What happens when the Kershaw "speed safe" feature breaks?

Bimmer1

Bimmer1

Joined
Sep 30, 2000
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I saw the Kershaw Boa at a gun/knife show today. It's really an awesome blade. I just don't like the speed safe feature. If the speed safe feature breaks does the knife then act like a normal liner lock manual opener? Can the speed safe function be removed from the knife thus making it a traditional manual opener?

Thanks!
 
I'm not so sure that would be a good idea. My Boa lacks a ball detent. This essentially keeps a regular liner lock from accidentally opening in your pocket. Of course, it does have that manual safety on the spine of the blade, but as for myself, I never use the bloody thing.
I suppose it depends on whether you can develop the habit of engaging and dis-engaging that manual safety.
 
I was wondering if the speed safe mechanism is removed if the blade would just sort of fall open.
 
If you had the pivot tension loose enough to flick open and had the manual safety dis-engaged there would be virtually nothing to keep it from flopping open.
 
That's not what I was hoping for. I would love to purchase one, but that speed safe feature is keeping me away.
 
I have three liner locks with no ball detent, two China Clones and an old "Parker".

While none of them will just fall open, the clones open pretty easy.

Seeing as how the Boa has that safety, I'm guessing it would be ok without the speed safe (Between you and me Speed Safe keeps me away from some of the bigger Kershaws - though I did handle a Boa and thought I could live with it - if I could AFFORD it!!!)

Joe Shmoe -- a cheap b@st@rd if ever there was one!

Whats in my Pocket right now? Spyderco SS Delica Plain (Usually Vapor)
 
Why would you want to take off the speed safe?

In my opinion, that's the whole point in owning one of them. The speed safe opening feature is SOOO fun! Taking the speed safe off would be like buying an Emerson and grinding off the wave! The Boa is particularly cool since it has that "flicker" to get the blade moving.

I don't really like the Kershaws that have speed safe and no flicker (avalanche, random task, blackout, etc.). Speedsafe on a knife with just a thumbstud is a recipe for disaster IMHO. If your thumb keeps going... slice! I've even seen that happen right in front of me at a gun show.

You might want to try a speedsafe with a flicker like a Boa. Just think of it as a manual liner lock that opens really fast! It really is a cool feature, and once you get used to it, it is highly addictive! By the way, Kershaw makes knives without the speedsafe mechanism. I think even some of Ken Onion's designs are made without it.
 
I also don't like the speedsafe on the Boa. I'd much rather have it function as a regular liner lock. The speedsafe mechanism, as I've recently learned, can most definitely be safely removed...however, as noted above, the blade will likely just flop open.

Too bad for me. I think I'm one of the few who don't like the speedsafe too much.
 
I have 2 Kershaw Speed Safes, A Whirlwind, and a Chive. I've had the Whirlwind for about a year and a half, no problems so far, and the Chive about 5 months also no problem. If they break send them back to Kershaw. Or if your inclined and kershaw will send the part, replace it yourself, it's not that hard. I'll post a break down later, unless someone remembers where that thread is I did awhile back.
 
I would get an Emerson waved ANYTHING before getting a speedsafe. Nothing faster than the wave.
 
The speed safe is just crap, in my opinion. Oh, it works as advertised, but I sure would like to see a boa without it...that's the only reason I sold mine, because otherwise it was a fantastic knife.
Just another reason I hate Kershaw..
 
Kershaw makes great knives! I personally think the Boa would be boring without the speed safe. It would still be one hell of a knife without it, but like I said, that's its "gimmick". I buy some knives just FOR the gimmick. I pass on some Kershaws because they don't have the speed safe. I really would buy a Boa without it, but what the heck is so terrible about it - it makes the blade open too fast? I think it just makes a good knife better. Ahh well, to each his own.

:confused: :confused: :confused:
 
I think the boa fits well with the speed safe system. Speed safe is very cool alternative to switch blades. Also, the safetly lock that locks the flicker on the back is a good idea. So if you take out the mechanism and slide the lock, it might lock up closed.
 
mikemck: Why do you find the Speed Safes to be crap? Just curious.

malazo; I agree that the Emerson Waves are faster opening than the Speed Safes. However, it is also nice to have a fast opening, switchblade type of knife, that can be held in your hand (folded) and then immediately open with a slight touch to the blade. The Emerson Wave cannot do that. Don't get me wrong: My Commander is my EDC, but sometimes I do not want it to open as I pull it out of my pocket.

I am not clear why anyone would "hate" the speed safe feature. I have a Boa and a Scallion. Both are very cool for various reasons. There are features on the Boa that I do not like, but none of these features have anything to do with speed safe feature. What exactly do you not like about having a switchblade feature made in a legal fashion?

I am not crazy about the speed safes without the flipper. The flipper just makes the entire speed safe design work easier.

If you are interested in Kershaw's warantee and dependability of the speed safe mechanism, do a search of Blade Forums. There are numerous responses from Kershaw explaining this in detail.
 
Originally posted by jayharley
mikemck: Why do you find the Speed Safes to be crap? Just curious.
Click to expand...


For me, it's just dangerous, especially since there are thumbstuds on the blade.
Using the thumbstuds, like I do with every other knife I own, is a big mistake with the Boa, or any of the other speed safe knives from Kershaw.
And the little secondary slide lock, to keep it from opening up in your pocket, is also a big pain.
I just ended up fumbling around, trying to disengage the secondary lock, and then trying to remember not to thumb it open and instead use the flipper.

If the Boa, or some other speed safe knife, was all I owned, it would probably be okay, but for me, it's just not safe and not convenient at all, for me, tryingto switch back & forth.

I'm sure there is a good reason not to release a manual Boa, otherwise Kershaw would probably have done it, but it sure seems like it would be popular.
 
I don't own a Boa, however, I have a Ricochet that I have carried often and found the speedsafe to come in handy at times.
The only thing I would change is the sharp single thumbstud.
I may change it to a double if I could find one that would fit in the existing hole.

dave
 
I just bought a little all metal chive and like the speedsafe feature. That and the fantastic sharp blade!

In fact, I bought it because of the feature.
 
The Kershaw Leek, yes, a speed safe knife, won 2002 OVERALL KNIFE OF THE YEAR at Blade show. I think this prestigious award speaks for itself as to the quality and design of the knife. I think the judges for this award are well qualified.

For Blade Magazines right up and pictures, check here.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=209435&highlight=leek

I have a number of speed safe knives and have used them hard, none have broken. If one did, just send it to Kershaw for replacement.

On the thumbstud opening, you just flick the stud and your thumb does not leave the handle. If you try and follow through, as you would on a non speed safe knife, yes, your thumb can run into the blade and you will get cut.
 
The speed safe is just crap, in my opinion. Oh, it works as advertised, but I sure would like to see a boa without it...that's the only reason I sold mine



because otherwise it was a fantastic knife. :confused: :confused: :confused:

That really does NOT make sense.
 
I don't know what I think much about the so called "Knife of the Year" awards. When they start picking foreign made knives as "American Knife of the year", and when that MOD dagger won, which was a cool knife, but it was a prototype, not a knife built, distributed, and tested on battlefields, etc.

I am losing faith in those judges.
 
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