Which 3.25 - 4" folder OPENS easiest?

L

Lavan

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Nov 8, 2000
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Having my usual "bad thumb" problem with the Endura. Looooonnnnggg reach (for my condition)

Looking at stud openers as the stud is closer to the handle and ...should... be a shorter swing. But the boogeyman is how EASY it opens. Don't really like assists. I really like the Benchmade Ritter RSK1 but the handle has that swoop just behind the blade which is a good feature but increases the swing distance I would think. Also have never heard of how EASY they open.

Maybe have to stick to the straighter handles without swoops or choils. I had a 910 Stryker that I got as a used REAL BEATER and sold it for a song just cuz it was so beat up and oooogly. Also didn't like the open back.

Any ideas for EASY opening? (Delica ..... yesssssss) But larger knife. With closed back. Prefer VG10 or equivalent steel.

:confused:
 
i really dont know much about larger spyders and their eas to open, though spyders are excelent knives. Easiest to open would be flicking a BM axis. Otherwise, I dont think a stud provides much advantage.
 
My vote goes to the Al Mar SERE 2000. I just flick it and wham it's open! Really, mine is just as fast as an asst. opener. It is VG10, but has an open back.
 
From personal experience I can assure you that a knife with an axis lock, including the Ritter Grip, is extemely fast to open (and close.)

I may be wrong but opening and closing after releasing the lock is at least as fast as a switchblade if not faster. Keep in mind the usual switchblade needs to be forced closed (OTFs excluded) - you just need a flick with the axis lock.
 
Many knives can be fast to open. But can it be fast all the time and be safe also? Personally I don't feel there are much better easier opener folders out there than the ones with holes in the blades instead of thumb studs. They are just less likely to let your thumb slide off or out of the hole than a stud. (not to mention that you won't have to ever worry about losing it)

The reason I say this is because several times over the years I have accidentally poked or sliced my hand when my thumb slipped off the stud as I was opening my knife. In fact I have a 'repeating scar' from numerous wounds in the same place on the meaty part of my palm/thumb from this. I've found this slipping off the stud problem to be particularly troublesome with the medium sized and larger Voyagers from Cold steel and the Vaqureros also but they are not the only knives that have caused me to lose the contact point with my thumb on opening a blade using a thumb stud. It has happened with smaller knives like my small Sebenza and my own hand made Whittler also.

As for easy openers. I challenge anyone to find an easier folder blade to open than the Spyderco Veile 2. It is perhaps the smoothest easiest opening knife I've ever had. In fact I've spent $350 or more for folders like the Small Classic Sebenza and a Bill Vining Ouparator Jr. which are both extremely easy opening high class, high dollar knives and the Veile 2 beats them both in this and for a fraction of the cost. The "Spyderhole" only helps to make it that much better IMO.

I realize the 2 and 7/8" blade on the Viele 2 is under your limit but it is as easy an opener as it gets. I think it is pretty much the standard by which all other production folders should be judged personally, but it is in some cases better than some hand mades in smoothness.

Seeing how nice this Spyderco Viele2 was has caused me to put one of Howard Veile's hand mades on my wish list. It must be incredible if the productions are this good..
 
I agree with Samhain73. The SERE2000 is amazingly smooth and easy to open. The 806D2, is nearly as smooth - and has zero resistance if you pull back on the axis lock and flick slightly (which may be a problem depending on how bad your thumb is).
 
Benchmade 520 has a really smooth open with the thumbstud and it's really fast if you Axis flick it. 154CM blade and a closed back. The blade is a big, solid piece, so as soon as once you give it just enough momentum the mass of the blade takes it the rest of the way. Plus you can pull back the Axis lock with your index finger on the other side of the handle, or even do it with your off hand if needed.
 
I seriously doubt anything could open as fast a ti lite. It's faster than any auto if you open it the way it was designed. The thumb stud is worthless, but applying your finger to the quillion works like a thumb stud, but there is no chance of slipping and cutting your finger. I can also flick my ti lite open without touching the blade at all. I dont think any other knife could be opened as quickly.
 
WadeF said:
Lemme see if I can get this video back up. Shows me playing around with a couple AXIS locks.

http://home.comcast.net/~wadef/bf/axislocks.wmv

I'd like to add I may look a little akward in this video the way I'm holding the knives, etc, but I was forced to keep them in the frame of the camera. So I'm trying to watch a little LCD screen on my digital camera while demonstrating. So you see me positioning my hands and the knives to get them in frame, etc. :) It looks a bit silly, but that's what's going on.
Click to expand...
This video from WadeF on 4-14-05 is what convinced me. Notice that the thumbstud is not being used at all - he is simply releasing the axis lock and hand flicking.
 
Al Mar SERE 2K. Extremely smooth and quick opening. Just takes a tiny flick of the thumb.

Mark
 
digdeep said:
This video from WadeF on 4-14-05 is what convinced me. Notice that the thumbstud is not being used at all - he is simply releasing the axis lock and hand flicking.
Click to expand...

:eek: Dude, that video looks like Edward Scissorhands...If he can dance on the bar and do that at the same time, then I'm impressed :p :D :p
He could call the dance the "Axis of Evil". :cool:
 
Second the Axis lock knives. Just pull back on the button and flick it open or close. Have 5 now and with adjustments of pivot screw, all open really smooth and quick.

If you find the Axis lock button a bit fiddly (it is about the size of a thumb stud) and want a really big knife, I would recommend the Camillus Cuda Max.

Just handled one over the weekend. Pull back on the flipper with your finger and a slight wrist flick and it just flashes open and clacks locked. And it is a really BIG bad looking knife. To me I always find it a bit funny when I see it, ie. so big and yet a pocket knife. Takes my breathe away each time though. May have to save up for one even though IMO it is a bit big for easy carry.
 
fewpop said:
:eek: Dude, that video looks like Edward Scissorhands...If he can dance on the bar and do that at the same time, then I'm impressed :p :D :p
He could call the dance the "Axis of Evil". :cool:
Click to expand...

Sounds like I need to make a new video. :D :D
 
My (Militec-1 treated) Benchmade 721s opens very easily, and very quickly.
 
I agree that the Axis-lock is very easy to flick open when holding the lock-release back.

Have you considered a Benchmade Butterfly knife?
Really a breeze to open once you practice a few times.

I've seen plenty of liner-locks that opened too easy.
In fact, some open so easy that there is a risk that they can open inside of your pocket.
And I don't prefer liner-locks so I really can't recommend one in good conscious.

Good luck,
Allen
 
SInce nobody has mentioned, I'd recommend any knife with a "Carson Flipper". CRKT M16 series is very good. You don't even use your thumb so that's not a problem.
 
If you haven't tried a BM Axis, they are very easy to open. You should try one even though I am not a big BM fan. They have a winner with the Axis lock for sure!
 
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