Traditional folders opening like assisted openers

E

evert67

Joined
Oct 22, 2011
Messages
222
I noticed in a couple of YouTube videos that some non-assisted opening knives are opened as if they are assisted openers: very quickly with the flip of a thumb on the thumbstud. I saw this in videos of knives with the SOG Arc lock and the Benchmade Axis lock.

Has anyone got experience with this? Do these knives really open that smoothly? (In which case I repeat a question NutnFancy asks in a review of a Benchmade: "who needs an assited opener"?) Or are the video makers skilled opening experts with very flexible thumbs?

Thanx,
Evert.
 
Hi,

Welcome to Blade Forums. The Traditional section isn't perhaps quite the correct place for your question. One of our friendly Mods will probably move your good question to a place where you can get a better and more lively discussion. Here we discuss mostly old patterns like slip-joints, older fixed blades, and other old geographically traditional patterns.

On the side, please check out this forum and enjoy the photos posted here.

dalee
 
I don't have any experience with the SOG Arc Lock but yes, Axis Lock knives really open that smoothly. They can even be opened and closed without even touching the blade or the thumbstud. This feature combined with solid lockup is why the Axis Lock is so popular.

For someone who has never used an Axis Lock it might take a little practice but not much.
 
Any well-designed manual knife (with some exceptions, like the Sebenza) can be opened as fast as an assisted opener. You just need the right technique and a little practice.
 
Tsujigiri said:
Any well-designed manual knife (with some exceptions, like the Sebenza) can be opened as fast as an assisted opener. You just need the right technique and a little practice.
Click to expand...

What he said, although personally, I have no interest in how fast a knife opens.

Note: A"Traditional" pocketknife is something on the order of a stockman or trapper. Pretty much not a one-hand opener.
 
knarfeng said:
What he said, although personally, I have no interest in how fast a knife opens.
Click to expand...
Exactly my feelings as well. I totally don't get some folks' obsession with flicking their manual-opening knives open.
 
Tsujigiri said:
Any well-designed manual knife (with some exceptions, like the Sebenza) can be opened as fast as an assisted opener. You just need the right technique and a little practice.
Click to expand...

Sebenza is not an exception. I can do it and I've seen many others as well. People are just told not to do it.
 
Bluesummers said:
Sebenza is not an exception. I can do it and I've seen many others as well. People are just told not to do it.
Click to expand...

True, if you use a wrist flick. I meant that most manuals can be opened that fast without having to flick your wrist and with the same or less effort than an A/O. Nice thing is you can open them slowly, too, as noted above. Useful especially if you're around sheeple.

OP: If you want to open a thumbstud knife fast, push the stud forward in a motion parallel to the handle (not outwards). For opening holes, you have to squeeze in a little bit.
 
Flicking a knife open with lightning speed is also a guaranteed way to disturb non-knife-people (it's not because people are not into knives that they necessarily are "sheeple").
So, be a class act and think about others when you open it.
 
Tsujigiri said:
True, if you use a wrist flick. I meant that most manuals can be opened that fast without having to flick your wrist and with the same or less effort than an A/O. Nice thing is you can open them slowly, too, as noted above. Useful especially if you're around sheeple.

OP: If you want to open a thumbstud knife fast, push the stud forward in a motion parallel to the handle (not outwards). For opening holes, you have to squeeze in a little bit.
Click to expand...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx5FYlCEjYk

I have a large 21, small 21 and a small regular Sebenza and can thumb flick them all.
 
I no longer have a large 21 Sebenza and can thumb flick them all, w/o wrist rolling.

+1
 
I don't quite understand the people that say that nearly every folding knife can be opened with a thumb flick. Can you explain the technique to me? Surely it's more than just pushing the thumb stud upwards (in parallel to the handle). First, you cannot even open some blades in this way (they require outward movement at first), but even if you manage to open them in this way, the friction of, for example, a liner lock is simply too much; at least I cannot overcome it with a single thumb flick.

