What is the proper way to handle slipjoints?

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bchan77

Joined
Dec 6, 2007
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Some of you may burst out laughing when looking at the thread title. Well, I'd been badly cut once by a slipjoint when I was young (the blade suddenly shut on me while I was scraping something) and I had been avoiding slipjoints ever since. But lately I've come across some of pictures shared by fellow forum members of their slipjoints and I think they're wonderful. I'm tempted to start collecting (and using) slipjoints again; but, pardon my ignorance, is there a proper way of handling slipjoints so that you can avoid yourself being accidentally cut? Thanks!
 
i second SandS, use them as a razor blade designed for cutting, because that is what they are. i am trying to imagine how a slipoint could close on you if you were using it for scraping...were you scraping with the back of the blade?
 
On a really sharp slipjoint,that has a really strong snap - if your nail jumps out of the nail nick,the blade can close & at the same time you lose a bit of control as one hand moves quick,from jumping off the nick,you can get cut

I once had a custom slip I ordered for work,the razor sharp blade & super strong snap,made me realize it was not a good work knife for me.It was an ER trip waiting to happen
Be careful & you won't get cut
-Vince
 
Don't do hard stabbing and don't try and cut with the spine. Remember any folding knife can close even those with locks.
 
siguy said:
i am trying to imagine how a slipoint could close on you if you were using it for scraping...were you scraping with the back of the blade?
Click to expand...

I was using it to scrape pieces off a small twig, and I laid my thumb on the back of the blade while I was scraping. Guess I pressed too hard and caused the blade to snap shut...
 
I rarely cut myself with a slippy, but I recently got a bark river mikro canadian fixed blade, and while it's a really cool little knife, I cut myself with it 5 times the first day I had it.

Lesson? The best way to avoid cutting yourself is to be familiar with the knife you are using.
 
bchan77 said:
I was using it to scrape pieces off a small twig, and I laid my thumb on the back of the blade while I was scraping. Guess I pressed too hard and caused the blade to snap shut...
Click to expand...

I think you found your answer.... For many years the knives they made and used didn't have any of the modern wonderlocks... A knife is like any other tool, if used carelessly people will get injured..
Be warned.... Slip joint knives are very addictive :D

Almost forgot, Welcome to Blade Forums.....
 
I feel ya on that. Sometimes your just not thinking and you goof. With a slippy there's a little less goof proofing, so you can give yourself a nasty cut. I guess I'd say the proper way to handle a slippy is to use it as it is intended, keeping in mind that it isn't a locking knife. Always cut with the blade, not against it, and not in a way that can cause the pivot to fold on you. Don't use your thumb for leverage when performing tasks that might let it slip and suddenly close from the thumb pressure.
Sounds kind of snarky maybe, but it's an easy mistake to make. They are designed to perform certain tasks and for those tasks they do them as well as any knife out there. Ask them to do things they aren't really designed for and you can slip up and give yourself a nasty reminder. Probably good for all of us who haven't goofed up in a while to be reminded too.

Syn
 
bchan77 said:
Some of you may burst out laughing when looking at the thread title. Well, I'd been badly cut once by a slipjoint when I was young (the blade suddenly shut on me while I was scraping something) and I had been avoiding slipjoints ever since. But lately I've come across some of pictures shared by fellow forum members of their slipjoints and I think they're wonderful. I'm tempted to start collecting (and using) slipjoints again; but, pardon my ignorance, is there a proper way of handling slipjoints so that you can avoid yourself being accidentally cut? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum, bchan.

I'm not going to laugh, but this brings to mind that there is a whole couple generations that is young enough that they may not have the experince with slip joints that us older farts do. When Buck came out with the 110 in 1963 it changed knifedom. Locks became popular, and today there are not many traditional pocket knives sold in relation to the vast amount of tactical, hunting, and Chinese and Pakastani knock offs of them that are sold. Most young guys who did not have a old grandad to teach them don't have familiarness with slippys.

