Unwanted knife opening

J

JERRY RUBIN

Joined
Nov 19, 2023
Messages
34
For whatever it's worth, I kept my Benchmade folder clipped to the inside of the pocket on my nylon running shorts last night and slept in them. In the morning I reached into the pocket to withdraw my knife and the little nib that allows you to flick the blade open hung on something in the pocket and half opened the blade! Had I put my hand into the pocket rapidly I would have cut my hand on the half-opened blade! I suppose that's why Bob Kasper reccomends a fixed blade!
 
Ive long held a preference towards knives that have a self-close feature built in to their action for just the reason that youre writing about...You can really mess yourself up bad if your knife opens itself in your pocket, or decides to fly open when you draw it from your pocket if you're not expecting it.

Lockbacks and slipjoints both have a self-close safety feature built in, and for people like me that move around a lot it prevents accidents like what you just experienced from happening. Pocket positioning can mitigate accidental blade deployment with axis locks and detent based lock designs, but theres still the possibility that the knife shifts in your pocket in a way that allows the blade to open on its own.

To me, since I mountainbike and move around a lot when I exercise, it just makes more sense to keep a knife on me that will keep itself closed unless Im actively trying to open it. I mostly carry things like swiss army knives and Case slipjoints these days, but before that I was a big fan of the Spyderco Seki City backlocks (Endura, Delica, etc) since they were both safe against opening in my pocket and easy to deploy when needed. Not saying you should get rid of your knife, but if you're concerned about this happening again either take your benchmade out of your pocket when you can't monitor how it sits in there (sleeping, certain outdoor activities, etc), or keep a different knife that keeps itself closed on you in situations where the benchmade will be a safety issue. Some fixed blades can also solve this problem, but thats mostly dependent on the sheath design.
 
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That's something the spydiehole prevents. Thumbstuds and discs can have catch on the inside of certain pqnts and the axis lock is well known to not hold the blades closed well. Pretty much every time I've dropped an axis lock knife, fumbling it from my pocket or just dropping off a desk or dresser, the blade would pop out.

On many BM's with an axis lock, the force is so little that you can wave it open with a wrist flick. I used to open the contego just like that when I was trying that knife out.
 
This is why I require a safety switch on my autos and one the reasons why I generally dislike flippers.
 
Agreed, benchmades have very weak detent, at least all the ones I've had do.

I like a stronger detent, my inkosi wont be popping open in my pocket.
 
A fixed blade for EDC is on my list from Santa. Am fussy so I ask for gift cards often.
 
I have a spyderco Chinook that's like that. Doesn't need any help in self opening. I love the knife, though, so I accept it with that limitation.
 
Wirelessjunkie said:
Ive long held a preference towards knives that have a self-close feature built in to their action for just the reason that youre writing about...You can really mess yourself up bad if your knife opens itself in your pocket, or decides to fly open when you draw it from your pocket if you're not expecting it.

Lockbacks and slipjoints both have a self-close safety feature built in, and for people like me that move around a lot it prevents accidents like what you just experienced from happening. Pocket positioning can mitigate accidental blade deployment with axis locks and detent based lock designs, but theres still the possibility that the knife shifts in your pocket in a way that allows the blade to open on its own.

To me, since I mountainbike and move around a lot when I exercise, it just makes more sense to keep a knife on me that will keep itself closed unless Im actively trying to open it. I mostly carry things like swiss army knives and Case slipjoints these days, but before that I was a big fan of the Spyderco Seki City backlocks (Endura, Delica, etc) since they were both safe against opening in my pocket and easy to deploy when needed. Not saying you should get rid of your knife, but if you're concerned about this happening again either take your benchmade out of your pocket when you can't monitor how it sits in there (sleeping, certain outdoor activities, etc), or keep a different knife that keeps itself closed on you in situations where the benchmade will be a safety issue. Some fixed blades can also solve this problem, but thats mostly dependent on the sheath design.
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Many thanks for your reply!

I am trying to locate a source for sheaths for my fixed blades. I've seen comments on the forum about On Scene Tac Sheathes, but got no response from my email and they list no phone number on their website. I'm particularly interested in a sheath for the Kasper Scorpion. I've not purchased the knife yet, so if anyone can reccomend a first class fixed knife, I'm all ears!
 