As an example, take the well known Buck Alpha Hunter, which I own. There's a YouTube video of a guy opening this seemingly with a thumb flick. But if you look closely, he uses a lot of wrist and even arm movement. Can you open this with the movement of just your thumb?

I cannot, because of the circular motion that is required and the blade friction. How do you do it?
 
evert67 said:
I don't quite understand the people that say that nearly every folding knife can be opened with a thumb flick. Can you explain the technique to me? Surely it's more than just pushing the thumb stud upwards (in parallel to the handle). First, you cannot even open some blades in this way (they require outward movement at first), but even if you manage to open them in this way, the friction of, for example, a liner lock is simply too much; at least I cannot overcome it with a single thumb flick.

As an example, take the well known Buck Alpha Hunter, which I own. There's a YouTube video of a guy opening this seemingly with a thumb flick. But if you look closely, he uses a lot of wrist and even arm movement. Can you open this with the movement of just your thumb?

I cannot, because of the circular motion that is required and the blade friction. How do you do it?
Click to expand...

No one taught 99% of us how to thumb-flick folders. It's not even that important but it's fun to do once in awhile. The best advice I can offer is when you see folder reviews on YouTube and the guy is flicking them open like an automatic, it to watch exactly what he's doing. Concentrate on his hand & finger positions where the power seems to be coming from and how it could be generated.

I'm sorry I can't explain any better. If you lived 10 or 15 miles away I'd be glad to hook up with ya and show you how (and why) I flicked my folders with my thumb on the top and with different fingers too, using the top thumbstubstud or from underneath (that takes some time). You'll figure it out. I'm sure of it. ;) :thumbup:
 
evert67 said:
I don't quite understand the people that say that nearly every folding knife can be opened with a thumb flick. Can you explain the technique to me? Surely it's more than just pushing the thumb stud upwards (in parallel to the handle). First, you cannot even open some blades in this way (they require outward movement at first), but even if you manage to open them in this way, the friction of, for example, a liner lock is simply too much; at least I cannot overcome it with a single thumb flick.

As an example, take the well known Buck Alpha Hunter, which I own. There's a YouTube video of a guy opening this seemingly with a thumb flick. But if you look closely, he uses a lot of wrist and even arm movement. Can you open this with the movement of just your thumb?

I cannot, because of the circular motion that is required and the blade friction. How do you do it?
Click to expand...

You are right about some knives requiring a flick of the wrist to open the blade in this fashion. The Benchmade Axis Lock knives that you aked about do not fall under this catagory. I have owned 4 different Axis Lock models and all of them required only a push of the thumb. It takes a deliberate push, like shooting a marble across the floor, but no wrist or arm movement required. It should be noted that mine all had thumbstuds so I cannot speak for the ones with thumbholes.

On most knives, including the Axis Lock Benchmades, the pivot screw adjustment plays an important role.
 
Railsplitter said:
It takes a deliberate push, like shooting a marble across the floor, but no wrist or arm movement required. It should be noted that mine all had thumbstuds so I cannot speak for the ones with thumbholes.
Click to expand...

I find making the marble shooting flick with my thumbnail resting against the thumbstud works quite will most of the time. As Tsujigiri says, parallel to the handle. It also works with a lot of Spyderco style holes. I can flick open my Sage 1 quite handily by just poking the tip of my thumb in the hole and flicking up with my nail.
 
Railsplitter said:
It takes a deliberate push, like shooting a marble across the floor.
Click to expand...

That's about the best description in the shortest amount of words Railsplitter. :thumbup: I'd only add to that you can store energy by the position that your thumb (marble shooting one) is placed behind the stud or hole.

With each of my folders, I know or can feel when my "marble shot" thumb position is pushing the blade against the pivot pin and further pushing (just a little) stores energy - which is released by just the slightest direction of the thumb which allows the blade to circumvent the locked up position and come blazing out like a rocket.

Some folders I'll start a bit toward the handle, some straight forward eyc and then the tiniest movement unleashes that flexed thumb and out it comes.
 
I find that choking farther up towards the blade on the handle than you would on an A/O helps. You get more torque from your thumb that way.
 
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