What does "blade pull" mean?

Sharpnessis

Sharpnessis

Joined
Aug 11, 2012
Messages
810
What exactly do you mean when you say, the blade pulls at a 5 or 6? Is this poundage or what? And how high do the numbers go? I've done a few searches but I could not find any info on it. Thank you in advance!
 
It is kinda a seat of the pants judgement, no real firm measurement. Think 1 to 10 scale, with 1 being there is no resistance (not really falling open, but only friction from the side, not the spring) and 10 being almost impossible to open without assistance from a tool.
 
On a scale from 1 to 10, how hard is it to open a folding knife. 10 being almost impossible to open and 1 being it basically will open by itself.
 
It's a subjective scale with 10 being a nail breaker and 1 basically having no spring/resistance at all.

At least that's my interpretation.
 
I suppose it could be measured in "lbs. of pull" necessary to open the blade.
But it is a little more subjective. How well the nick or long pull (the various notches) are constructed/shaped has something to do with it, and how progressive the opening path proceeds also adds to the impression one gets.
Some may disagree, but I call an average, fairly easy pull a 5 or 6, a more firm pull (preferred) a 7 or 8, and you better have good thumbnails to open a 9!
10 - fugetaboudit!!
 
Thank you very much gentlemen. I appreciate the quick help. I love it when I learn something new!
 
In addition to the "relative difficulty of pulling the blade open" it can also be used as a term for the slot or nick cut into the blade. A small, curved cut is usually called a "nail nick" because you use your fingernail to open it. A "long pull" refers to a long straight slot along the side of the spine allowing for either using a fingernail or sometimes enough to grip with your fingers in a pinching type action.

A striker pull, or match strike pull (or nick) is when the nick is serrated and can be used to strike a 'strike anywhere' match. Whether or not people actually used to strike matches on them I don't know.
 
Very interesting jc57, I have heard that term for years, and never knew what it meant. Have never seen anyone use one for that purpose either. Of course, I never took up smoking so I guess I never was around many people that needed to use it for that. My grandfather used matches to light his ciggies with, but used matchbooks or small strike anywhere matches. It wasn't until later in his life that he carried a lighter.

Blessings,

Omar
 
I'm guessing that the term "match striker pull" might have come from the resemblance to the appearance of a zipper. I know myself and many others have struck thousands of these matches on a zipper. And not just for smoking either.
 
Sharpnessis said:
Thank you very much gentlemen. I appreciate the quick help. I love it when I learn something new!
Click to expand...

For further reading, you might enjoy this thread, "The Grand Unified Traditional Pull Scale," in which several of us tackled the topic last year. (Note, I'm not faulting you for not seeing it; it was 16 pages back in the first search I attempted. I knew it was there somewhere! :))

If nothing else, make sure to see richstag's post featuring his grandmother. :thumbup:

I can't really add to what I said at the time, similar to others' acknowledgement of subjectivity:
pertinux said:
...as is probably obvious, one's own experience with specific knives and "strength of pull" can be very different from another's, and can vary over time.

For example, a 6 or 7 (stiff but acceptable) to one person can be another's 8 -- "tough to use."

I had first-hand experience with that when at GEC (one of the few times I've been with other people who were opening the same knives), when I watched Chris Tucker, Bill Howard and others repeatedly, seemingly easily open knives I would struggle with. I was frustrated and kept asking, "How do you just do that?!"

Since then, I can tell that my finger/hand/nail strength has improved, as has my technique-- maybe not in that order?

So now, many knives that were 8s are now 6s (without extensive work on the knives themselves, to account for a softening of the spring), while some that I formerly considered 5s and 6s now feel like 4s to me, or at least decidedly smooshy.
Click to expand...

~ P.
 
Very good! I enjoyed reading about his mother, and found that grand unified pull scale most helpful! I'm getting my first canal street soon and want to be ready :)! Thanks again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top