Danke42 said:
Yes we do.
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This is off-topic, but I'm looking for an online knife-fighting course. Can anyone reccomend one? I started taking a Michael Janich course, but, it's geographically unsuiteable for me. My in-person lesson is 1.5 hrs. away! Great course, however.
 
JERRY RUBIN said:
This is off-topic, but I'm looking for an online knife-fighting course. Can anyone reccomend one? I started taking a Michael Janich course, but, it's geographically unsuiteable for me. My in-person lesson is 1.5 hrs. away! Great course, however.
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Probably you can get some good advice if you start a new thread here. https://www.bladeforums.com/forums/practical-tactical.680/

But make sure to add your location so just in case there's someone near.
 
I have lots of ideas about this and that from the net. I am not fooled into thinking it was training. I do think I know what constitutes BAD training now.

I do not have a Silat school within my radius either. My rec, start taking a legit martial art that includes sparring. MMA, wrestling? I know enough to know that when I train, I want to spar, I want to learn to strike and be struck, and I want to learn to wrestle and be fast. Probably on the mat.

I do not want to concentrate but a little bit on knife vs knife training. I want to be fast to get away, be able to wrestle and strike to prevent damage to myself and damage them if I need to, and to get out a weapon if some 6'3 monster is on my 5'5 back.

If you want to do some theoretical learning, would recommend books like Gift of Fear by Gavin Becker(?) Book title is right, first name is Gavin. Marc MacYoung is interesting. Learn to walk. Learn to carry spray and easily drawn weapon daily. Learn to code switch around certain places. Ierno, I guess the list of things to do changes depending on who ya are.

I understand being in a situation where you want to learn more and be safer but simply do not have time and money at this moment to dedicate to vague training, and refuse to go unprepared.
 
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Soooo, are we just glossing over the whole sleeping at night with a knife in your pocket part of the story? 😁 Or is this something a lot of people here do?

Maybe the knife wasn't the problem, maybe sleeping with a knife in your shorts, tossing and turning, rolling over, your full body weight pressing on it, grinding it into the bed, is what caused the partial opening.

I've carried folders with thumbstuds in my pockets for many years, a variety of brands, including a few Benchmades, and I never had one just open in my pocket. And I don't keep my pivots especially tight either. But of course, I don't sleep with them.

I'm just having a little fun with your story Jerry, no offense intended. But maybe don't sleep with knives anymore, folder or fixed-blade. It's safer that way ;).
 
I foresee a "ENC" thread forthcoming...because you never what cutting tasks may arise in your dreams.

I don't know why you can't just be reasonable and keep a Becker under your pillow like the rest of us ;)


Seriously though, if I had a knife open in my sleep shorts I'd be worried about cutting more than my hand 😬
 
killgar said:
Soooo, are we just glossing over the whole sleeping at night with a knife in your pocket part of the story? 😁 Or is this something a lot of people here do?

Maybe the knife wasn't the problem, maybe sleeping with a knife in your shorts, tossing and turning, rolling over, your full body weight pressing on it, grinding it into the bed, is what caused the partial opening.

I've carried folders with thumbstuds in my pockets for many years, a variety of brands, including a few Benchmades, and I never had one just open in my pocket. And I don't keep my pivots especially tight either. But of course, I don't sleep with them.

I'm just having a little fun with your story Jerry, no offense intended. But maybe don't sleep with knives anymore, folder or fixed-blade. It's safer that way ;).
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Sounds like good advice! To be clear, the knife didn't start opening until I withdrew it from my pocket (I think). When I withdrew it, the stud cought on something and as I pulled the knife out the blade opened.
 
killgar said:
Soooo, are we just glossing over the whole sleeping at night with a knife in your pocket part of the story? 😁 Or is this something a lot of people here do?

Maybe the knife wasn't the problem, maybe sleeping with a knife in your shorts, tossing and turning, rolling over, your full body weight pressing on it, grinding it into the bed, is what caused the partial opening.

I've carried folders with thumbstuds in my pockets for many years, a variety of brands, including a few Benchmades, and I never had one just open in my pocket. And I don't keep my pivots especially tight either. But of course, I don't sleep with them.

I'm just having a little fun with your story Jerry, no offense intended. But maybe don't sleep with knives anymore, folder or fixed-blade. It's safer that way ;).
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I have gotten yelled at for my lady finding a SAK in bed before 🤣 but that was because I fell asleep looking at it. Closed!
 
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