Well...are slipjoints safe or unsafe??

My uncle is a long time hunter and outdoorsman. He's used knives all his life and mostly he's had no problems. But he was using a slipjoint knife one day on some tough wood and was whittlin' away the bark, but at some point his blade became embedded in the wood, and when we extracted it, it was with enough force to snap the blade on his right index finger. Bled like a stuck pig. He should have been careful—very, very careful. He normally is. The wood was just a bit sticky that day and he was a bit slow.

Now had he had a locking knife, that wouldn't have happened. Me, I was much younger when the same thing happened to me. I was 16. My Boy Scout knife got stuck in my wood and while pulling the blade free it snapped back on me and sliced my thumb wide open. My parents took the knife away for awhile, but to this day I don't know why anyone would have a slipjoint when they could have a decent locking knife. I have a Case knife in my dresser drawer that my dad gave me years ago. It has two teeny blades and a genuine stag handle. The largest of the two blades is about as big as a tiny carnival knife my parents (who were NOT trying to kill me, BTW) gave me when I was 11. It was a cheap little fixed blade with a little leather sheath stitched up on the sides. Couldn't figure out what to use either blade for, except to cut dental floss when the container broke.
 
Confederate said:
My uncle is a long time hunter and outdoorsman. He's used knives all his life and mostly he's had no problems. But he was using a slipjoint knife one day on some tough wood and was whittlin' away the bark, but at some point his blade became embedded in the wood, and when we extracted it, it was with enough force to snap the blade on his right index finger. Bled like a stuck pig. He should have been careful—very, very careful. He normally is. The wood was just a bit sticky that day and he was a bit slow.

Now had he had a locking knife, that wouldn't have happened. Me, I was much younger when the same thing happened to me. I was 16. My Boy Scout knife got stuck in my wood and while pulling the blade free it snapped back on me and sliced my thumb wide open.
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Having used slippies for a long time I can relate to this issue. Whittling with a slip joint is a bit different than with a FB or locked knife, since as Confederate says, it can get stuck in the material and fold on you when you pull it free. That's why you have to pull a slippie free by using an outgoing motion while at the same time making sure the blade and handle is in a straight line when you do it. It's kinda hard to explain but the preassure should be on the upper part of the blade, using the tip as leverage when you pull it out in an arching, sideways motion. I hope you understand what I mean?

It's very easy once you get the hang of it, but like I said, it's a different teqnique.
 
wutitiz said:
I've lost count of the people who say that "In 30 (40, 50, take your pick) years, I've never had a slip joint close on my fingers.

Once again. you can ride 50 years without a helmet and never have a head injury. That doesn't make it safe or smart. Basic logic.
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So.... slipjoint users are not smart?
 
Most are smart enough to be able to use a knife properly.
 
OwenM said:
Slipjoints are perfectly safe. They're inanimate objects:)
People, on the hand...
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Ha ha ha ha :-))))

"Fatal error! Replace user and push any button to continue.":D

The problem is usually not the knife, but the person that uses it:-)
 
I've lost count of the people who say that "In 30 (40, 50, take your pick) years, I've never had a slip joint close on my fingers.

Once again. you can ride 50 years without a helmet and never have a head injury. That doesn't make it safe or smart. Basic logic.
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I think they "I've used a slipjoint..." is to say that they are safe if used safely. Like I said earlier, if I was in a situation where I knew i was going to be thrown off at some time ( ie motorcycle riding) I would wear a helmet. Again, if I was in a situation where I was going to have to abuse and rely on a knife for anything, I would pack a fixed blade.
However, in day-to-day use I'm not likely to be thrown off, so I don't wear a helmet on my car, and I'm not likely to have to abuse my knife, so I don't pack a fixed blade.
I have nothing against locking folders (heck, I carry one) or motorcycles.
 
pick up a quality made slip joint like a Bose , Erickson , Coats , Ruple , etc.... After using my Erickson for a few weeks , I have total confidence that if I am using it for what a knife is for , it will not let me down.

Don't base your comparison off of a $5 slippie , step up to quality and then see. :)
 
Comparing slip joint users to helmetless motorcyclists is like comparing apples to oranges.(Yes, I've used both, and happen to live in a state that still allows riding without a helmet, but that's beside the point)
First of all, on a motorcycle most accidents are caused not by you, the rider, but the other idiots that pay little or no respect to other motorists while talking on their cell phones or pulling out of intersections while eating fast food.
Sure, I COULD get cut by a slipjoint if I always had to watch out for people coming up and trying to close it on me. See how this analogy is flawed now?
A slip joint's safety is only affected by two things, the user, and the design.


Gautier
 
Safe enough for me. I don't use them hard enough to make them fold like a deck chair.

Or maybe I'm just too extreme to replace all my slipjoints with locking knives. I'm crazy and living close to the edge with my SAK.
 
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