Why do you hate Assisted Opening?

Appletz

Appletz

Joined
Apr 2, 2011
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308
Well, maybe hate is a strong word. But in many threads I see people mention in passing that they don't like assisted opening knives, and they never elaborate on why. I am genuinely curious about the drawbacks of assisted opening. The only reasons I've seen have been along the lines of "I don't need help opening my knife" and "just another thing to go wrong." But these reasons are vague at best. So why do you dislike assisted opening? (be specific!)
 
I prefer manual folders because I can control deployment speed. There are times when I don't want my blade to fly open with a loud snap... scares the sheeple! :)
 
I wouldn't say that I dislike assisted opening knives, just that I generally like manual opening ones more. For me, the main reason is simply that I tend to find opening/closing manual knives more fun than than assisted ones. There are plenty of assisted openers that I really like, though, including the Kershaw Leek and BM Torrent.

Secondary reasons that I tend to prefer manual knives include the fact that, all else being equal, non-assisted knives are faster to close (because one doesn't have to overcome the spring/torsion bar to close the knife) and allow more variability in terms of opening speed (useful around non-knife people).
 
Hate is a strong word, but the main reason I dislike assisted opening knives has little to do with the knives themselves and everything to do with the perception of them. They are commonly seen as and associated with switchblades/automatics, which are seen as weapons. Automatics are also highly restricted in the US, and the legal language defining the differences between autos and AOs is technical. I don't want people to react to my knife use as if I'm carrying a weapon, and there's also the hypothetical but not entirely implausible scenario of interacting with a police officer not familiar with the differences between AOs and switchblades.
 
timberweasel said:
There are times when I don't want my blade to fly open with a loud snap... scares the sheeple! :)
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Dito!

I have turned my big and small BM Nitrous Stryker into manual knives. Love the knives but don´t care about the A.O. It opens faster manually anyway (if you flick your wrist).
 
Jesse B. said:
Hate is a strong word, but the main reason I dislike assisted opening knives has little to do with the knives themselves and everything to do with the perception of them. They are commonly seen as and associated with switchblades/automatics, which are seen as weapons. Automatics are also highly restricted in the US, and the legal language defining the differences between autos and AOs is technical. I don't want people to react to my knife use as if I'm carrying a weapon, and there's also the hypothetical but not entirely implausible scenario of interacting with a police officer not familiar with the differences between AOs and switchblades.
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I agree , this is how I mosty feel too. I actually like most of the designs but I'm afraid of the consequences if a LEO construes it as being an automatic knife.
 
I love assisted opening. Both my carry folders are speed safe and if one of them breaks I'll replace it with another just like it.
 
The fear of getting caught with it and someone classigying it as an automatic knife would be my guess. There are people out there that don't want to try and explain to a busy judge in a court setting the differences between an automaitc knife and an assisted opening knife.
I have no problem with assisted opening knives.
 
timberweasel said:
I prefer manual folders because I can control deployment speed. There are times when I don't want my blade to fly open with a loud snap
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This is pretty reasonable. AO knives are pretty much fast or nothing.

Jesse B. said:
Hate is a strong word, but the main reason I dislike assisted opening knives has little to do with the knives themselves and everything to do with the perception of them. They are commonly seen as and associated with switchblades/automatics, which are seen as weapons. Automatics are also highly restricted in the US, and the legal language defining the differences between autos and AOs is technical. I don't want people to react to my knife use as if I'm carrying a weapon, and there's also the hypothetical but not entirely implausible scenario of interacting with a police officer not familiar with the differences between AOs and switchblades.
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Yeah, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility for an AO (especially with a flipper) to be mistaken for a switchblade. I sort of carry them regardless, but it's true that hypothetically I'm doing it at a risk (legal or otherwise). Definitely something to think about.
 
I have no problem with assisted opening. however, because of some sheer stupidity on my part earlier, my parents and I came to the agreement that no assisted knives left the property except when i was going to be with a select few people. this is fine, because the one knife that i wanted to carry converted smoothly (S60V Blur). I find that my preference tend to be more in the area of steel and handle than in opening style because the type of knives i carry deploy fast, assisted or not.

I would agree with some of the earlier people in that i like being able to easily regulate the opening speed. Take for example my EDC, the ZT 0200. the thumbstuds are such that, when i am around sheeple i can open it slowly without ever taking my thumb off the blade. however, in the other extreme, i have been known to wave it out of my pocket upon occasion ;) you can do all of this with an assisted knife, but is neither easy nor simple.

Just my thoughts. Feel free to disagree. I know there are going to be one or two people stupid enough to doubt me :cool::D ;):foot:
 
More stuff to get gummed up, more difficult to control deployment speed, more difficult to close one-handed. I can easily explain the difference between an automatic and an assisted knife to an officer of the law, so that doesn't play into my dislike at all. Also I've gotten good enough with my thumb that I can often open a non-assisted knife faster than one with with A/O. :)
 
Perception of others, more parts to fail and gum up, some rattle without grease and I don't think an A/O gives me anything I need that a manual folder doesn't already give me. I can operate most of my folders one handed without the A/O and most of them pretty fast too. Fast enough for sure. In fact, I find it easier to close a non-A/O one handed . . .
 
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FortyTwoBlades said:
More stuff to get gummed up, more difficult to control deployment speed, more difficult to close one-handed. I can easily explain the difference between an automatic and an assisted knife to an officer of the law, so that doesn't play into my dislike at all. Also I've gotten good enough with my thumb that I can often open a non-assisted knife faster than one with with A/O. :)
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The bold being the part I agree with most. I have assisted knives and I don't really believe that they are any less reliable. But the less parts it has, the less there is to get messed up.
 
Yeah--I've taken a lot of AO's apart for cleaning (for friends and family) and the stuff that collects in the mechanisms is nasty. :p
 
I am going to say because of the variation in legality from state to state and from location to location within some states. Now if this was something that provided great advantage to me, I might work harder at working through that. As it is, I have little use for that feature so I don't need to remember where I am at and which knife I have with me.

Some crazy places, like NY and San Antonio TX of all places, have outlawed locking knives :eek:. Now that's just crazy and as such, I plan to avoid them. I live 2000 miles from San Antonio and have no business in NY so I should be good.
 
A/O isn't generally a deal breaker for me, but these days I definitely prefer Manual folders. A/O doesn't provide me with any practical benefits over manual folders whatsoever. A/O mechanisms just add an assortment of fragile parts and components that get gummed up and broken.

Still, I'm not about to throw my Leek in the trash. I like some knives which happen to have A/O mechanisms, it's just not an advantage whatsoever, imho.
 
I just don't like it. Fun to play with, but I'd rather be in control for 100% of the blade's range of motion. Also dislike that they're harder to close, especially on a slippery stainless leek or something.
 
goodeyesniper said:
I just don't like it. Fun to play with, but I'd rather be in control for 100% of the blade's range of motion. Also dislike that they're harder to close, especially on a slippery stainless leek or something.
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Yeah, they are a bit annoying to close with one hand, and probably dangerous if you aren't paying attention. Even a grippy knife like the Blur has slipped a few times when I didn't have a firm grip. In fact, I prefer to close AO knives with two hands-- I guess I never thought about it until now. So that's a pretty valid criticism.
 
I can take or leave AO. Having said that I carry a ZT 301. I like the knife whether it came in AO or not.
 
I had a leek partially open in my pocket. I was out camping and had a lot of things in a cargo pocket and when I reached in I felt the blade with my fingers and managed to get my hand pulled out without getting cut, but that was too close of a call for me.
 
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