thumbstud vs thumbdisk vs opening hole !!!!

J

joebe

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Jun 17, 2001
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ok, on the thumbstud you use about 25% of your thumb to open
the blade, on a thumbdisk you use about 50% of your thumb,
and with an opening hole you use 100% of your thumb, so the
hole is the surest system.....plus on some models the thumbstud is 1/4-1/2" from the handle, the hole allows you to use the ENTIRE blade
right up to the handle.....


thoughts/comments...... ???
 
Personally I like a good thumbdisk the best for many reasons. Your assesment of thumb area used is not exactly accurate. Even if it were, you must take into effect the type of finish and material used for the various opening device, all of which may have different grip characteristics. Think of it this way. You would think someone with boots on would have more sure footing than someone with high heels. However, if the bottoms on the boots were made of wood and the heels had gummy rubber soles the opposite might well be true. Aesthetically, I think the thumbdisk preserves the lines of a blade the best, as well.
 
Aaahhhhh... One of my favorite subjects.

Thumbhole - easiest to clean, maintains workable length of the entire blade. Drawback - has to be the right size. Too small, and I think they are worse than a thumbstud. The other issue (maybe not a drawback) is that they become a significant design element, which has not always been sucessfully executed. Philsophically, the most elegant solution.

Thumbdisk - my second favorite. Creates a great thumb rest with great cutting power. Shortens up the length of the blade the worst of the three. Very secure opening. Not used enough in my opinion.

Thumbstud - used the most. There are a million designs for thumbstuds and about 8 of them are any good. Thumbstuds work best when the pivot friction is very low. Otherwise, downward force is generally required, which I think is inherently dangerous. Cuts down the blade length, but not as badly as a thumbdisk. Unless done ambie-style, creates an unbalanced visual appearance, a pet peeve of mine. Most sucessful on customs, near customs and Chris Reeve knives. Generally not well executed on most factory designs, as the pivot action is not smooth enough (for my taste).

Stepped-Stud - Such as on Davidson knives and Elishevitz. Will these be adopted by factory makers? I don't have one, but for quick opening, looks pretty unbeatable in the "add-on" category.

Thumb Slot or Groove - Marzitelli has a winner here. Similar to the original milled slot concept used on the Spyderco Jess Horn (original) and the Chris Reeve Knives Mnandi. Although a variation of the Spyderhole, I think that Milled Slot is unique enough to stand alone as a real alternative to the Spyderhole. Although it becomes a major design issue, it is not as drastic as the typical hole-oriented design.
 
there's another opening method than the spydie-hole? whoa!

Seriously? I carry about 8 toys on me at all times(other than during school hrs) and that includes 5 spydeies.

I find the other easy method is either ala kershaw(flipper) or auto.
The others like stud and disk eventually irritate your thumb.
 
They all work for me, but I find I have the easiest time with either a 12mm SpyderHole or a Thumbstud
 
IMHO, the Spydie-Hole is probably the easiest and surest opening system. Unfortunately, it many times has a negative impact on the aesthetics of the blade. Some models are more impacted than others, though.

I handled the new Elishewitz stepped stud at the recent ECCKS and it seemed to handle very positively. Will these wonders never cease?:cool:
 
My favorite system is the hole... actually, I should clarify to say the ROUND hole. I understand that this is pretty much a matter of personal preference, however.
 
I personally love the Spyderhole, but I think that the thumbstud has its place also. Depending on the knife, the thumbstud usually looks better, appearance-wise to me. I love using a spyderhole at work though.
 
Hi,
I like the way the assisted opening feature is on the Blackie Collins design Meyerco and it works really fast.
Not sure what it is called, but you work the pivit joint of the blade with your thumb to open the blade.
I'm new to this kind of knife so maybe someone else could explain how it works better.
I was also looking for a knife with a stud or opening hole as the leatherman wave blade that I use daily has a opening hole and I really like the way that works.
I thought maybe a thumbstud would be faster but maybe get in the way of sharpening.
Then I found this Meyerco. I think the way it opens is really cool.
There site is under construction but it www.meyercousa.com

pahl
 
Thumbstud?
I don't even need one on my benchmade knives! They are so smooth, and simple flick of the wrist will open them quickly!

Hole: Easier to clean the blade

Disk: gives nice control when open.

Stud: I think it looks nice ( on my BM 941-01 ) and works perfectly.

Shrubba
 
I don't like holes...well actually...I hate holes, at least in production knives. I've seen too many designs based on a hole, there are more important things than having a hole.

I'm not really a fan of studs either, they CAN get in the way. Most of my favorite knives have a stepped stud, including the Sebenza I carry daily.

I think it's mostly what you are used to.



Steve-O
 
I have knives with thumbstuds, thumbdisks, and thumbholes...I have read articles extolling the virtues of each but, based on my experiences, I have decided that thumstuds are the best FOR ME! Some people have argued that opening holes are the best because they are truly ambidextrous and they will not get caught in your pocket...so far, only my Emerson's thumbdisk has gotten caught in my pocket, effectively causing the blade to open and me to get cut ...the additional security is not worth the poor functionality of thumbholes..I just can't get them to work well...especially when I want to "flick" the knife open...also, thanks to Michael Janich, I have learned about "ring finger" opening (into reverse grip)...once again, I find this easier with the stud...compared to new gizmos like Speedsafe and flippers, thumb studs allow you the option of opening the blade slowly (e.g. in a "covert" situation) or flicking it quickly in a variety of positions...


RL
 
Spyder Hole all the way - clearly the best designed solution. The genius is in the simplicity.
 
I personally like the thunbstud best. I like small thumbstuds like that found on Sebenza's and BM's. Then my next favorite would be the thumbdisk. I don't really like holes in the blades because I just can't help but think that it makes the blade a little weaker. I do have 3 knives with holes that I like (Griptilian,AFCK, and a Delica) but I usually stay away from them. Just MHO. :)
 
Thumbstud! :D

The Spyderhole just mess-up the lines of a knife to much for me.
but that could just be the Spyderco designs, they just don't do anything for me.
:( I do like the "Groove" on the Mnandi. :)
and I've never really minded the "Slots" on my LM WAVE either.
So I'm probably just not a Spyderco kind of guy.
 
Of course a stud like me MUST have a thumbstud...

:rolleyes: :barf: :D

(I really do prefer thumbstuds, despite my lack of studliness...)
 
It depends on the design. Studs work better than holes on some, holes better on others, same for discs. The design of the stud is also a major factor. Some just work better than others.

Paul
 
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