, but then it's a two-handed affair.

Frank.
 
Yep, just a thumb. I don't understand what you mean by "downward pressure on the blade."
 
maybe is because your knife is not smooth enough.

it is more comfortable because technically, your using more power when your push/fkcik with your thumb. while thumb studs you push with your fleshy part. which is hard and hurts if the knife is big n heavy. for me anyways.
 
Bob W said:
Yep, just a thumb. I don't understand what you mean by "downward pressure on the blade."
Click to expand...

I don't understand the reference to downward pressure either.
I use the fleshy part of my thumb to do this and have no problems with comfort or ability.

If you don't like opening a blade using a hole, get a knife with thumbstuds. Problem solved.
 
The opening holes on Spydercos and Benchmades are VERY comfortable. I used to think that thumbstud were better before actually using holes. Now I see the error of my ways. You won't think the holes are uncomfortable. I've never read of anyone finding the Spyderco thumb hole uncomfortable.
 
I seem to exert slightly more downward-pressure because it feels slightly odd that there's no stud to push on. I'll have to practice a little more, I think. I certainly don't jam my thumb-nail in there, just the fleshy part below the nail...

Frank.
 
Zordas said:
I seem to exert slightly more downward-pressure because it feels slightly odd that there's no stud to push on. I'll have to practice a little more, I think. I certainly don't jam my thumb-nail in there, just the fleshy part below the nail...

Frank.
Click to expand...

What knife specifically are you having trouble with? I suspect it's not the thumbhole, but the knife itself.
 
I have a couple of ways that I open Spyderco knives. When I use both the thumb and index finger, I hold the blade by the hole and flick the handle downward to open the knife. Folks these days call that a "Spyderdrop" even though people have been doing the same thing with Buck knives since the '60s or earlier.

The thumb only method does apply a bit of lateral force to the blade, but it does when using thumbstuds as well. My thumbs are long enough and limber enough that I snag the edge of the hole with my thumbnail rather than the pad of my thumb, so even if the edge of the hole is fairly sharp, it is not uncomfortable for me. Thumbstuds are often too close to the handle for me to snag with my thumbnail, so I end up using the pad of my thumb, which I find less comfortable. It depends on what you are used to.

Unlike Kaizen, I have read of people finding Spyderco thumb holes uncomfortable, some even being sharp enough to cut an unwary thumb. A piece of sandpaper will fix that in a jiffy.
 
Unless Zordas means using the hole like a nail nick and opening the knife two-handed, like pinching the hole between your left thumb/forefinger, and holding the handle in your right hand.....?
 
You certainly can do it that way. I was merely saying that even using thumb and index finger, it is still possible to open the knife one-handed. ;)
 
yablanowitz said:
Unlike Kaizen, I have read of people finding Spyderco thumb holes uncomfortable, some even being sharp enough to cut an unwary thumb. A piece of sandpaper will fix that in a jiffy.
Click to expand...

I did get an Endura with a sharp edge around the hole. I smoothed it out pretty easily with a triangle stone for the sharpmaker.
 
I pinch the hole between my thumb and middle finger, to start, and just push it open with the pad of my thumb through the rest (or just flick my wrist).

I guess that's not the "normal" way, but any way that works for you is the right way.
 
just a possibility but from your question it sounds like the same problem my wife had. I couldn't understand it since I am left handed and was edcing a right handed spyderco police and she is right handed. What I observed is she was pressing down to hard on the blade. Try moving rotating your thumb up (kinda like the same motion you make when you are snapping your fingers and with that kinda speed too) and simultaneously anchor and press down on the knife with your other fingers on the clip
 
...Thanks for that advice, <metallicat> - I'll try that.

Just a note - in my (knives) catalog it describes such an aperture on the SpyderCo's as a 'Thumb-Pull' (the operative word being PULL).

So was the hole/triangle REALLY designed to be pushed???

Frank.
 
The design was created (and originally patented) to allow one-hand opening by providing purchase for the thumb.
 
Look at the way the hole in the blade moves in relation the handle of the knife. That is the direction/movement you want your thumb to move when it is pushing on the edge of the hole in the blade.

The thumb hole moves in a partial circle around the pivot pin in the handle.
 
Zordas said:
Maybe a stupid question - but, thumb-holes, do you really use your thumb alone to open these blades, or do you use finger-and-thumb? Just using a thumb seems to exert more downward-pressure on the blade than I would generally like... and is not exactly comfortable.

Frank.
Click to expand...
This one is easy to solve...Get yourself a Kershaw Cyclone. It has a "Speed-Safe" AO which opens the blade for you with just a slight push on either the "flipper" (on the upper spine of the handle), or one of the dual thumb-studs.
 
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