A slip joint is easy to use, you just have to get used to certain aspects of it. Once you open it, it will be held open by the pressure of the back spring against the blade tang. If the number of pounds of force pushing on the back of the blade exeeds the number of pounds of force being put on the blade tang by the spring, the blade will close. This can be good or bad. In the old days we would just brush the back of the blade agaist our leg to close it and drop back in the pocket. Its a simple mechanisim that stands up well to alot of years of use without a lock to wear and possably fail. Also it works well under diirty conditions, again because there is no lock that may need tight tollerances to work well. As long as its treated like a cutting tool, you'll do fine. Like one poster said, don't stab anything with it, and don't puch on the back of an open blade. A slip joint takes a tad more care to use, but then with any sharp tool you should be carefull. In the long run I think a slip joint is a better knife than a lockblade. I've seen a bad result of a young guy having too much faith in his Buck 110's lock, and having to be taken to the ER. He got careless, treating his knife like it was a sheath knife, certain it would not fold on him because it had a lock. He ended up with his right index finger short at the last joint. The only knife that will never ever fold up on you is a sheath knife, or fixed blade as they are called now. With a slip joint, you know it will fold, so you are more carefull in using it.

Work with one for a while, and take it slow and carefull. Once you get used to it you'll be fine. Just don't push hard on the tip, and press into the cut or slice in the direction your cutting. The dynamics of what your doing will keep it open. I wish I were close to you so I could come over and give you some hands on instruction. It's just different. Think of it this way, if a slip joint were a handgun, it would be like a single action Colt peacemaker vs a modern tactical that would be like a Glock. They just require a different touch. A slip joint is kind of like stepping back in time to what our grandfathers carried and used. I love retro stuff.
 
When I was a little boy I had some close calls. Luckily slippies seem to halt half way in their closing. Kinda learned my lesson, and for me I find the handiness of slippies far outways the slight danger. When I'm busy its the one thats out, cuts, and back in the pocket fastest.

EDIT: I should note I've only used "lockback" type locks. Liner locks may be just as quick to close.
 
Get a SAK and start practising with that or a CASE 2 bladed knife,main thing with any knife use is to take it slowly and thus carefully.
 
My first knife was a slippy. After I cut myself for the first time my Dad sat me down and TOLD ME how to use it.

You always keep your fingers out of the way. As an example you would have 3 fingers on one side and the thumb on the other. All out of the way of the blade. That's how he showed me that you can slice, pick (such as a splinter), or prying (lightly). This take a little getting used to but it's so much of a habit to me that I hold most lockback like this. You never know when a knife is going to get mad at you and shut:rolleyes:.

The only time that you hold it with you fingers in front of where the blade closes is when makeing a pull cut and theres no chance of it closeing.

The only knife that won't close on you is a sheath knife. All other you treat as if they will close. Kinda like a gun. Always keep the barrel pointed in a safe direction. LOADED OR NOT!
 
The only severe cut I've experienced with slipjoints was to my bank account balance.
 
The worst cut I ever gave myself was with a lockback. I was being stupid and put my finger in front of where the blade was going, and about 1/8" of the tip sliced through my pinky.

In contrast, I can't recall cutting myself with any of my slipjoints.

Be careful, use common sense, and you should be fine with a slippie.
 
I have to go along with wvstockman. Learn to handle and do as much of your cutting without your fingers straddling that part where the blade closes into. Can't always work but much of the time it does. I also remind myself that if I'm going to play with knives, I will get cut...

Mike
 
I'm one of those old timers that learned to use a knife long before locks were popular and although I never noticed it I almost never leave my fingers in the way of the blade suddenly closing. Frame lock, lock back or any other type I normally just don't do it. If I find my self in a situation where it is necessary to wrap my hand completely around the handle, I always try to be extra careful not to do anything that will make the blade close. Despite my best efforts I too have been cut but that (for me) is just part of the hobby. BTW I have been more severely cut with my kitchen knives than with anything else and they are all fixed blades.
 
One thing I've thought about before. I'm not good a physics so bare with me. Is a shorter thicker slippie blade less likely to close on you? They seem more stable to, but could just be my imagination.
 
Oh man, this thread reminds me of when I let the teller at blockbuster borrow my new Case to cut open a DVD case. He used it then set it down, then picked it up to use it again, but wasn't paying attention, and tried to cut with the spine, and used his index finger to put more downward pressure on the cut, but since he had it upside down, he pushed his finger down right on the blade. Oh man, and I had just sharpened it. Oh well, that'll learn him.

As others have said, just think a second before you start cutting and ask yourself if what you are doing could cause the blade to close in any way.
 
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