Why de-assist?

Hotshot10

Hotshot10

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I see that people frequently de-assist their assisted-opening knives. Since I own a couple of Zero Tolerance 0566s, I'm curious about why. I know it's a personal preference, but what does one gain by de-assisting?
 
Hotshot10 said:
I see that people frequently de-assist their assisted-opening knives. Since I own a couple of Zero Tolerance 0566s, I'm curious about why. I know it's a personal preference, but what does one gain by de-assisting?
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Good question. Having to overcome the spring when closing an AO knife one-handed is a complaint I hear from time to time. But like you said, I think it's mostly a matter of personal preference. For my part, I figure if the manufacturer makes a knife with a spring in it, they designed it to be that way and if I like the knife well enough to buy it, I'll leave the spring alone.
 
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I tried de-assisting a Blur, and did not like the result. I much prefer the spring-powered thwack!
 
Because a manual knife allows for more control when opening and much easier to close. I especially don't think Axis lock knives need to be assisted. My Volli is a much better knife without the spring.
 
blades&wrenches said:
Because a manual knife allows for more control when opening . . .
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Which raises the interesting question of the kind of control people need when they open their knives. The only thing I care about is that the knife opens reliably every single time. Doesn't the existence of a spring help that rather than hinder it?
 
I don't like assisted knives, harder to close, less fun to open, and it's just another part that will tire and/or break. But I don't see the point in de-assisting a knife, especially a flipper, unless it's got a strong ball detent.
 
Spring--or torsion bar, whatever--just adds a level of complication to simple tool. They can break. If it's not there, it won't break.
 
Goosey said:
I don't like assisted knives, harder to close, less fun to open, and it's just another part that will tire and/or break. But I don't see the point in de-assisting a knife, especially a flipper, unless it's got a strong ball detent.
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I don't know. I've got an assisted HTM Gunhammer that's an absolute blast to open because it incorporates two springs and it fires like a rocket. And I don't treat my knife like worry beads, so I don't think the AO is likely to tire or break before I do. But to each his own . . .
 
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Another point...

Some of us just don't like slamming the blade open on our knives. Depending on the spring tension, it can loosen the pivot. Happens pretty easily with Axis locks.

I seldom flip my knives open. Instead I just slide the blade open with my thumb until it locks.
 
I've yet to alter the ZT/Kershaw knives I have. For me, the A/O feature is what I like about them.
The BM Lerch I have opened with too much authority and I did de assist it to make it a manual folder. It's ok as a manual opener, I still use it around the house.
For me, it was just a personal preference, that's all.
 
I like to open my front door easy, not just fling it open so it slams into the door stop.
 
Has anyone else here had the chance to handle a Ken Onion custom? The way he does his torsion bars (they have a gentle assist on an already super-smooth knife) is so different from what you get with production assisted openers, it's quite amazing.
 
bld522 said:
Which raises the interesting question of the kind of control people need when they open their knives. The only thing I care about is that the knife opens reliably every single time. Doesn't the existence of a spring help that rather than hinder it?
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I see your point, but I can flick open my Volli just as quickly and reliably as it would if it had the spring still in it. Without it, I just have the option of opening it slowly as well.
 
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I'm not a fan of spring assists. I can open most knives faster than the spring can just using my thumb, and it's faster and easier to close as well. It's also mechanically less complicated. Unfortunately not all AO knives can be suitably de-assisted. Often the detent is weak and it may cause other issues as well.
 
bld522 said:
Good question. Having to overcome the spring when closing an AO knife one-handed is a complaint I hear from time to time.
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This.

But for me that's why I don't buy assisted knives. I've never had any luck deassisting the few A/Os I had when I first got into collecting.
 
Lee48 said:
Spring--or torsion bar, whatever--just adds a level of complication to simple tool. They can break. If it's not there, it won't break.
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Yeah, I could see that. I tend to like simplicity myself, but I guess the exception to that are my 0566s.
 
brancron said:
Has anyone else here had the chance to handle a Ken Onion custom? The way he does his torsion bars (they have a gentle assist on an already super-smooth knife) is so different from what you get with production assisted openers, it's quite amazing.
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Is the spring weaker than springs on production knives?
 
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